IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 2261 - 2280
From: Riyaj Shaik <riyaz@indiamail.email
Subject: Online Bookstore
Date: 03 Mar 1998 14:39:00 -0500
<A HREF="http://www.resoluteinc.com/cyberonline/">http://www.resoluteinc.com/cyberonline/</A>
From: Sankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 04 Mar 1998 08:57:00 -0500
Hello Larry,
Ooops! Correction: in my previous list, please note the following correction:
BSB is Varanasi (based on the old name Benares) BSP is for Bilaspur. Sorry.
What I can give below is a list of station codes, some of which may be shed
codes too. But in larger cities, there may be several sheds, or the sheds are
situated in neighboring towns or suburbs. In such cases, the full shed name
will be displayed. I think what confuses you are the names. Station codes,even
though I still enlist some more I know, will only confuse you further.
First to names:
DELHI: Delhi based locomotives are based at GZB (Ghaziabad), Shakurbasti(SSB),
TKD (Tuqlakhabad) or NDLS(New Delhi)
etc.
BOMBAY:Bombay --"-- -"-- BAMY (Bandra) KYN (Kalyan)
CLA (Kurla:shunting engines only)
MCT (Mumbai Centrl.)to name a few.
CALCUTTA (Howrah) -"-- -"-- HWH (Howrah), Liluah, Sealdah
Andal, Asansol,etc.
MADRAS: -"-- -"-- AJJ (Arakonam), BZA (Vijayawada)
Basin Bridge etc.
Others: BANGALORE (KJM/Krishnarajapuram), BAREILLY (Izzatnagar),
AHMEDABAD Vatwa HYDERABAD/SECUNDERABAD (Begumpet, Lallaguda, Sanatnagar)
TIRUCHIRAPALLI (Golden Rock/Ponmalai) etc.
Other station codes (most of which are also shed codes are):
ALD: Allahabad, (Some Allahabad engines are also based at Naini)
AGC: Agra Cantt (Some Agra locos are also based at Idgah, Tundla or
AMI: Amravati Agra Fort)
ASR:Amritsar BSB:Varanasi (some Varanasi locos also based at Mughal Sarai),
BSP:Bilspur BPQ: Ballarshah BPO: Baripada CPR: Chhapra DDN: Dehradun
DR: Dadar (Bombay) (no engines based at Dadar) DBG: Darbhanga ERS: Ernakulam
FD: Faizabad FZR: Ferozepore GHY: Guwahati (Gauhati) GONDA (displayed full)
HYB: Hyderabad(see above) JAM: Jamnagar IND: Indore JBP: Jabalpur KTE:
Katni (displayed full) MFP: Muzzaffarpur NIR: Nainpur PNBE: Patna RJT: Rajkot
SC: Secunderabad SGNR: Sri Ganganagar SWV: Sawantwadi (Konkan Railway)
TDH: Tindharia (Darjeeling Himalayan line) TDL: Tundla (some Agra engines are
based here as well) VSKP: Vishakapatnam.etc.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 07:24 PM 3/2/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I've been able to determine the sheds that are marked on many IR locos.
>There are some, however that I can't find. Can anyone provide a list of
>the main sheds for IR (this is probably a very large order!!!) At the very
>least, where is Vatva on WR? Many locos only have the initials on them LKO
>I presume is Lucknow, but there are others I can't figure out. Depending
>on the respone I get, I may post some other ones.
>Larry
>
>
>
>
From: Iain A Fraser <Aerolite@mail.email
Subject: Sri Lanka
Date: 04 Mar 1998 02:02:00 -0500
Hi all......
Is there anyone on the list with contact or knowledge of the rail
system in Sri Lanka ?
Thanks
Iain
Aerolite Booktraders
Road and Rail Transport Books
<A HREF="http://www.aerolite.u-net.com">http://www.aerolite.u-net.com</A>
----------------------
From: poras p.saklatwalla <pps@godrejnet.email
Subject: Re:
Date: 04 Mar 1998 16:43:00 -0500
On Tue, 3 Mar 1998, poras p.saklatwalla wrote:
> On Tue, 3 Mar 1998 sank@telco.email wrote:
>
> > > At the very least, where is Vatva on WR?
> >
> > At least this one I know: Vatva is a few kilometers south ofthe main station
> > in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It has facilities for
> > BG Diesels.
> >
> > I do not know if anyone will have a full list, but everyone on
> > this list could pool in shed names they know of, and mail them
> > to you: think that would help ?
