IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 2981 - 3000

From: sank <>

Subject: Re: DHR Branches and Assam Rail Link

Date: 26 Jun 1998 11:08:17 -0500


> I THINK ONE OF THESE 2' 0" PACIFICS FROM THE DHR IS PRESERVED
> AT THE NEHRU SCIENCE CENTRE IN BOMBAY...OOPS, MUMBAI. I
> DID NOT MAKE OUT MUCH OF IT AS THE DHR IS SO SYNONYMOUS
> WITH THOSE DELIGHTFUL 'B' CLASS 0-4-0 STs.....

There is (was ?) a little 0-4-0 saddle-tank loco, MUCH
smaller than the B-Class locos, plinthed outside
Siliguri Jucntion, carrying the name "Baby Sivoke".
Is this an A-Class ? Or something else ?



--
Jayant S : ID Studio
Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri TEL: 91 (212) 774261 ex 2534
PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA FAX: 91 (212) 773191

From: Auroprem Kandaswami <>

Subject: Gauge conversion on Tiruchi-Chennai completed

Date: 26 Jun 1998 16:20:46 -0500


The Hindu,
TIRUCHI, June 26.

The newly-laid broad-gauge railway track between
Tiruchi-Chennai, will be a boon to the travelling public,
industrialists and also accelerate the pace of economic
development of the region.

Mr. S. C. Gupta, Commissioner Railway Safety, after inspecting
the track between Tiruchi-Valadi, today, Mr. Gupta told
reporters here that the engineers of the Railways had gained
enough experience in the past one decade in gauge conversion and
had been doing many challenging tasks within the prescribe time.

The newly constructed Konkan Railway was a tribute to the
planning and foresight of the engineers and similarly the gauge
conversion also would have positive impact on the balanced
development of the country. He hoped that the works completed
would conform to all safety norms. He said he would take up
inspection of the first stretch of 100 km of the work within the
next few days. The inspection of the other stretches would be
also taken up in short intervals, he added.

Mr. Sudheer Chandra, Chief Administrative Officer of the Gauge
Conversion Project, said that the work had reached the final
stage, and the Railways hoped to run the first train on the
broad gauge track on August 1, provided the track was approved
by the safety authorities.

All essential works in the Tiruchi-Villupuram section where the
lines had been converted into broad gauge, and the parallel
broad gauge track between Chennai and Villupuram had been
completed. Rest of the work would be completed within the next
few weeks, he added. This would put the Chennai-Tiruchi chord
line (337 kms.) completely on BG.

Mr. S. Shankar, Chief Signal and Telecommunication Engineer,
Southern Railway, Mr. R. Venkatasami, Chief Project Manager, and
Mr. R. Sundararajan, Divisional Manager, Tiruchi, accompanied
the inspecting team. Mr. K. Raveendra Babu, Deputy Chief
Engineer, Gauge Conversion, said that all the bridges across
Cauvery, Coleroon, Marudayar, Nandiyar, Manimuthar, etc. had
been completed.

The 900-metre bridge across Coleroon river at a cost of Rs. 6
crores, and the 600-metre bridge across Cauvery at a cost of Rs.
4.5 crores were completed within record time, he added.

***

From: Shrinivas Bhatwadekar <>

Subject: Re: Time Tables

Date: 26 Jun 1998 21:24:36 -0500


Hi Apoorva,

Reading your mail reminds me of famous Marathi author,P.L. Deshpande,
who once said that no other book costing just 4 Annas ( 25 paise,
Railway time-tables used to cost just that much in '60s !! ) provide
you the wealth of information as the railway time-tables do.

======================================================
SHRINIVAS BHATWADEKAR




Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.



