IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 5481 - 5500

From: Shanku Niyogi <>

Subject: Eastern Railway News

Date: 05 Mar 1999 14:13:49 -0500


From recent newspaper releases. Mostly good news, although I find the
new
Poorva Express stop (#3) particularly annoying, since Ara already has
access
to two superfasts to New Delhi (2391/2392 Magadh Vikramsheela Exp. and
2401/2402 Shramjeevi Exp.), and Patna is only about 90 minutes away (and
Mughal Sarai about 2-1/2 hours). Must be Mr. Nitish Kumar at work
again...

1. During the summer, Eastern Railways will operate 35 pairs of Special
trains, 28 between Howrah and New Delhi, the other seven between Howrah
and
Dehradun. The trains will run between 29 April and 18 June.

No. 231 Up will leave Howrah on Mon., Wed., Thurs., and Sun. at 20:35
and
arrive in New Delhi the next day at 23:00. No. 232 Down will leave New
Delhi
on Tue., Wed., Fri., and Sat. at 11:40 and arrive in Howrah the next day
at
14:45.

No. 233 Up will leave Howrah on Fridays at 22:00, arriving at Dehradun
on
the third day at 11:00. No. 234 Down will leave Dehradun every Sunday at
23:30, arriving at Howrah on the third day at 12:50.

Summer Special trains will have 16 coaches - 12 sleeper class, 2 2nd
Class
General, and 2 2nd Class Luggage Van. Fares will be standard
Mail/Express
fares. All trains will travel via the Gaya Chord.

2. From 1 May to 2 July, Eastern Railways will add coaches to 14
important
long distance trains, as follows (all one sleeper class, unless
otherwise
noted):

Rajdhani Express (2301/2302, 2305/2306) - 1 A/C 3-tier coach
Kalka Mail (2311/2312) - 1 A/C 3-tier coach between Howrah and Delhi,
plus 1
sleeper class
Mumbai Mail via Allahabad (3003/3004)
Amritsar Mail (3005/3006)
Doon Express (3009/3010)
Kathgodam Express (3019/3020)
Mithila Express (3021/3022)
Himgiri Express (3073/3074)
Saraighat Express (3045/3045)
Lalkella Express (3111/3112)
Teesta Torsa Express (3141/3142)
Darjeeling Mail (3143/3144)
Jammu Tawi Express (3151/3152)
Danapur Express (3231/3232)

3. From 20 February, 1999, 2303/2304 Poorva Express will stop at Ara.
2303
Up will arrive at 17:58 and depart at 18:00, and 2304 Down will arrive
at
18:27 and depart at 18:29.

4. From 26 February, 1999, 3447/3448 Bhagalpur-Dadar Tri-Weekly Express
will
have four additional sleeper class coaches.

5. From 27 February until 27 March, Eastern Railway will run an
additional
Holiday Special between Howrah and New Delhi. The Special will depart
Howrah
on Saturdays and return from New Delhi on Sundays. The trains will have
sleeper, 1st class, A/C 2-tier, and A/C 1st class accomodation. Stops
will
be at Dhanbad, Gaya, Mughal Sarai, Allahabad, and Kanpur.

From: Julian.Rainbow <>

Subject: Re: Garratts

Date: 05 Mar 1999 15:27:21 -0500


I believe that the Nepal Garratts are no longer operational, I was told
recently that this was the case.
2 MG Garratts survive in Myanmar, one is preserved in Insein Works,
Yangoon
and the other at Thazi Jtn. Both are Class GC, there are also some
rotting
hulks of Garratts at Insein.
2 BG Garratts survive in Sri Lanka, one supposedly under repair for
preservation at Ratmalana Works, Colombo, and the other at Dematagoda
Running Shed, Colombo, I do not think either will work again. The NG
Garratt was scrapped years ago.
In the UK The Garratt at Coatbridge is a SAR GMAM Class, at Manchester
Industrial Museum there is a SAR GL Class, the first Garratt built is
currently working on the Festinog Railway, and there are a couple of
ex-SAR
NG Garratts on the Welsh Highland Railway.
I believe that there are a number preserved in Africa, certainly some at
the Kenyan Railway Museum in Nairobi, some at the Zimbabwean Museum in
Bulawayo, and some in South Africa. There are also still working
Garratts
in Zimbabwe.
Dusty Durrant produced a massive tome on the subject, now out of print
called Garratt Locomotives of the World.
Good news to hear that there are three preserved in India.
Julian




Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email on 03/05/99 08:38:50 AM

To: Harsh Vardhan <hvc@vsnl.email
cc: Indian Railway Fan Club Association <irfca@cs.email John Brant
<johnbrant@ukgateway.email (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
Subject: Re: Garratts




You could also list the ones on the Janakpur track, although
that is not techincally India, but Nepal, it is still the
Indian subcontinent. Maybe those are still working.

Apurva

Harsh Vardhan wrote:

>
>
> Can you pls provide the particulars of the one you
> have mentioned. To the best of my knowledge, the
> following Garratts have survived in India. N -
> 38815(BP 6594) 4-8-0 + 0-8-4 at national rail
> museum, New delhi P - 38811(BP 6594) 4-8-2 +2-8-4
> at Khragpur workshop. GX - 32086(BP 7144) 4-8-2
> + 2-8-4 at Guwahati Steam shed Site The last one
> is a rare MG garratt. additions anyone ? harsh
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Brant
> <johnbrant@ukgateway.email
> To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
> Date: Friday, March 05, 1999 2:31 PMDoes
> anyone know if any of the Garretts
> whichworked the Indian Rail System are
> still around. I know there is an old
> South African Unit on showin a Transport
> Museum in Coatbridge , Scotland. J H
> Brant
>

From: Julian.Rainbow <>

Subject: Re: Railway budget highlights!