> >
> >
> > --
> > Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
> > Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
> > tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
> > --
> >
> >
> >
>
> P.P.SAKLATWALLA.
> EXTN :4226/4232/4237
>
> You wanted to know the name of some sheds in India,
> here are a few of them.
>
> Erode - in Kerala for diesel
> Vatwa - In Gujrat near Ahmedabad
> Tughlakabad - Near New Delhi which caters to diesel, and electric locos.
> Ghaziabad - near Delhi for Electric loco
> Bandra - Near Mumbai; It is BAMY - bandra marshaaling yard
> KRISHNARAJAPURAM - JUST OFF SITE BANGALORE STATION IS A BIG ONE
> GOOTY - ON SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY MUMBAI MADRAS ROUTE
> I THINK RATLAM IS ALSO HAVING ONE. THE DOUBLE HEADED RAJDHANI OF YORE WAS
> RATLAM LOCOS.
> VIJAYWADA AND KAZIPET ALSO HAS ONE
> (PLEASE CHECK ON KAZIPET)
> ARAKKONAM HAS ELECTRIC LOCO SHED.
> KATNI IN MADHYA PRADESH THIS IS A DIESEL ONE AND SOMETIMES KATNII LOCOS
> CAN BE SPOTTED IN MUMBAI
> OF COURSE WE CANNOT FORGET PUNE, BHUSAWAL, ITARSI.
> PLEASE CONFIRM WHETHER THE INFO I HAVE GIVEN IS RIGHT. ALSO I HAVE GIVEN
> ONLY BROAD GUAGE LOCO SHEDS.
> LUCKNOW ALSO HAS ONE (LKO) IS INDEED LUCKNOW.
> CHECK ON VARANASI. OF COURSE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD KNOWS HOW MUGHALSARAI
> AND PATNA.
> PLEASE FOLKS LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE IN ADDITION TO ABOVE ANY OTHER LOCO
> SHEDS IN THE COUNTRY.
> I forgot to mention Tatanagar i.e. Jamshedpur.
P.P.SAKLATWALLA.
EXTN :4226/4232/4237
From: Larry Russell <lrussell@direct.email
Subject: IR sheds.
Date: 03 Mar 1998 16:22:00 -0500
Many thanks to those who sent their lists, I will digest these and work
from there. I visited Sabarmati and knew there was a broad gauge shed in
Ahmedabad, but didn't realize it was Vatva, or where it was. Many thanks
Larry
From: sank <sank@telco.email
Subject: Re: Sri Lanka
Date: 04 Mar 1998 18:22:00 -0500
> Is there anyone on the list with contact or knowledge of the rail
> system in Sri Lanka ?
Not directly: but check out this URL:
<A HREF="http://infolanka.com/modelrail/">http://infolanka.com/modelrail/</A>
They have some prototype information here too, and
perhaps you could mail the site administrator for
more data........
--
Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
--
From: Sankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Please remove from list
Date: 05 Mar 1998 06:23:00 -0500
Hey, hey, hold it!
I DO NOT WANT TO BE EXCLUDED from the group, in fact I am just beginning to
enjoy myself to the full. As long as other members are happy, I have every
intention of continuing with the irfca membership.In fact, I have recommended
to quite a few people to join our fraternity.
I had actually forwarded to you a request for exclusion from another member
Roger Groce, who had addressed the request to ME by mistake. Since it was
forwarded to you from my computer, it came to you as "from Shankar--Re:
remove etc".
Just scroll down my earlier message, you'll see.
So exclude Roger, at his request, NOT ME! It would save me a lot of tension if
you can confirm that I'm still part of the group.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 08:42 AM 3/4/98 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Hi Sankar: I will do the needful. Btw, could you use the
>administrative address, that is irfca-requests@cs.email instead of
>irfca@cs.email. That way, just I get to see the message, instead of
>everyone on the list.
>
>anurag
>
>
>
From: Sankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Please remove from list
Date: 05 Mar 1998 06:23:00 -0500
Hey, hey, hold it!
I DO NOT WANT TO BE EXCLUDED from the group, in fact I am just beginning to
enjoy myself to the full. As long as other members are happy, I have every
intention of continuing with the irfca membership.In fact, I have recommended
to quite a few people to join our fraternity.
I had actually forwarded to you a request for exclusion from another member
Roger Groce, who had addressed the request to ME by mistake. Since it was
forwarded to you from my computer, it came to you as "from Shankar--Re:
remove etc".