---Apurva Bahadur <iti@giaspn01.email wrote:
>
> Dear Amigos,
>
> Now we (the time table voyeurs) have come out in the open and proud of
> it, let us discuss some stuff, shall we ?
> I have most of the regional time tables of the year and I read a lot
of
> my favorite matter (guess which one ?)
> Shrinivas mentions having an old time table - guard them with your
life,
> they are worth a lot.
> Tip: One of the best 'one stop' places for regional time tables is the
> AH Wheeler bookstall in the old building of Howrah station. They have
> almost all of them all through the year. One of the most deprived
places
> was the entire trunk from Allahabad to Howrah via Mughal Sarai which
> offered none of the official time tables, only highly priced private
> time tables with suspect information.
> One more tip - if traveling light - take the ferry out of Howrah to
the
> opposite bank of Hoogly rather than spend better part of an hour in a
> smog in a taxi.
> Okay, IMHO the South Eastern time table is the best laid out of the
lot
> - all the station codes are laid out for commoners to relate to.
> The best map comes from the North Eastern Frontier time table - it has
> colour coded division.
> CR, WR, SCR, SR are almost on par.
> Northern Railway is complicated, the map is also quite complex.
There is
> a location in Punjab with 'gauntleted' line - both BG and MG on the
same
> permanent way, ever heard about it ?
> There seems to be shift in referring to a section by table number to
> referring it by the page number.
> I have a few 'working' time tables, the ones used by the drivers to
run
> the trains. They are extremely good reading matter too.
>
> Apurva Bahadur
>
>
>

_________________________________________________________
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Get your free @yahoo.com address at <A HREF="http://mail.yahoo.com">http://mail.yahoo.com</A>

From: poras p.saklatwalla <>

Subject: Re: Time Tables

Date: 26 Jun 1998 22:17:13 -0500


On Fri, 26 Jun 1998, Shrinivas Bhatwadekar wrote:

> Hi Apoorva,
>
> Reading your mail reminds me of famous Marathi author,P.L. Deshpande,
> who once said that no other book costing just 4 Annas ( 25 paise,
> Railway time-tables used to cost just that much in '60s !! ) provide
> you the wealth of information as the railway time-tables do.
>
> ======================================================
> SHRINIVAS BHATWADEKAR
>
>
>
>
> Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
>
>
>
> ---Apurva Bahadur <iti@giaspn01.email wrote:
> >
> > Dear Amigos,
> >
> > Now we (the time table voyeurs) have come out in the open and proud
of
> > it, let us discuss some stuff, shall we ?
> > I have most of the regional time tables of the year and I read a lot
> of
> > my favorite matter (guess which one ?)
> > Shrinivas mentions having an old time table - guard them with your
> life,
> > they are worth a lot.
> > Tip: One of the best 'one stop' places for regional time tables is
the
> > AH Wheeler bookstall in the old building of Howrah station. They
have
> > almost all of them all through the year. One of the most deprived
> places
> > was the entire trunk from Allahabad to Howrah via Mughal Sarai which
> > offered none of the official time tables, only highly priced
private
> > time tables with suspect information.
> > One more tip - if traveling light - take the ferry out of Howrah to
> the
> > opposite bank of Hoogly rather than spend better part of an hour in
a
> > smog in a taxi.
> > Okay, IMHO the South Eastern time table is the best laid out of the
> lot
> > - all the station codes are laid out for commoners to relate to.
> > The best map comes from the North Eastern Frontier time table - it
has
> > colour coded division.
> > CR, WR, SCR, SR are almost on par.
> > Northern Railway is complicated, the map is also quite complex.
> There is
> > a location in Punjab with 'gauntleted' line - both BG and MG on the
> same
> > permanent way, ever heard about it ?
> > There seems to be shift in referring to a section by table number to
> > referring it by the page number.
> > I have a few 'working' time tables, the ones used by the drivers to
> run
> > the trains. They are extremely good reading matter too.
> >
> > Apurva Bahadur
> >
> >
> >
>
> _________________________________________________________
> DO YOU YAHOO!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at <A HREF="http://mail.yahoo.com">http://mail.yahoo.com</A>
>

PORAS P.SAKLATWALLA
TEL :5773535/3636
EXT :4226/4232/4237


Hi friends,
Does someone have an extra copy of a Bradshaw ? I am willing to pay a
price for it. Also is Bradshaw still available ? Where can I find this
in
Mumbai or Pune ? Shankar Viraf any idea ?
Please let me know friends.