Date: 05 Mar 1999 15:53:29 -0500


If there is to be a link to Singapore, then there will have to be a
change
of gauge at some point, as Myanmar is metre gauge as are Thailand and
Malaya. It will also be necessary to consider where the line will go in
Myanmar, as the southern section of MR is not physically connected at
Moulamein with the rest of the system, this means either a bridge or
train
ferry from Martaban, there are train ferry facilities between these two
towns, but only for freight wagons. The next problem is that travel
from
about 30 mile south of Moulamein is banned to foreigners due to
insurgent
activity, lastly there is no longer a physical link between MR and Thai
Railways, as the old Japanese war time built railway has long been
lifted.
I am not sure either about where the line enters Myanmar from
Bangladesh,
if the connection is into Mandalay or lines north from there, then there
is
no problem as far south as Martaban, but if the connection is made with
the
line that runs to Pathein then this is also a completely separate
section
of MR. Gives plently of work for civil engineers and land surveyors
though.

Julian




Shanku Niyogi <shankun@microsoft.email on 03/04/99 07:06:56 PM

To: "'Jishnu Mukerji'" <jis@fpk.email
cc: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email "'Vijay Balasubramanian'"
<VBalasubramanian@Softrax.email "'Sankaran Kumar'"
<sankaran_kumar@hotmail.email "'irfca@cs.email
<irfca@cs.email "'pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
<pushkar_apte@hotmail.email (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
Subject: RE: Railway budget highlights!




Some further news on the Bangladesh link: I have with me a bunch of
Calcutta
newspapers from the day the budget was reported, and one sidebar reports
Mr.
Kumar's discussing the Singapore rail link. Supposedly, the corridor
from
India out to Myanmar would use the Burdwan-Katwa line in West Bengal,
linking with a line across Bangladesh, and the new Agartala-Akhuara line
in
the northeast to connect to Myanmar. So this would seem imply a route
through Gede.

By the way, to see all the major rail links from West Bengal into
Bangladesh, check out the WB railways map at
<A HREF="http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm">http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm</A>. I had no idea there were
this
many. My question is, if trains will go from Katwa to Gede, won't they
have
to go through part of the Ranaghat-Krishnanagar section of the main
Sealdah
suburban line? Or maybe they could go all the way up through Berhampur
and
Lalgola and enter up there near Rajshahi?

Shanku

From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>

Subject: Re: Happy99 virus (was Black livery)

Date: 05 Mar 1999 15:57:21 -0500


Hi Shanku,
Yes, HAPPY99 is a virus, of the "worm" type. It has already
shown up
on the steam_tech web forum, and got spread about in very much the same
way
as the copy from Shankar's mailing might.
For reference, I enclose the instructions sent to me by one of the
steam_tech people. It will get rid of the virus, I'm told, but of course
it
won't do anything to fix Windows 98. Maybe a stick of dynamite?
Cheers
Ken Walker

The information I was sent:

Here is the procedure I used ,

Check in WINDOWS\ SYSTEM\ for files SKA.EXE & SKA.DLL these
files
are generated during infection . If you find them then you will also
have
file HAPPY99.EXE somewhere on your drive .

If you have these , you have it !

1 Delete them .
2 Rename \WSOCK32.DLL TO \ WSOCK32.BAK
3 Rename \ WSOCK32. SKA TO \ WSOCK32.DLL .

That's it , if you want the full story , look at
<A HREF="http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html">http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html</A>


-----Original Message-----
From: Shanku Niyogi <shankun@microsoft.email
To: 'shankie@emirates.email <shankie@emirates.email
Cc: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Saturday, 6 March 1999 6:35
Subject: RE: Black livery


>Shankar,
>
>You may have a virus on your machine - after your mail message, I got
>another one from you with "Happy99.exe". This may be a virus or worm.
>
>I have a larger version of the photograph, but it is not of much use
either.
>If there is sufficient interest in this loco, I may ask one of my
contacts
>in West Bengal to try to get some info on this loco (No. 16115) from
the
>Andal shed. Anyone interested?
>
>Shanku
>
>

From: Julian.Rainbow <>

Subject: Singapore Rail Link

Date: 05 Mar 1999 17:22:44 -0500


If there is to be a link to Singapore, then there will have to be a
change
of gauge at some point, as Myanmar is metre gauge as are Thailand and
Malaya. It will also be necessary to consider where the line will go in
Myanmar, as the southern section of MR is not physically connected at
Moulamein with the rest of the system, this means either a bridge or
train
ferry from Martaban, there are train ferry facilities between these two
towns, but only for freight wagons. The next problem is that travel
from
about 30 mile south of Moulamein is banned to foreigners due to
insurgent
activity, lastly there is no longer a physical link between MR and Thai
Railways, as the old Japanese war time built railway has long been
lifted.
I am not sure either about where the line enters Myanmar from
Bangladesh,
if the connection is into Mandalay or lines north from there, then there
is
no problem as far south as Martaban, but if the connection is made with
the
line that runs to Pathein then this is also a completely separate
section
of MR. Gives plently of work for civil engineers and land surveyors
though.

Julian




Shanku Niyogi <shankun@microsoft.email on 03/04/99 07:06:56 PM

To: "'Jishnu Mukerji'" <jis@fpk.email
cc: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email "'Vijay Balasubramanian'"
<VBalasubramanian@Softrax.email "'Sankaran Kumar'"
<sankaran_kumar@hotmail.email "'irfca@cs.email
<irfca@cs.email "'pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
<pushkar_apte@hotmail.email (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
Subject: RE: Railway budget highlights!




Some further news on the Bangladesh link: I have with me a bunch of
Calcutta
newspapers from the day the budget was reported, and one sidebar reports
Mr.
Kumar's discussing the Singapore rail link. Supposedly, the corridor
from
India out to Myanmar would use the Burdwan-Katwa line in West Bengal,
linking with a line across Bangladesh, and the new Agartala-Akhuara line
in
the northeast to connect to Myanmar. So this would seem imply a route
through Gede.

By the way, to see all the major rail links from West Bengal into
Bangladesh, check out the WB railways map at
<A HREF="http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm">http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm</A>. I had no idea there were
this
many. My question is, if trains will go from Katwa to Gede, won't they
have
to go through part of the Ranaghat-Krishnanagar section of the main
Sealdah
suburban line? Or maybe they could go all the way up through Berhampur
and
Lalgola and enter up there near Rajshahi?