Just scroll down my earlier message, you'll see.
So exclude Roger, at his request, NOT ME! It would save me a lot of tension if
you can confirm that I'm still part of the group.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 08:42 AM 3/4/98 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Hi Sankar: I will do the needful. Btw, could you use the
>administrative address, that is irfca-requests@cs.email instead of
>irfca@cs.email. That way, just I get to see the message, instead of
>everyone on the list.
>
>anurag
>
>
>
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 04 Mar 1998 14:10:00 -0500
> Ooops! Correction: in my previous list, please note the following correction:
> BSB is Varanasi (based on the old name Benares) BSP is for Bilaspur. Sorry.
Speaking of strange station codes, anyone know the origins of CNB for
Kanpur Central? Cawnpore what?
Also didn't see the code for Mughal Sarai in the message. I believe it
is MGS. Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4 with high gear ratios
that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in 1969.
Anyone know the code for Shantragacchi which is where the SER car shed
for Howrah is located?
I suppose Kharagpur (KGP?) has a large SER locoshed. So perhaps do
Tatanagar, Jharsuguda and perhaps Bondamunda (near Raurkela), and
Bhilai/Durg/something else around Bhilai? Used to live in Bhilai back in
the early 60s. The Bombay Howrah line was single track then and Durg was
a short stop for the single Mail train on that route - the Bombay Mail
via Nagpur, which was pulled by a sleek WP. Watched it go by every
afternoon!
My Grandfather used to work as a permanent way inspector on the Raipur -
Vizianagram section of BNR for many years. My Father has very fond
memories of those days.
So have they changed the code of Mumbai (Bombay) Central from BCT to MCT
yet? How about BBVT, is it now MBCT or MCST or something else like that?
Jishnu.
From: Iain A Fraser <Aerolite@mail.email
Subject: Re: Sri Lanka
Date: 05 Mar 1998 02:12:00 -0500
> From: sank@telco.email
> Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 08:52:41 +0530
> Reply-to: sank@telco.email
> Organization: TELCO Pune
> To: iain@aerolite.email
> Cc: IR List <irfca@cs.email
> Subject: Re: Sri Lanka
> > Is there anyone on the list with contact or knowledge of the rail
> > system in Sri Lanka ?
>
> Not directly: but check out this URL:
>
> <A HREF="http://infolanka.com/modelrail/">http://infolanka.com/modelrail/</A>
>
Hi.......
Thanks to Sank, John, Larry and everyone else who mailed me info.
Much appreciated
Best wishes
Iain
Aerolite Booktraders
Road and Rail Transport Books
<A HREF="http://www.aerolite.u-net.com">http://www.aerolite.u-net.com</A>
----------------------
From: Sankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 05 Mar 1998 16:04:00 -0500
Bombay VT is now CSTM (Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai).
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 03:10 PM 3/4/98 -0500, you wrote:
>> Ooops! Correction: in my previous list, please note the following correction:
>> BSB is Varanasi (based on the old name Benares) BSP is for Bilaspur.
Sorry.
>
>Speaking of strange station codes, anyone know the origins of CNB for
>Kanpur Central? Cawnpore what?
>
>Also didn't see the code for Mughal Sarai in the message. I believe it
>is MGS. Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4 with high gear ratios
>that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in 1969.
>
>Anyone know the code for Shantragacchi which is where the SER car shed
>for Howrah is located?
>I suppose Kharagpur (KGP?) has a large SER locoshed. So perhaps do
>Tatanagar, Jharsuguda and perhaps Bondamunda (near Raurkela), and
>Bhilai/Durg/something else around Bhilai? Used to live in Bhilai back in
>the early 60s. The Bombay Howrah line was single track then and Durg was
>a short stop for the single Mail train on that route - the Bombay Mail
>via Nagpur, which was pulled by a sleek WP. Watched it go by every
>afternoon!
>
>My Grandfather used to work as a permanent way inspector on the Raipur -
>Vizianagram section of BNR for many years. My Father has very fond
>memories of those days.
>
>So have they changed the code of Mumbai (Bombay) Central from BCT to MCT
>yet? How about BBVT, is it now MBCT or MCST or something else like that?
>
>Jishnu.
>
>
From: BHARAT VOHRA <bharat@giasbma.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 05 Mar 1998 09:08:00 -0500
To start with Santragachi is SRC
Also Mumbai CST and Bombay Central are now CST and MCT respectively!