Poras

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Re: Time Tables

Date: 26 Jun 1998 23:02:09 -0500



Hi Porus,

Bradshaw is available at the VT (oops CST) bookstalls on both the
suburban
as well as the mainline sections. If you are going that side buy a copy
for me too.

viraf
==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================

From: Anne O. <>

Subject: Re: DHR Branches and Assam Rail Link

Date: 26 Jun 1998 23:07:02 -0500


If there's anyone on this mailing list who is in Delhi, I have
a serious (in that I'm planning a model of it) request for
photos of the PSMT monorail engine in the Rail Transport Museum.

If anybody out there either has access to the museum or to photos
of this engine, please contact me at
anniepoo@netmagic.email

From: Philip Wormald <>

Subject: Re: WDG 2 Locomotive

Date: 26 Jun 1998 23:56:16 -0500


Apurva,
(Talking about the WDG2)
>> Are the newer diesel locos abroad also fitted with a wheel type
master
controller rather than a macho throttle bar ? <<

Some German Locos where fitted with a wheel type "Power Handle",
but don't know of any that includes braking. (I presume this is
for the dynamic brakes?).

Some new power in Europe now has a little joystick for power,
forward for power reverse for dynamics.

New US power is small desk top levers.

It the WDG2 in regular production, does it replace the WDM2, and
above all what does it sound like?

Cheers

Phil
______________________________________________________
Phil Wormald at 07:09 on 27-Jun-98 using OzWinII V2.20
PWormald@compuserve.email

From: Paul Davies <>

Subject: Re: Shirish Yande introduces himself

Date: 27 Jun 1998 04:36:08 -0500


No - I don't make models on the Loo - but i'm eyeing up the space above
the
toilet roll holder for a Small 7mm Layout.

Paul Davies.
NWSM Support Specialist,
PC Support,
IBM On-site at Lloyds Bank Ltd, Canons House, Bristol. UK

From: Steven Brown <>

Subject: Re: Time Tables on Internet

Date: 27 Jun 1998 14:13:35 -0500


Here are a couple of internet sites that appear to probe a timetable
database to provide timetable information between 2 points :
<A HREF="http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/railtime.htm">http://www.mumbainet.com/travel/railtime.htm</A> to or from Mumbai only.
<A HREF="http://businesstourism.com/train.html">http://businesstourism.com/train.html</A> any 2 end points.
Both sites have different bugs , but they may be using the same
database so
I believe this means that a timetable database is available from Indian
Railways!! Is there anyone there in India that can find out ? This
might
make an interesting programming project to create a website displaying
timetables with a the details that we like so much. Anyone want to join
me
in such a project?

Meanwhile there are a number of static Indian timetable sites on the net
including our own Vivek Prakash's site:
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/9770/">http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/9770/</A>

The rest of the sites that I have found can be found on my timetable
page:
<A HREF="http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail/ttable.htm">http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail/ttable.htm</A>
Most of these sites only show arrival/departure for one city,Please let
me
know of any timetable sites I have missed.

Steve Brown
able@ricochet.email
>

From: Dr. Shirish Yande <>

Subject: Time Tables again

Date: 27 Jun 1998 20:30:58 -0500


Dear Folks,

No doubt the IR time tables are the wealthiest source of literatures I
have ever come across. I wonder how many people have ever attempted to
read the complete book ?( I do it a few times every year). How many
people can actually "comprehend" a time table,let alone read it ? Very
few indeed.