Shanku

From: Julian.Rainbow <>

Subject: Singapore Rail Link

Date: 05 Mar 1999 17:22:44 -0500


If there is to be a link to Singapore, then there will have to be a
change
of gauge at some point, as Myanmar is metre gauge as are Thailand and
Malaya. It will also be necessary to consider where the line will go in
Myanmar, as the southern section of MR is not physically connected at
Moulamein with the rest of the system, this means either a bridge or
train
ferry from Martaban, there are train ferry facilities between these two
towns, but only for freight wagons. The next problem is that travel
from
about 30 mile south of Moulamein is banned to foreigners due to
insurgent
activity, lastly there is no longer a physical link between MR and Thai
Railways, as the old Japanese war time built railway has long been
lifted.
I am not sure either about where the line enters Myanmar from
Bangladesh,
if the connection is into Mandalay or lines north from there, then there
is
no problem as far south as Martaban, but if the connection is made with
the
line that runs to Pathein then this is also a completely separate
section
of MR. Gives plently of work for civil engineers and land surveyors
though.

Julian




Shanku Niyogi <shankun@microsoft.email on 03/04/99 07:06:56 PM

To: "'Jishnu Mukerji'" <jis@fpk.email
cc: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email "'Vijay Balasubramanian'"
<VBalasubramanian@Softrax.email "'Sankaran Kumar'"
<sankaran_kumar@hotmail.email "'irfca@cs.email
<irfca@cs.email "'pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
<pushkar_apte@hotmail.email (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
Subject: RE: Railway budget highlights!




Some further news on the Bangladesh link: I have with me a bunch of
Calcutta
newspapers from the day the budget was reported, and one sidebar reports
Mr.
Kumar's discussing the Singapore rail link. Supposedly, the corridor
from
India out to Myanmar would use the Burdwan-Katwa line in West Bengal,
linking with a line across Bangladesh, and the new Agartala-Akhuara line
in
the northeast to connect to Myanmar. So this would seem imply a route
through Gede.

By the way, to see all the major rail links from West Bengal into
Bangladesh, check out the WB railways map at
<A HREF="http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm">http://mapsofindia.com/maps/wb/h3s3205.htm</A>. I had no idea there were
this
many. My question is, if trains will go from Katwa to Gede, won't they
have
to go through part of the Ranaghat-Krishnanagar section of the main
Sealdah
suburban line? Or maybe they could go all the way up through Berhampur
and
Lalgola and enter up there near Rajshahi?

Shanku

From: Mike Brooker <>

Subject: slow train & terminology questions

Date: 05 Mar 1999 20:09:58 -0500


I travelled on the MG train between Vrindavan and Mathura  on Jan 4, 1996 and can verify that it is indeed ***slow***!  The short journey took at least 45 minutes, perhaps even as long as an hour.  Another slow local train that I took, ran between Haridwar and Rishikesh.  Don't recall if that was BG or MG, but believe it was a BG.  I would only assume that if one is travelling between such holy tirthas as Mathura-Vrindavan and Haridwar-Rishikesh, one needs the patience of a sadhu.
 
A question about Indglish terminology: what is a "rake"?  From the contexts of some of these messages, "rake" is what in North America would be termed the "consist" (i.e. the locomotive and the cars it is hauling, taken together as a group).  Correct me if I'm wrong.  While in India, I was able to determine for myself that in rail terminology "MG" did not mean "Mahatma Gandhi", and a "bogie" had nothing to do with golf!  :-)
 
Also, how do IR determine whether a train is "up" or "down"?  If the northbound run is "up", how is up/down determined for a train running mainly east-west?
 
********************************************************************
Mike Brooker
99 Wychcrest Ave.,
Toronto, ON  M6G 3X8
CANADA
(416) 536-7406
********************************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Harsh Vardhan < champa@del3.email <mailto:champa@del3.email
To: Apurva Bahadur < iti@vsnl.email <mailto:iti@vsnl.email
Cc: Indian Railway Fan Club Association < irfca@cs.email <mailto:irfca@cs.email John Brant < johnbrant@ukgateway.email <mailto:johnbrant@ukgateway.email
Date: Friday, March 05, 1999 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: Garratts


 
By the way, My contender for slowest journey on MG are from these parts only. The average time(read minimum) taken by any train on the Darbhanga-Nirmali route is four hours to cover 71 Km, Jhanjharpur-Laukaha Bazar(43 Km) takes 3 hours and more, Bihariganj-Banmakhi(28 Km) is two hours, Indara-Dohrighat(35 Km) is 1.5 hours on a railbus and Vrindavan-Mathura(13 Km) takes 45 Min.. Beat that!
 
 

From: Prakash Tendulkar <>

Subject: Super Locos

Date: 05 Mar 1999 20:57:39 -0500


Folks,

My apology for posting a non-IR related article.

Enclosed, please find an article from a book, Modern
Diesel Locomotives by Hans Halberstadt. The book was
published in 1996 so some statements may not be valid
in 1999. Actual roster of Union Pacific is available
on their website.

However, the technical details of these locos are
impressive. These locos consume 3-4 gallons of diesel
per mile.

I received a catalog from Stanford University Press
about books on railroad. This was unsolicited mail.
However, I've ordered two books from them and shall
keep you posted when I get them. This catalog offers a
good discount that requires a promotion number. I'll
let you know these particulars when I am satisfied
with the books.

In the meantime, please visit URL
www.sup.org/railroad.html to know about Railroad
Voices.

Prakash
=====================================

The SD80MAC, SD90MAC and AC6000

Just when we were all getting accustomed to the
radical idea of 4,000 horsepower engines and trying
to figure out how AC traction systems work their
magic, just when railfans and railroad employees were
getting used to the shock of the SD70MAC and then the
AC4400, a whole new set of surprises came rumbling
down the tracks from GE and EMD.

`The railroads thought the 4,000-horsepower
locomotive was fine and dandy," said Sean Graham-
White, Modem Power columnist for Pacific Rail News,
"but they took a wait-and-see attitude about AC. They
didn't see a huge difference in performance between a
4,000- horsepower DC and a 4,000-horsepower AC
system. The railroads said, in effect, `these 4,000-
horsepower units are cute, but how about something
that will give us a two-for-one ratio.... how about
6,000 horsepower?' EMD and GE had been promoting AC
technology, making a lot of claims, and the railroads
said `Prove it!"