Hi all!
Here is my contribution to the list of loco sheds on IR.....only BG to
start with and as many as I am aware of. Zonal railway wise-
-----------------------------------
'*'denotes not sure!
----------------------------------
Western Railway-
Bandra,BAMY(Bombay)-Diesel(WDS4)
Ratlam-Diesel
Vatwa(Ahemadabad)-Diesel
Abu Road-Diesel (Was the premier running shed for MG YDM4's on WR till
the line became BG)
Valsad-Electric
Vadodara-Electric
Tuglakabad(Delhi)-Electric (this shed is a WR shed on NR territory!!)
-----------------------------------
Central Railway-
Kurla(Bombay)-Diesel(WDS4)
Kalyan(Bombay)-Diesel
Pune-Diesel
Itarsi-Diesel
Jhansi-Diesel
Katni-Diesel
Kalyan(Bombay)-Electric
Bhusawal-Electric
Itarsi-Electric
Ajni(Nagpur)-Electric
Jhansi-Electric
New Katni-Electric
-----------------------------------
Eastern Railway-
Howrah(Calcutta)-Diesel
Bamangachi(Calcutta)-Diesel(WDS4)
Andal-Diesel
Burdwan-Diesel
Jamalpur-Diesel(WDS6)
Mughalsarai-Diesel
Asansol-Electric
Mughalsarai-Electric
-----------------------------------
Northern Railway-
Tuglakabad(Delhi)-Diesel
Ludhiana-Diesel
Lucknow-Diesel
Mughalsarai-Diesel(WDM4) (this shed is a NR shed on ER territory!!)
*Ambala-Diesel(WDS4)
Gaziabad(Delhi)-Electric
Kanpur-Electric
-----------------------------------
Southern Railway-
Erode-Diesel
*Ernakulam-Diesel
Khrishnarajapuram(Bangalore)-Diesel
Bangalore City-Diesel(WDS4)
Arrokonam-Electric
-----------------------------------
South Central Railway-
Gooty-Diesel
*Guntakal-Diesel
*Lalguda(Hyderabad)-Electric
*Kazipet-Electric
-----------------------------------
South Eastern Railway-
Kharagpur-Diesel
Bondamunda(Rourkela)-Diesel
*Waltair-Diesel
Bhilai-Electric
Tatanagar-Electric
Bondamunda(Raurkela)-Electric
Waltair-Electric
-----------------------------------
North Eastern Railway-
Gonda-Diesel
**Gorakhpur or Barauni-Diesel
-----------------------------------
Northeast Frontier Railway-
Malda Town-Diesel (this shed is a NFR shed on ER territory!!)
New Guwahati-Diesel
Regards,
Bharat Vohra
From: sank <sank@telco.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 19:08:00 -0500
> ........... Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4 with high gear ratios
> that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in 1969.
Say....what happenend to these locos ? Last saw them in 1992 or so, andhaven't been
that way since. Does anyone have specifications or
something ? At the risk of offending my Alcophile friends, I always
found them much better looking than the WDM2 types........
--
Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
--
From: Sankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 17:26:00 -0500
Indeed they do. If fact, they SOUND more powerful than the WDM/2s as well,
with a rather deep throated growl.
To the best of my knowledge,the WDM/4s were a trial purchase by the IR
at the time of deciding on a replacement for the uni-directional WDM/1 (which
look like WCM/2 with one end sliced off). TheWDM/4 was found to be too
complicated and advanced for India, and the choice subsequently fell on the
simpler and more straightforward WDM/2 (the first units of which were also
straight imports),which has been the undisputed king ever since.
Apart from a high compression engine with THREE radiator fans (housed in three
small domes atop the engine), the WDM/4s are also fitted with a snowplow,which
is adapted as a cowcatcher by the IR. They also have a typical American appear-
ance, with the headlight (Indianized by fitment of one large searchlight type
of headlight in place of two smaller ones) fitted onto a huge illuminated number
display panel assembly, with the number windows blanked out. Which explains the
ugly wedge shaped part on which the headlight is fitted.
As opposed the the maximum speed of 130 kmph (128 actually) of the WDM/2s the
WDM/4s have a maximum speed capability of 140 kmph, a feature quite irrelevant
at a time when the maximum permissible speed on the bg was 100 kmph (96
actually) achieved by the majestic WPs.