Another thing I really relish reading is the Working Time Table of IR.
It's section wise and includes information to the details of each
signal. It tells you at what time the train paasses each station. The
times printed in this book can be different than those in ordinary time
tables e.g. the departure time mentioned in an ordinary TT is printed as
arrival time in the working TT . The working TTs are the ones which the
drivers follow and they precisely tell you why the Konark Express takes
15 minutes for its down journey from Mumbai to Dadar and takes 45
minutes for the up journey from Dadar to Mumbai. Indeed working time
tables are even greater pieces of literatures for us.

They are available with train drivers and are not for circulation
(except of course irfca). You can get them from your driver friends
after their expiry. Working TTs provide much better information on
actual working of railways and certainly add further icing on the loo
time.

Shirish Yande

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Time Tables on Internet

Date: 27 Jun 1998 23:03:38 -0500


Hi Steven,

I can scan and possibly OCR the time tables which I have, but shall we
wait for
July end or mid August when the new 1998 time tables will be out ? Did
you have
manually entering the details in the database in your mind ? It is
difficult, as
no one including you have the requisite time.
I wonder if the CR can be tapped into releasing their database
electronically (
I am sure they are edited electronically) which can be put up on a site
of their
own. I have just come to know the PRO of Pune division and I could have
a word
with him on this subject.
Maybe I can start scanning the pages of 'Trains at a Glance' - the all
India
abstract time table which should take care of the broader needs of many
rail
fans and travelers. However the myriad details that the zonal time
tables
provide is what we should be aiming for.
Can anyone on the forum advise me a good OCR software which will handle
tables ?
Also almost all the words (names of the stations etc. ) that the
software will
come across will be marked as incorrect, this will have to entered
manually and
this is very time consuming.

I will also test scan a few 'Trains at a Glance' pages in a few days and
upload
it to my site.
Let me know if there are any specific sections that any of you would
like to
see.


Apurva Bahadur

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject:

Date: 28 Jun 1998 19:41:22 -0500



Hi Gang,

Just an idea, is it possible that the gang members from Bombay, Pune and
nearby cities and towns meet?

Let me know

Viraf

==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================

From: Shrinivas Bhatwadekar <>

Subject: Mumbai Central-Vadodara Exp.

Date: 29 Jun 1998 01:42:22 -0500


Hi All,

This train has one of the highest rake utilization on Indian Railways.
A sigle rake leaves for opposite destination from Mumbai
Central(MCT)/Bandra Terminus (BDTS) & Vadodara twice in 24 hours !!

Here is how :

The rake leaves MCT at 23.30 Hrs for BRC as Vadodara Exp.
It reaches BRC at about 6.15 Hrs next day morning.

The rake, then named as SayajiNagari Exp.leaves BRC at 7.30 Hrs.
It reaches BDTS at 14.00 Hrs,leaves BDTS for BRC at 15.00 Hrs.,&
arrives BRC at 21.40 Hrs.

The rake is then renamed to Vadodara Exp.It leaves BRC at 23.05 Hrs &
arrives MCT next day morning at about 5.45 Hrs.
Then the rake stays in Mumbai till 23.30 Hrs.

Some history of the train :
Mumbai - Vadodara Exp. was started by Western Railway in year 1976.
It was the second fastest train on Western Railway after Rajdhani in
terms of no. of stoppages.It had only single halt at Borivali in down
direction, & Borivali & Dadar halts in Up direction.

Besides, it was the only train that time that was always hauled by
WCAM1 locos.(there was shortage of WCAM1s, with track being newly
electrified.)

SayajiNagari Exp. started its run sometime during 1988/89.Initially it
used to run from/upto MCT.But after construction of BDTS,it has become
operational from BDTS.