The SD70MAC proved the point, starting in 1994. The
rated figures, including the official ones published
in this book, are very conservative, according to
industry observers. The actual performance, out in
the real world, is far better than Burlington
Northern expected or what the ratings promise.

There were developmental problems with a new
technology-there always are, and they were
anticipated- and there has been some negative press
relating to troubles with the SD70MAC and AC4400. The
first units were plagued with problems but, as EMD
and BN climbed the learning curve, the MAC exceeded
expectations. "The `bean-counters' at BN are
extremely happy," according to an industry source.
Once they saw what AC units could do in the real
world, many of the Class I railroads started placing
orders for AC units with the biggest engines on
anybody's drawing board.

"The new EMD SD90MAC and the GE AC6000 are really
going to revolutionize American railroading," Sean
says. "Conrail is already replacing four conventional
locomotives on intermodal trains with one SD80MAC in
tests!"

The implications of these very newest designs for
railroad managers are interesting. For example, Union
Pacific has 1,100 older 3,000-horsepower 5D40-2
locomotives operating today. If the builder's claims
of replacing units in a two to one ratio with a 6,000
horsepower locomotives are correct, it appears they
could get away with something like half that number
with the new units. These units are easier to
maintain, are more reliable, and use less fuel. This
is something that makes an accountant very happy. The
problem, as of spring 1996, is the 6,000 horsepower
engine; neither GE nor EMD have one in production
yet. In the meantime, the Class I railroads are
buying locomotives that can be upgraded to 6,000
horsepower later and that can use 4,300 (EMD) or
4,400 (GE) horsepower engines in the meantime.

SD80MAC

The SD80MAC is a 5,000 horsepower unit built around a
20-cylinder version of the tried-and-true 710 engine.
It has all the new computer technology of the even
more radical SD90MAC, but with an engine design
that is a safer bet than the newer, more powerful "H"
engine destined for the SD90MAC.

The SD80MAC is rated at 185,000 pounds starting
effort, 147,000 continuous, both figures a gain of
10,000 pounds over the SD70MACs. Dynamic brake effort
is 96,000 pounds. Adhesion is rated at an amazing 35
percent. Fuel capacity is up to 5,800 gallons and oil
up to 510 gallons, both substantially more than the
SD70MAC.

The SD80MAC is 80 feet 2 inches long, 15 feet 8
inches high, and 10 feet 3 inches across the beam and
weighs 415,000 pounds.

SD90MAC

The SD90MAC uses all the same basic components as the
SD80MAC but with a new, 16-cylinder engine simply
called the "H" that is scheduled for availability in
1997. This four-stroke engine is a first for EMD
whose locomotives have always used two-stroke
designs. At this writing, that's all EMD is saying.

Well, actually, they did say that with the 6,000
horsepower engine the SD90MAC will start getting
close to pulling the couplers off the trailing load
with 200,000 of rated starting tractive power; the
SD70MAC has far exceeded its rated figures in real-
world operations and if this model does as well
somebody will be replacing a lot of coupler knuckles.
Continuous tractive effort is 1 70,000 pounds and
dynamic braking is up to 115,000 pounds. EMD claims a
40 percent adhesion rating and a maximum speed of 75
miles per hour.

Basic dimensions are identical to the SD80MAC.
Capacity specifications, other than 5,800 gallons of
fuel, aren't available at this writing.

AC6000

GE's new AC6000 uses an even bigger frame than the
already huge 4400. That greater size is needed to
accommodate a larger engine; it is also intended to
permit greater cooling capacity. This brings the
AC6000 to a length of 74 feet, the longest unit that
GE could fit in the factory shops. GE has built 35
"convertibles" for Union Pacific with FDL engines
that will be swapped out for the big Duetz engine
when it is available.

The GE will introduce a totally new technology for
linking the computer controls and all the components
on the locomotive. GE isn't saying any more about it
at this writing, but their promise is that the amount
of control will be tremendously enhanced.

The AC6000 will provide 180,000 pounds of starting
effort, 166,000 continuous, and offers 37 percent
adhesion. Like the others, it is good for 75 miles
per hour max. Fuel capacity is 5,900 gallons.

The Future

When asked to predict what's next for diesel
locomotives, Sean responded, "Nobody knows. Six-
thousand horsepower seems to be the limit
for the available engines, for the foreseeable
future. In fact, both builders are still trying to
make these power plants work and neither
are really ready for service. It will take a few
years to work the kinks out of this new technology,
and that's important to remember. There will be
problems with these new engines-not just the
technology of the locomotives themselves, but how the
railroads use them in day-to-day operations. We are
entering a period of adaptation."

Dynamic brakes on the new units are one of the most
important, and often overlooked, improved
capabilities introduced with these locomotives. AC
technology permits the use of dynamic brakes down to
0.2 miles per hour, a virtual standstill. That is
really important in the mountains. "You can stop your
train on a mountain grade with dynamic brakes alone,"
Sean says. "That saves your air for later, and
engineers love this because it makes control so much
better in the mountains. As important as AC is going
uphill, it is just as important braking on the down
slope. You don't overheat your traction motors with
AC dynamic braking, a feature nobody usually
mentions, but with the computer controls this makes
control much better, safer, and saves wear on the
brake components. Yet another feature that makes
accountants happy."

By the year 2000, hundreds of these 6,000-horsepower
beasts will have revolutionized the North American
railroad industry. Not only will the head end of
trains look different, but the back end of the
balance sheets will show a gain as well. In the
meantime, the future of American railroads is rolling
down the tracks today.

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: DHR

Date: 05 Mar 1999 22:26:46 -0500



Hello Gang,

Is anyone of our gang aware that there existed a Darjeeling Streamliner
loco. Well the latest issue of the Steam Railway has the proof that it
really did exist with a photograph to prove. The loco looks like a
mix between the LMS Coronation type and those Canadian National
streamlined locos.

Appu might be that I mail you the xerox and then you scan for everyone
to
see.