When speeds increased, the WDM/4s found limited use, like the case in point
of it being used on the Rajdhani, but age has meant that they no longer get the
juicy assignments.
To the best of my knowledge, all the WDM/4s are based at Mughal Sarai on the NR.
I have photographed one at Patna in 1986 (bearing the "MughalSarai" boldly up
front in Hindi), and have seen photographs of them at Lucknow and Varanasi.
In their younger days, some were based on the SER as well, but not any more.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 09:38 AM 3/6/98 +0530, you wrote:
>
>
>> ........... Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4 with high gear ratios
>> that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in 1969.
>
>Say....what happenend to these locos ? Last saw them in 1992 or so,
andhaven't been
>that way since. Does anyone have specifications or
>something ? At the risk of offending my Alcophile friends, I always
>found them much better looking than the WDM2 types........
>
>
>--
>Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
>Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
>tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
>--
>
>
><HTML>
>
><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>........... Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4
>with high gear ratios
><BR>that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in
1969.</BLOCKQUOTE>
>Say....what happenend to these locos ? Last saw them in 1992 or so,
>andhaven't been that way since. Does anyone have specifications or
><BR>something ? At the risk of offending my Alcophile friends, I always
><BR>found them much better looking than the WDM2 types........
><BR>
><PRE>--
>Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
>Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
>tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
>--</PRE>
> </HTML>
>
From: sank <sank@telco.email
Subject: Re: WDM4
Date: 06 Mar 1998 20:31:00 -0500
Sankar wrote:
> Indeed they do. If fact, they SOUND more powerful than the WDM/2s as well,
> with a rather deep throated growl.
Thanks for the info.............it is interesting to note that IR seems to
bereturning to GM for the latest diesel loco imports. Any info on
these, anyone ?
--
Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
--
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 09:04:00 -0500
BHARAT VOHRA wrote:
>
> WDM4's are very much around and are to be found only on the UP lines
> hauling exress, passenger trains. They are all Northern ailway locos
> shedded at Mughalsarai!
> I have spotted them all the way up north in Dehradun, hauling such trains
> as the Doon Express and so on!
> I have also spotted one on a frieght working at MGS yard in 1995!
I believe all WDM4s were always homed at the MGS diesel shed, although
on occasions individual units or groups of them have ventured far and
wide. But for major overhauls they always came back to MGS.
Sankar wrote:
> To the best of my knowledge,the WDM/4s were a trial purchase by the IR
> at the time of deciding on a replacement for the uni-directional WDM/1 (which
> look like WCM/2 with one end sliced off). The WDM/4 was found to be too
> complicated and advanced for India, and the choice subsequently fell on the
> simpler and more straightforward WDM/2 (the first units of which were also
> straight imports),which has been the undisputed king ever since.
A second problem was with the terms that GM was willing to offer for
technology transfer. ALCO/MLW terms were more favorable. I believe
something of the order of 75 or 80 units of WDM4 were purchased from GM
at that time, perhaps partly funded by PL480. Many of the those units
are not in service anymore, some having been cannibalized for parts to
keep the others running.
> Apart from a high compression engine with THREE radiator fans (housed in three
> small domes atop the engine), the WDM/4s are also fitted with a snowplow,which
> is adapted as a cowcatcher by the IR. They also have a typical American appear-
> ance, with the headlight (Indianized by fitment of one large searchlight type
> of headlight in place of two smaller ones) fitted onto a huge illuminated number
> display panel assembly, with the number windows blanked out. Which explains the
> ugly wedge shaped part on which the headlight is fitted.
The distinctive high pitched whining sound that goes with the deep growl
of the WDM4 is the turbocharger for the high compression ratio engine.
The WDM4 bears considerable resemblance in design to the GP series of
diesels in the USA. I always thought the the WDM4s are beautiful locos.
BTW what is the paint scheme on them these days. Are they still maroon
with Yellow striping. Do they still have "Indian Railways" written in
bold letters on their sides, or has that been changed to Hindi?
Interestingly, when the WDM4s used to provide power for the howrah
Rajdhani they were fitted with that little flashing light gizmo on the
roof of the cab, that has something to do with the communication with
lineside signal boxes? Anyone know how those are used?
So many fond memories....
Jishnu.
From: BHARAT VOHRA <bharat@giasbma.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 09:23:00 -0500
WDM4's are very much around and are to be found only on the UP lines
hauling exress, passenger trains. They are all Northern ailway locos
shedded at Mughalsarai!