========================================================
SHRINIVAS BHATWADEKAR

We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
-- Talmudic Saying



_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at <A HREF="http://mail.yahoo.com">http://mail.yahoo.com</A>

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Frontier Mail

Date: 29 Jun 1998 02:45:40 -0500



The Frontier Mail was first flagged off on 1st September 1928 from the
Colaba Terminus. Colaba station was BB&CI (Western railway) main
terminus
in Bombay. Bombay Central didn't exist then. Colaba station was
commissioned in1873, ayear after the BB&CI Railway signed an agreement
with the city's governing authorities that if necessary it would shift
its
teminus to Marinelines from Churchgate. On June 30 1873 the city
approved
the railway's design for apermanent line between Marine lines and a
passenger station near Churchgate and colaba. So a temporary station was
commissioned at Colaba.

During the winter months the Frontier Mail used to start its long
journey
from Ballard Pier also known as the Mole Station. The Mole station is
still there and there are plans to terminate some of the suburban
services
there.The British journals refered to this train as the Duplicate
portion
of the Frontier Mail. The Mole station was an ideal embarkation point
for
the passengers arriving by sea from Europe.

The route was Bombay to Delhi via Baroda, Ratlam, Mathura and then
through
Punjab,Lahore,Rawalpindi and Peshawar.

In those days the Frontier Mail was India's fastest long distance train.
This fact was recognised by The Times - London in the 1930 when it was
nominated as one of the most famous express train in the British Empire.



==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrejnet.email
==========================

From: poras p.saklatwalla <>

Subject: Re: Mumbai Central-Vadodara Exp.

Date: 29 Jun 1998 02:54:33 -0500


On Mon, 29 Jun 1998, Shrinivas Bhatwadekar wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> This train has one of the highest rake utilization on Indian Railways.
> A sigle rake leaves for opposite destination from Mumbai
> Central(MCT)/Bandra Terminus (BDTS) & Vadodara twice in 24 hours !!
>
> Here is how :
>
> The rake leaves MCT at 23.30 Hrs for BRC as Vadodara Exp.
> It reaches BRC at about 6.15 Hrs next day morning.
>
> The rake, then named as SayajiNagari Exp.leaves BRC at 7.30 Hrs.
> It reaches BDTS at 14.00 Hrs,leaves BDTS for BRC at 15.00 Hrs.,&
> arrives BRC at 21.40 Hrs.
>
> The rake is then renamed to Vadodara Exp.It leaves BRC at 23.05 Hrs &
> arrives MCT next day morning at about 5.45 Hrs.
> Then the rake stays in Mumbai till 23.30 Hrs.
>
> Some history of the train :
> Mumbai - Vadodara Exp. was started by Western Railway in year 1976.
> It was the second fastest train on Western Railway after Rajdhani in
> terms of no. of stoppages.It had only single halt at Borivali in down
> direction, & Borivali & Dadar halts in Up direction.
>
> Besides, it was the only train that time that was always hauled by
> WCAM1 locos.(there was shortage of WCAM1s, with track being newly
> electrified.)
>
> SayajiNagari Exp. started its run sometime during 1988/89.Initially it
> used to run from/upto MCT.But after construction of BDTS,it has become
> operational from BDTS.
>
> ========================================================
> SHRINIVAS BHATWADEKAR
>
> We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.
> -- Talmudic Saying
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________
> DO YOU YAHOO!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at <A HREF="http://mail.yahoo.com">http://mail.yahoo.com</A>
>

PORAS P.SAKLATWALLA
TEL :5773535/3636
EXT :4226/4232/4237



Hi gang,
Yes agree with you, but there must be some other train which does this
type of run, probably the Chandigarh/ Kalka Shatabdi Express. See the
time table, and you'll make out

Poras

From: Sachin P Keshavan <>

Subject: Engine drivers and walkie talkies

Date: 29 Jun 1998 05:59:12 -0500


Hi all,
During my trip to Bangalore to Thrissur (SR Tvm. Division), I found out
that the engine driver of 6526 Island Exp. was having a walkie talkie.
He also used it to communicate with some one (might be the guard, or the

cabin man).
I found out it strange since, for starting the train, the usuall
procedure is the guard waving his flag, the driver waving back and the
train moves. Here nothing of that sort happened. The starter turned
orange, after the driver said some thing through the set, and the train
left.
Are the walkie talkies used in other divisions. If yes between who.
Walkie Talkies generally cannot be used for long distance communication.