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

From: THOMSON, Marcus R. T. <>

Subject: unsubscribe

Date: 05 Mar 1999 22:28:05 -0500


unsubscribe

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Re: DHR

Date: 05 Mar 1999 22:56:28 -0500



> Is anyone of our gang aware that there existed a Darjeeling
Streamliner
> loco. Well the latest issue of the Steam Railway has the proof that it
> really did exist with a photograph to prove. The loco looks like a
> mix between the LMS Coronation type and those Canadian National
> streamlined locos.

There was an article on this last year on the DHRS-UK
magazine. It is apparently a modified B-Class, loosely
styled on the basis of some locos supplied from Britain
to the Iraqi Railways.

--
Jayant S : ID Studio : Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri : PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA
TEL 91(20)702534 : FAX 91(20)773191
--

From: Julian.Rainbow <>

Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner

Date: 05 Mar 1999 23:47:17 -0500


This has been covered on and off through out the years in the British
railway press. It was built in about 1944, as a morale booster for the
troops who were sent up to Darjeeling for rest periods. It was built on
one of the existing B Class and was I think named Jervis Bay after a
ship
which had defeded a convoy from German attack. There is a full account
in
the Darjeeling Society's newsletter No.3. It was designed to haul a set
of
specially reburbished coaches. I do not think that it lasted very long.
There are are only two photos known of this engine I think.

The Darjeeling Garratt, D Class, survived until about 1948, it was the
second design of Garratt built, and the problems involved in
articulation
had not been solved, I think that it had cylinders at the boiler end of
engine units rather than the far ends, there were also problems with the
steam pipes. Also it hauled loads considerably heavier than the B
Class,
and the difficulty of breaking up the loads so that they could be hauled
by
B Class locos lead to its transfer to the Tessta Valley line.

Julian




"VIRAF P.. MULLA " <sncf@godrej.email on 03/06/99 06:26:46 AM

To: irfca@cs.email
cc: (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
Subject: DHR





Hello Gang,

Is anyone of our gang aware that there existed a Darjeeling Streamliner
loco. Well the latest issue of the Steam Railway has the proof that it
really did exist with a photograph to prove. The loco looks like a
mix between the LMS Coronation type and those Canadian National
streamlined locos.

Appu might be that I mail you the xerox and then you scan for everyone
to
see.

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

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: slow train & terminology questions

Date: 05 Mar 1999 23:55:33 -0500


 

Mike Brooker wrote:
>A question about Indglish terminology: what is a "rake"?  >From the contexts of some of these messages, "rake" >is what in North America would be termed the "consist" (i.e. the locomotive and the cars it is hauling, taken >together as a group).  Correct me if I'm wrong.  While in India, I was able to determine for myself that in rail >terminology "MG" did not mean "Mahatma Gandhi", and a "bogie" had nothing to do with golf!  :-) Also, how >do IR determine whether a train is "up" or "down"?  If the northbound run is "up", how is up/down determined >for a train running mainly east-west?

All these issues are discussed in juicy details before. More the reason our FAQ and website with past mailings has to be up ASAP.
You have got is right about rake - but this is standard Queen's English, I thought the entire Commonwealth would use this term, but not Canada I guess, due to its close proximity to the USA.  Rake is indeed a consist.
A down train is the one leaving a railway HQ, actually the Down train is the one occupying the track that are leading away from the HQ. Many trains juggle their Up and Down status as they occupy various sections of the tracks. Once you get used to this Up and Down argument, it is quite easy to
remember. It is vital to understand what is Up and what is down if one has to understand what railwaymen are saying.

From: John Brant <>

Subject: Re:

Date: 06 Mar 1999 10:40:27 -0500


Hello Harsh,
Thanks for your info on the Garretts.
Here are some details of the unit I mentioned.
 
Type:             GMAM
Built:              1955  by North British Loco
                     Queens Park Works.Glasgow.
                      (under Lic from Bayer Peacock)
for                  South African RAilways.
 
Regards  John Brant.

From: Pushkar Apte <>

Subject: Life on the 10:11 Slow from Bandra

Date: 06 Mar 1999 15:38:10 -0500



Check out
<A HREF="http://www.timesofindia.com/070399/07mbom3.htm">http://www.timesofindia.com/070399/07mbom3.htm</A>

or read the poorly wrapped around text version below.
fun stuff, IMO.
-Pushkar


Sumo and samosas lift spirits of fellow
travellers on the 10:11 Slow

By Shabnam Minwalla

MUMBAI: As the train crawls into Bandra station, the
newcomer
leaps into the first-class compartment, navigates an
elaborate
obstacle course and dives into a comfy corner seat. Even
before
he can indulge in a little gloat, however, he finds
himself assaulted
by bony elbows, hefty buttocks and ear-splitting yells.

Instead of settling down to a sensible snooze, his
neighbours
seem intent on fitting five portly businessmen into a
space too
narrow for a jam bottle. ``Sit Kathrani, sit. Call Willy
also. Where
is Cyrus?'' is the insistent chorus. ``Come, come, we
will adjust.''

Finally, the intricate ``adjustments'' are completed.
But, instead of
a civilised silence, they are followed in quick
succession by a
particularly unmelodious version of `Happy Birthday',
samosas,
mithai and Frootis. ``You have to eat,'' the cringing
first-timer is
urged. ``Today, you are our family member. You must enjoy
yourself like the rest of us.''

Clearly, the samosa-chomping crowd is having a ball. For,

while
these are respectable lawyers, architects and businessmen

at any
other time of the day, in the 30 minutes it takes to get
from
Bandra to Churchgate they are merely madcap members of
the
`10:11 Group'.

``During this half hour, I forget my worries,'' says
Ashwin Dalal, a
dealer in scientific items. Concurs businessman Willy
D'Mello, ``I
am always amazed at how quickly the time passes.''

The `10:11 Group' comprises about 20 regulars who sit
together
in the First Class compartment of the 10:11 Bandra local.

But
while almost every suburban train has its `train-friends'

-- a
concept as typically Mumbai as `super-super-built-up' --
the
`10:11 Group' is among the most organised.