I have spotted them all the way up north in Dehradun, hauling such trains
as the Doon Express and so on!
I have also spotted one on a frieght working at MGS yard in 1995!
Regards,
Bharat Vohra
On Fri, 6 Mar 1998 sank@telco.email wrote:
>
>
> > ........... Have seen it emblazoned on the old WDM4 with high gear ratios
> > that were used on the inaugural Howrah Rajdhani Express back in 1969.
>
> Say....what happenend to these locos ? Last saw them in 1992 or so, andhaven't been
> that way since. Does anyone have specifications or
> something ? At the risk of offending my Alcophile friends, I always
> found them much better looking than the WDM2 types........
>
>
> --
> Jayant S : IDStudio : TTIL : ERC : TELCO
> Pimpri : Pune : 411 018 : INDIA
> tel - 91(212)774261 exn 2534
> --
>
>
>
From: T.H.Sanyal. <THS1@PSUVM.EMAIL
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 12:36:00 -0500
Jishnu wrote:
>Speaking of strange station codes, anyone know the origins of CNB for
>Kanpur Central? Cawnpore what?
CN seems to be from CawNpore all right, but the origin of B is quite
mysterious. But letters in station codes of unexplained origin is
not limited to CNB. (Was the obvious CNP taken? By the Chandanpur station
on the Howrah Bardhaman chord line?) We also have:
NDL'S' for New Delhi, PN'BE' for Patna Junction, 'S'BC for Bangalore
City, MA'S' for Madras Central,... There must be others.
So, is there any method to this madness?
There are also some interesting airport codes. For some reason,
airports in Canada seem to have codes starting with Y (but why?)
And YYZ for Toronto pushes the coding madness to its peak, imo.
Most Indian railway station codes seem to be three letters. But 2
letter and 4 letter codes also exist. It might not be too hard to
make an exhaustive list of those. Here is a start:
2 letter codes: BP - Barrackpore, BT - Barasat (?)
4 letter codes: PNBE, NDLS, SDAH (Sealdah station in Calcutta).
Also, how many cities in India have a "Central" station? I know of 4:
Bombay, Madras, Kanpur, and Trivandrum; are there others? Why not
a Calcutta Central or Delhi Central? Why was Sealdah not named Calcutta
something? Please post if any of you have any answers.
ths.
From: Shankar <shankie@emirates.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 07 Mar 1998 05:45:00 -0500
Hello Jishnu,
Thanx for your interesting e-mail.
WDM/4 COLOR SCHEME:
I have with me four photographs of the WDM/4 in different books:all show the
engine in the same (rather complicated) livery./ It runs somewhat like this:
The entire engine is painted a rather mundane maroon, with light grey at the
top and running plate side.
The ends have a yellow V shape, with N R on either side of the V and the
words "mughalsarai" in Hindi inside the V portion.
'Indian Railways' is painted in English within an enclosed area on the sides,
in yellow. However, this is relative, it might be Hindi on one side and English
on the other, with some units bearing the number in big bold letters on the side
as is the case with several WDM/2s. These things keep changing.
THE YELLOW MARKER LAMP:
The yellow marker lamp you refer to has nothing to do with wayside signals.At
any rate, it is not somehthing peculiar to the WDM/4s alone: as a matter of fact
it is mandatory for ALL IR engines and multiple unit trains (electric or
diesel) to carry that light next to the headlight, and its being fitted to
all new engines as standard. On the WCM engines on the Bombay-Poona/Manmad
lines, this is fitted at the tip of the nose at either end.
The yellow (nowadays orange) light is a flasher, to warn oncoming trains in case
this train is involved in a collision and the line is blocked.The flashing light
is supposed to be visible from about 2 km away, so the approaching train has
adequate time to reduce speed and stop completely.
The emergency flasher became mandatory in 1982 or so (+/- one year),and it was
declared so after a collision near Virar involving the Saurashtra Janata
Express and another train.
Needless to say, at the time, this announcement met with considerable criticism
with most people questioning that while you put up a light up front visible 2 km
away, what about the rear? Most trains till about five years back still carried
a miserable oil lamp at the rear end, visible barely 200 metres away! In fact,in
the Saurashtra Janata case in point, it was a train ramming another from the
rear. Thedriver of the train behind could not see the train in front till he had
almost rammed into it!Its only now that electric tail lamps are being provided.