Hope the expereinced foot platers can answer this :-})
Sachin.

**********************************************************************
Sachin PK,
Software Engineer, Intelligent Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
E Mail: sachin_pk@hotmail.email
Home page: <A HREF="http://209.67.19.99/~sachin_pk">http://209.67.19.99/~sachin_pk</A>
Telephone: +91-80-3314500
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ae mere Watan ke logon ..... zara aankh me barlo paani...
Jo shaheed hue jo unke ... yaad karo kurbani ...

Remembering the brave men of the Indian Armed Forces...
**********************************************************************


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Picture of WDG 2 loco

Date: 29 Jun 1998 07:39:32 -0500


Hi dear friends,

Sorry to spoil your appetite, but you cannot run away from ugliness, specially when it will be around for the next twenty years or so. . Here is a picture of a WDG2 which I had promised Phil Wormald long time ago. Below is the original text that accopanies the article. It has been scanned off the JULY-AUGUST 1995 issue (they have a penchant for sending  single issues for many months - the Feb/March 1998 issue has just arrived in June 98) of the Indian Railways mag. Please note the 'elephant' forehead and the much longer short hood. Also note the door on the wrong side meaning reversed seating position (driver on the left).  Designers have the added resonsibilities of not producing such mostrosities. I guess 'Aesthetics' and is a word absent from DLWs work culture. But then I remember seeing a regular (half a hexagon) roof lined short hood WDG 2 at Katni, I was bone tired and my keen sense of observation  was blurred - sorry.
Loco's  bark is deep and satisfactory, much deeper than the WDM2.

Apurva Bahadur

 
Another New Loco Design at DLW
After  producing three standard  designs of diesel locomotives for the last 30 years, DLW has already taken a giant leap forward by launching two new designs in the past one year. To add another feather to its cap, DLW has released yet another new class of locomotives, designated WDG2.
 This high horse-power freight locomotive is an indigenously developed fuel fficient design and is an uprated version of the age-old 2600 horse power WDM2 locomotive. Being a 3100 HP loco, the WDG2 represents a 20 per cent uprating in horse power output. Fitted with high adhesion bogie having unidirectional traction motors, it has been engineered specifically to haul goods trains at higher speeds and over steeper gradients. This development is expected to fulfil a long standing transportation need of Indian Railways.
 The first WDG2 loco, aptly christened 'SHAKTI', was formally dedicated to the Nation by General Manager, Shri R.K. Jain, in a well attended and colourful ceremony in Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi.  During the dedication ceremony, Shri Jain and other top officials of DLW emphasised on the quality aspects of the locos being produced. It was brought home to all DLW workmen that in today's competitive world, quality was of prime importance. General Manager exhorted the workers to improve the quality of DLW locos to international levels. It may be recalled that DLW has bagged prestigeous contracts to export 10 locomotives to Bangladesh and two locomotives to Sri Lanka during the current year. Keeping in view the vast export potential of DLW locos, these being the most inexpensive locomotives in this horse power range anywhere in the world, bringing up quality standards would be of paramount importance for further participation in the global market.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Shri Jain informed that Indian Railways had entered into an agreement with General Motors, USA, for import of twenty-one microprocessor controlled state-of-the-art 4000 HP diesel locomotives with transfer of technology.
To facilitate the transfer of technology, 8 locos will be received in completely knocked-down condition, which will be assembled at DLW to give hands-on training to DLW technicians. Simultaneously, General Motors will transfer the manufacturing technology for production of these locomotives in DLW itself.
Describing this as an important development for Indian Railways and DLW, the General Manager envisaged a bright future for DLW, as getting the technology of General Motors alongwith the already existing one of ALCO will enable India to vie for export markets in
countries having either ALCO or General Motors infrastructure.
In addition, General Motors loco built in India may have the added advantage of low cost of manufacture. This will be the first technology transfer from the American giant to any loco builder in South-East Asia.
 