So, for example, an energetic `Bolo siyavar Ram Chandra
ki jai'
marks the beginning of every journey, while Wednesdays
and
Fridays are earmarked for parties to celebrate birthdays,
anniversaries or, say, the purchase of a new car. And all

gifts are
accompanied by a computerised card which states, `With
blessings from 10:11'.

None of the members are, however, very clear about
exactly
how the group was born. ``When you see the same faces
every
day, you start saying `hello','' says N.K. Shah, an
automobile
spare-parts dealer who has done the ride for 30 years.
Concurs
T.L. Jaiswal, who has a surgical equipment business,
``For many
years, we were ordinary train friends and spent time in
chit-chat
and cutting jokes.''

About a decade ago, however, a regular commuter organised

a
party at his place -- and during that high-spirited
evening, the
`10:11 Group' was baptised. ``By the time I started
travelling in
1992, it was in full swing,'' recalls advocate Prakash
Khemani,
whose wife is the only woman in the group. ``I would
smile at
their jokes. And before I knew it, I was a member. What I

really
like is that we are all so different.''

Indeed, from the 82-year-old Dalpat Khubchandani to the
young
Khemani `dulha-dulhan', from the very `propah' Phiroze
Damania
to the rollicking Suresh `Sumo' Khatrani, everybody seems
equally at home. ``We have grown very close,'' says Mr
Khubchandani, adding that even the families meet on
occasion.
Concurs Mr D'Mello, ``We are a mini-India.''

Minus the tensions and conflicts. ``A strict code
operates,''
explains Mr Jaiswal. ``No talk about your family. No
sharebaazi.
And no politics. We don't want clashes.'' Adds Mr
Khemani, ``I
am sorry to say that other train groups talk politics and

hurt
feelings. Such discussions inevitably end in heated
arguments.''

If not the great Indian obsession, what on earth does the

`10:11
Group' discuss? ``We pick up the latest issue,'' says Mr
Jaiswal.
``We were very interested in the Bobbitt case. And when
Viagra
came into the market, we discussed it for months.''

Of course, the group has its time-tested jokes. So when
Mr
Jaiswal is introduced as the chairman, his friends chant
`Chor-man, chor-man'. When the hefty `Sumo' Khatrani
stumbles, his neighbours beseech, ``Don't make chapati
out of
us.'' And when one member identifies himself as Rohit
Muchala,
the chorus is almost inevitable -- ``But where is your
mooch?''

``There are always problems at home and when we reach
office,
there is another set of tensions. But during our journey,

we just
enjoy ourselves,'' says businessman Khatrani. Adds Mr
Jaiswal,
``We are a natural Laughter Club.''

So great is the bonding that members make it a point to
attend
celebrations. During court holidays, for example, the
advocates
board the train, attend the party, alight midway and
return to
Bandra.

While the group itself thrives on witticisms and
wisecracks,
however, the other passengers don't seem equally pleased.
Boisterous laughter is met with frowns and snide remarks
about
``noise pollution''. But the group is unfazed. ``We hope
that more
and more people will join us,'' says Mr Khemani. ``All
are
welcome.''

In fact, as the journey draws to an end, Mr Jaiswal turns

to the
shrinking first-timer and says with a courtly bow,
``Gentleman,
we hope you will join us again.'' The bemused look on the
stranger's face as he scuttles off, however, indicates
that this is
one invitation that he is unlikely to accept with
alacrity.

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

From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>

Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner and Garratt

Date: 06 Mar 1999 18:09:08 -0500


Dear Julian Rainbow and all,
The DHR streamliner also got an airing in Railway Magazine, I think
about 1962 or so. It doesn't seem to have lasted long, and I have always
wondered where the ogg-wallahs (the chaps who ride at the front and
hand-sand the track) rode!
The Loco Profile on the DHR has some discussion of the Garratt, as
does
Durrant's Garratt Locomotives of South Africa (with World Appendix). The
Garratt was really a double "A", on two 4ft 3in wheelbase engines, but
with
a boiler of thermal capacity enough to produce steam for two "B"s. It
was a
simple, not a compound, and the cylinders were at what became the
conventional position, at the outer ends of the engine units. In actual
practice, there seem to have been two major technical problems and an
operational one. One technical problem has already been mentioned: the
flexible joints on Garratts had by no means been perfected at that time,
and
they gave trouble, apparently never fully fixed. The second problem
seems to
have been that on grades there was a weight transfer problem that
unloaded
the driving wheels, leading to slipping and consequently reduced haulage
capacity. Though by the 1920s the Garratt was reportedly giving "every
satisfaction" (see the recent Beyer-Garratt book) its trailing load was
roughly 165% of that which a "B" class could handle. That led to the
traffic
problem: on the hill section, with an engine change at Tindharia or
Kurseong, the train would either be too big for one "B" or too small for
two, if divided. The economics were obviously not satisfactory: you had
to
have either a double or a single "B" load. No doubt the Garratt ran the
whole distance on the Teesta Valley line, and the problem did not arise.
Hence, in consequence, its scrapping date: the TV line was out of use
after
the floods and landslips of 1950.
Can I remind everyone of the importance of joining your local
DHR
Society, or if there isn't one, of starting one up. 1999 will be a very
important year for the DHR, with the World Heritage decision due from
UNESCO this month, and important decisions about the future of the line
to
be taken. Enthusiast support may help make all the difference.
Groups already exist in Australia and England; attempts are
being
made to set one up in North America. For Australia, contact me by E-mail
at
kjw_meh@powerup.email for UK, E-mail Ms. M. Metz at
m.metz@pro-net.email
for North America, E-mail hkading@rypn.email. These societies provide a
ready-made channel for ideas and opinions, and are playing a significant
part in the decision-making process for the DHR's
future.
Best wishes to all,
Ken Walker

-----Original Message-----
From: Julian.Rainbow@waii.email <Julian.Rainbow@waii.email
To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Saturday, 6 March 1999 6:03
Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner


>This has been covered on and off through out the years in the British
>railway press. It was built in about 1944, as a morale booster for the
>troops who were sent up to Darjeeling for rest periods. It was built
on
>one of the existing B Class and was I think named Jervis Bay after a
ship
>which had defeded a convoy from German attack. There is a full
account in
>the Darjeeling Society's newsletter No.3. It was designed to haul a
set of
>specially reburbished coaches. I do not think that it lasted very
long.
>There are are only two photos known of this engine I think.
>
>The Darjeeling Garratt, D Class, survived until about 1948, it was the
>second design of Garratt built, and the problems involved in
articulation
>had not been solved, I think that it had cylinders at the boiler end of
>engine units rather than the far ends, there were also problems with
the
>steam pipes. Also it hauled loads considerably heavier than the B
Class,
>and the difficulty of breaking up the loads so that they could be
hauled by
>B Class locos lead to its transfer to the Tessta Valley line.
>
>Julian
>
>
>
>
>"VIRAF P.. MULLA " <sncf@godrej.email on 03/06/99 06:26:46 AM
>
>To: irfca@cs.email
>cc: (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
>Subject: DHR
>
>
>
>
>
>Hello Gang,
>
>Is anyone of our gang aware that there existed a Darjeeling Streamliner
>loco. Well the latest issue of the Steam Railway has the proof that it
>really did exist with a photograph to prove. The loco looks like a
>mix between the LMS Coronation type and those Canadian National
>streamlined locos.
>
>Appu might be that I mail you the xerox and then you scan for everyone
to
>see.
>
>Regards.
>Viraf
>==========================
>Viraf Mulla
>C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
>Borivali (West)
>Mumbai 400103
>Tel: +91-22-8954510
>E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
>==========================
>
>
>
>
>
>

From: SEMCO-INDIA/ NEERAJ KUMAR SINGAL <>

Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner and Garratt

Date: 06 Mar 1999 19:27:53 -0500


DEAR FANS,
WE ARE LOOKING FOR NARROW GUAGE STEAM LOCO MANUFACTURER OR A DESIGNER
WHO CAN GIVE WHO CAN GIVE THE DESIGN CONSULTANCY ON NARROW GUAGE STEAM
LOCO AS WE INTEND TO START ITS MANUFACTURING IN INDIA.
PLEASE ALSO SUGGEST IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION OF OLD STEAM LOCOS OF
ANY SIZE AVAILABLE WITH ANYBODY.

YOU MAY PLEASE REPLY INDIVIDUALLY TO ME ALSO AT:-
nksingal@hotmail.email

REGARDS
NEERAJ KUMAR
=============================


>From irfca-request@cs.email Sat Mar 6 18:31:51 1999
>Received: from mimsy.cs.umd.edu
> by hyena.cs.umd.edu (8.8.5/UMIACS-0.9/04-05-88)
> id VAA12850; Sat, 6 Mar 1999 21:31:05 -0500 (EST)
>Received: from enterprise.powerup.com.au (known
enterprise.powerup.com.au [203.32.8.37])
> by mimsy.cs.umd.edu (8.8.5/UMIACS-0.9/04-05-88)
> id VAA14210 for <irfca@cs.email Sat, 6 Mar 1999 21:31:02
-0500
(EST)
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> by enterprise.powerup.com.au with SMTP; 7 Mar 1999 02:30:57 -0000
>Message-ID: <011f01be6842$ed4365e0$87fa93cb@user>
>From: "Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath" <kjw_meh@powerup.email
>To: <Julian.Rainbow@waii.email
>Cc: "Malcolm Dow" <mdow@doi.email "Malcolm Dow"
<aac@tpgi.email
> "IRFCA - mailing list" <irfca@cs.email
>Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner and Garratt
>Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 12:09:08 +1000
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
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>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.1
>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3
>
>Dear Julian Rainbow and all,
> The DHR streamliner also got an airing in Railway Magazine, I think
>about 1962 or so. It doesn't seem to have lasted long, and I have
always
>wondered where the ogg-wallahs (the chaps who ride at the front and
>hand-sand the track) rode!
> The Loco Profile on the DHR has some discussion of the Garratt, as

does
>Durrant's Garratt Locomotives of South Africa (with World Appendix).
The
>Garratt was really a double "A", on two 4ft 3in wheelbase engines, but
with
>a boiler of thermal capacity enough to produce steam for two "B"s. It
was a
>simple, not a compound, and the cylinders were at what became the
>conventional position, at the outer ends of the engine units. In actual
>practice, there seem to have been two major technical problems and an
>operational one. One technical problem has already been mentioned: the
>flexible joints on Garratts had by no means been perfected at that
time, and
>they gave trouble, apparently never fully fixed. The second problem
seems to
>have been that on grades there was a weight transfer problem that
unloaded
>the driving wheels, leading to slipping and consequently reduced
haulage
>capacity. Though by the 1920s the Garratt was reportedly giving "every
>satisfaction" (see the recent Beyer-Garratt book) its trailing load was
>roughly 165% of that which a "B" class could handle. That led to the
traffic
>problem: on the hill section, with an engine change at Tindharia or
>Kurseong, the train would either be too big for one "B" or too small
for
>two, if divided. The economics were obviously not satisfactory: you had

to
>have either a double or a single "B" load. No doubt the Garratt ran the
>whole distance on the Teesta Valley line, and the problem did not
arise.
>Hence, in consequence, its scrapping date: the TV line was out of use
after
>the floods and landslips of 1950.
> Can I remind everyone of the importance of joining your local
DHR
>Society, or if there isn't one, of starting one up. 1999 will be a very
>important year for the DHR, with the World Heritage decision due from
>UNESCO this month, and important decisions about the future of the line