Nontheless, the IR pressed ahead, and all engines were retrofitted with this
flasher., including shunting and yard engines. Interestingly however,steam locos
were not fitted with it, even when they continued in service till as recently as
1995.
You will not see this orange flasher only on the dc emus in the Bombay
area,both on the CR as well as the WR.These emus already have an additional
red tail lamp
with this flasher facility. The mg emus of Madras had this facility on their
regular tail lamps, but are fitted with the orange flashers nonetheless.
Best regards.
Shankar
At 10:04 AM 3/6/98 -0500, you wrote:
>BHARAT VOHRA wrote:
>>
>> WDM4's are very much around and are to be found only on the UP lines
>> hauling exress, passenger trains. They are all Northern ailway locos
>> shedded at Mughalsarai!
>> I have spotted them all the way up north in Dehradun, hauling such trains
>> as the Doon Express and so on!
>> I have also spotted one on a frieght working at MGS yard in 1995!
>
>I believe all WDM4s were always homed at the MGS diesel shed, although
>on occasions individual units or groups of them have ventured far and
>wide. But for major overhauls they always came back to MGS.
>
>Sankar wrote:
>> To the best of my knowledge,the WDM/4s were a trial purchase by the IR
>> at the time of deciding on a replacement for the uni-directional WDM/1 (which
>> look like WCM/2 with one end sliced off). The WDM/4 was found to be too
>> complicated and advanced for India, and the choice subsequently fell on the
>> simpler and more straightforward WDM/2 (the first units of which were also
>> straight imports),which has been the undisputed king ever since.
>
>A second problem was with the terms that GM was willing to offer for
>technology transfer. ALCO/MLW terms were more favorable. I believe
>something of the order of 75 or 80 units of WDM4 were purchased from GM
>at that time, perhaps partly funded by PL480. Many of the those units
>are not in service anymore, some having been cannibalized for parts to
>keep the others running.
>
>> Apart from a high compression engine with THREE radiator fans (housed in
three
>> small domes atop the engine), the WDM/4s are also fitted with a
snowplow,which
>> is adapted as a cowcatcher by the IR. They also have a typical American
appear-
>> ance, with the headlight (Indianized by fitment of one large searchlight type
>> of headlight in place of two smaller ones) fitted onto a huge illuminated
number
>> display panel assembly, with the number windows blanked out. Which
explains the
>> ugly wedge shaped part on which the headlight is fitted.
>
>The distinctive high pitched whining sound that goes with the deep growl
>of the WDM4 is the turbocharger for the high compression ratio engine.
>The WDM4 bears considerable resemblance in design to the GP series of
>diesels in the USA. I always thought the the WDM4s are beautiful locos.
>
>BTW what is the paint scheme on them these days. Are they still maroon
>with Yellow striping. Do they still have "Indian Railways" written in
>bold letters on their sides, or has that been changed to Hindi?
>Interestingly, when the WDM4s used to provide power for the howrah
>Rajdhani they were fitted with that little flashing light gizmo on the
>roof of the cab, that has something to do with the communication with
>lineside signal boxes? Anyone know how those are used?
>
>So many fond memories....
>
>Jishnu.
>
>
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: Loco shed/station codes
Date: 06 Mar 1998 12:47:00 -0500
T.H.Sanyal. wrote:
> CN seems to be from CawNpore all right, but the origin of B is quite
> mysterious. But letters in station codes of unexplained origin is
> not limited to CNB. (Was the obvious CNP taken? By the Chandanpur station
> on the Howrah Bardhaman chord line?)
Who knows?? Random speculation with zero foundation in facts follows ...
Maybe Cawnpore Anwargunj was CNA, and the next station Cawnpore Central
was named CNB, or maybe Cawnpore Central was called something else
before it became Central. Anybody from the Kanpur area have any
historical tidbits on this?
> We also have:
> NDL'S' for New Delhi, PN'BE' for Patna Junction, 'S'BC for Bangalore
> City, MA'S' for Madras Central,... There must be others.
> So, is there any method to this madness?
In the same league BKI for Bikaner...
So aren't they going to change all the Madras's to Chennai's in a fit of
name changing rage?:-)
> Most Indian railway station codes seem to be three letters. But 2
> letter and 4 letter codes also exist. It might not be too hard to
> make an exhaustive list of those. Here is a start:
> 2 letter codes: BP - Barrackpore, BT - Barasat (?)
I bet the code for Ib is IB:-)
Jishnu.