WDG-2 3100 HP locomotive, Shakti, manufactured at DLW. <<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~ApuB/wdg2.jpg>">http://members.tripod.com/~ApuB/wdg2.jpg></A>
 
 

From: sank <>

Subject: Re:

Date: 29 Jun 1998 09:52:40 -0500


> Just an idea, is it possible that the gang members from Bombay, Pune
and
> nearby cities and towns meet?

Good idea. Will need to sort out logistics though.

--
Jayant S : ID Studio
Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri TEL: 91 (212) 774261 ex 2534
PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA FAX: 91 (212) 773191

From: sank <>

Subject: Re: Through and sectional carriages

Date: 29 Jun 1998 10:07:44 -0500


> Also were slip coaches ever used in India?
I have heard the term applied to through/sectional
carriages on Indian trains by IR staff. However, I have
no idea whether 'true' slip-coach running ever took
place in India: if you mean the practice of decoupling
and stopping the rear coach(es) from a running train.
The British did use this method until the early 1900s,
so maybe the term came from them ?
--
Jayant S : ID Studio
Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri TEL: 91 (212) 774261 ex 2534
PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA FAX: 91 (212) 773191

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: sharing of rakes by trains

Date: 29 Jun 1998 10:32:01 -0500


Refer Shrinivas's mail about trains being renamed and sent on another
run
using the same rake.

Almost all trains, except special short distance trains like Deccan
Queen,
Shatabdi etc. share rakes.
It would be common sense to assume that at least the station which
launches the train or terminates the train should belong to the
division
that 'owns' the rake. But not so.

There are many examples where a rake works a service outside its
jurisdiction.

Example: Kolhapur (KOP) is under the jurisdiction of Hubli (UBL)
division of South Central Railways. The unique number of SC is '7' and
that of rakes homing at KOP is '3'. . Thus trains with 73xx numbers are
homed at KOP. But this is the route of a rake from KOP.

Train 1) Dadar(DR) - Nagpur(NGP) as 7339 Dn Sewagram Exp
Train 2) NGP - KOP as 7384 Up Maharashtra Exp via Manmad (MMR) - Daund
(DD) and Pune (PA).
Train 3) KOP - Dadar as 7312 Up as Mahalaxmi Exp.

Then it traced a reverse path to work as the return link
(7311-7383-7340).
The only South Central territory is Kolhapur - Pune - Kolhapur. There is
nothing remotely 'South Central' in the route from Mumbai - Nagpur,
Daund
and Pune. But the trains still have a 73xx number.
In a single 'outing' the rake travels only 654 Km in South Central and
3200 km in Central Railway territory.
This was the situation in 1996.
Today the Sewagram is 1439 Dn (1 = Central Railway, 4 = rake homing at
Nagpur) while the Mahalaxmi Exp is 1011 Dn (1 = CR, 0 = rake homing at
HQ
(Mumbai CSTM)). Maharashtra Exp remains 7383 Dn and the rakes are
obviously different. Sewagram & Mahalaxmi are both air braked while
Maharashtra is vacuum braked

Similar story exists about the famous '9 Down' Mumbai Chennai Exp which
had a number 7009 Dn (7 = South Central, 0 = rake homing at HQ
(Secunderabad)). Although the train traveled through SC land it did not
start or terminate in SC territory.
Today the '9 Down' has a more logical number 6009 Dn. (6 = Southern
Railway, 0 = rake homing at HQ (Chennai)).

Sometimes a train arrives very late and the rake is immediately sent as
another train without changing the name plates and other boards, leading
to massive confusion by the lay travelers. Of course, the more
knowledgeable survive this trauma well - heh heh.

I have just got hold of the amazing links worked by the mail/ express
locomotives of the Pune shed. Will be uploaded very soon.

Apurva Bahadur