to
>be taken. Enthusiast support may help make all the difference.
> Groups already exist in Australia and England; attempts are
being
>made to set one up in North America. For Australia, contact me by
E-mail at
>kjw_meh@powerup.email for UK, E-mail Ms. M. Metz at
m.metz@pro-net.email
>for North America, E-mail hkading@rypn.email. These societies provide a
>ready-made channel for ideas and opinions, and are playing a
significant
>part in the decision-making process for the DHR's
>future.
> Best wishes to all,
> Ken Walker
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Julian.Rainbow@waii.email <Julian.Rainbow@waii.email
>To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
>Date: Saturday, 6 March 1999 6:03
>Subject: Re: DHR Streamliner
>
>
>>This has been covered on and off through out the years in the British
>>railway press. It was built in about 1944, as a morale booster for
the
>>troops who were sent up to Darjeeling for rest periods. It was built
on
>>one of the existing B Class and was I think named Jervis Bay after a
ship
>>which had defeded a convoy from German attack. There is a full
account in
>>the Darjeeling Society's newsletter No.3. It was designed to haul a
set of
>>specially reburbished coaches. I do not think that it lasted very
long.
>>There are are only two photos known of this engine I think.
>>
>>The Darjeeling Garratt, D Class, survived until about 1948, it was the
>>second design of Garratt built, and the problems involved in
articulation
>>had not been solved, I think that it had cylinders at the boiler end
of
>>engine units rather than the far ends, there were also problems with
the
>>steam pipes. Also it hauled loads considerably heavier than the B
Class,
>>and the difficulty of breaking up the loads so that they could be
hauled by
>>B Class locos lead to its transfer to the Tessta Valley line.
>>
>>Julian
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>"VIRAF P.. MULLA " <sncf@godrej.email on 03/06/99 06:26:46 AM
>>
>>To: irfca@cs.email
>>cc: (bcc: Julian Rainbow/WGC/WAII)
>>Subject: DHR
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Hello Gang,
>>
>>Is anyone of our gang aware that there existed a Darjeeling
Streamliner
>>loco. Well the latest issue of the Steam Railway has the proof that it
>>really did exist with a photograph to prove. The loco looks like a
>>mix between the LMS Coronation type and those Canadian National
>>streamlined locos.
>>
>>Appu might be that I mail you the xerox and then you scan for everyone

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


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

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Mineral cableways / Slag railway

Date: 06 Mar 1999 23:00:19 -0500





> If it the DSP then the cable-way is probably use for transporting
either
> coal or slag.

One of the most impressive sights I remember was near Bhilai where red
hot slag (I
think) was being carried in open wagons (but side tipping ?) hauled by a
WDS 6. Even
in the bright day the incandescent nature of the goods was very visible.
I think the
stuff was carted off to a siding and dumped on the ground to cool. I was
in the 1030
Up Howrah - Pune Azad Hind Express. We did not get higher class tickets
and were
travelling in the 2nd class. I was telling my wife that travelling in
the 2nd class is
always more educating (sour grapes ?). And the slag train was very
educating indeed.
I wonder if there are any details of the slag trains in Jamshedpur ?
They are hauled
by special squat locos.

I doubt if red hot slag would be carried by a cableway and that too
over the railway
mainline.

Apurva

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Mineral cableways / Slag railway

Date: 06 Mar 1999 23:00:19 -0500





> If it the DSP then the cable-way is probably use for transporting
either
> coal or slag.

One of the most impressive sights I remember was near Bhilai where red
hot slag (I
think) was being carried in open wagons (but side tipping ?) hauled by a
WDS 6. Even
in the bright day the incandescent nature of the goods was very visible.
I think the
stuff was carted off to a siding and dumped on the ground to cool. I was
in the 1030
Up Howrah - Pune Azad Hind Express. We did not get higher class tickets
and were
travelling in the 2nd class. I was telling my wife that travelling in
the 2nd class is
always more educating (sour grapes ?). And the slag train was very
educating indeed.
I wonder if there are any details of the slag trains in Jamshedpur ?
They are hauled
by special squat locos.

I doubt if red hot slag would be carried by a cableway and that too
over the railway
mainline.

Apurva

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Bangabandhu bridge

Date: 06 Mar 1999 23:03:47 -0500



I have emailed the person in the website listed below with an invitation
to join the
IRFCA and contribute with sites about the Bangladesh Railways. That was
a few days
ago, I am yet to hear from him/ her ....

Apurva


Jishnu Mukerji wrote:

> Shanku Niyogi wrote:
> >
> > My brother-in-law works for a Calcutta newspaper, I'll have to ask
him to
> > check into the details. In the meantime, you can look at more info
on the
> > Bangabandhu bridge at <A HREF="http://www.citechco.net/jmba/jbhome.html">http://www.citechco.net/jmba/jbhome.html</A>.
>
> Neat stuff. Quite impressive - almost 5 Km in total length!
>
> > The bridge is at Sirajganj, connecting it with Bhuapur on the east.
The
> > Sirajganj-Rajshahi link is not a new one, just an expansion of the
> > broad-gauge corridor through Ishurdi.
>
> Yes, I figured that would be the logical thing.
>
> > On the east side, 90km of mixed-gauge
> > track is being built from Bhuapur to Joydevpur (through Tangail), by
a
> > Korean company. At the same time, broad gauge line on the west side
has been
> > converted to dual gauge (to Parbatipur), so it is still not clear
who will
> > "win out".
> >
> > Other work underway includes doubling the line from Tangail to
Bhairab
> > Bazar. I'm not sure about Dhaka to Chittagong, although this seems
> > essential.
>
> Well, for the purposes of carrying Goods from Chittagong to India in
the
> West in general and Calcutta in particular it would probably be better
> to avoid the congestion around Dhaka. The fact that they are expanding
> capacity on Tangail - Bhairab bazar would suggest that they probably
> want to go Tangail - Bhairab Bazar - Brahmanberia - Comilla - Laksham
-
> Chittagong.
>
> > I don't know how much of this work has actually been completed.
Presumably a
> > Calcutta-Dhaka rail link would be something along the lines of
> >
Sealdah-Petrapol/Benapol-Jessore-Kushtia-Ishurdi-Sirajganj-Tangail-Joyde
vpur
> > -Dhaka...long, but useful.
>
> So they are not planning to open Gede - Darshana? Calcutta - Gede -
> Darshana - Kushtia - Ishurdi would be a considerably shorter than
> Calcutta - Benapole/Petrapole - Jessore - Kushtia - Ishurdi. The
> pre-partition Darjeeling Mail used to travel that shorter route, and
> then onto Haldibari - Siliguri.
>
> BTW, any news on where BR is planning to acquire new rolling stock
from
> for these new lines?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jishnu.