IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 6221 - 6240

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: sprags is catch sidings

Date: 14 May 1999 03:26:12 -0500


> I think that the gradients on the Ghat sections would class as
"severe"
> in certain sections?

Speaking of the Bhor ghat on the Mumbai Pune line which has an average
gradient of 1 in 33 with one a small section just after Palasdhari with
1 in
22 ! Now that is 'severe'. For 'stabeling' a vehicle in these
gradients,
wooden wedges are used on both the sides of the wheels on atleast two
sets of
the wheels..
As a safety measure, the Down train (climbing !) is always banked by
locomotives to prevent a runaway in case of coupling failure. This is
true
for any size of the train, even a one coach inspection train.
In case of the Up train, there are three 'catch sidings' which are
tracks
leading upslope. There is a control cabin, signal and points at these
'catch
sidings'. Normally the point are set to lead any train up the slope.
Thus a
train with poor brakepower or a runaway will be switched to the catch
sidings
where it would be braked by the steep upslope. A regular descending
train
would stop at the signal controlling the catch siding for a fixed period
of
time. Only after the time has elapsed, the points are set to face the
main
line and the signals given to allow the train to proceed. Usually, it is
sufficient to just release the brakes for the train to roll.

I remember only once in the last 25 year that a train was reported to
have
got into the catch siding. So the procedure works well.
On 'normal' non ghat stations the loose wagons are often secured to the
rails
by a length of chain and a padlock.
I have a web page ready on my hard disk about a visit to the ghats,
which
will be uploaded soon to my site.

Apurva

From: Dr. S. Parthasarathy <>

Subject: Innovation on rails

Date: 14 May 1999 03:29:22 -0500


Our country has the opportunity to innovate. Here is a story about using
railways for one such innovation.

From THE HINDU of May 14th:

***
WARANGAL, MAY 13. The Lifeline Express, a hospital on rails, is a big
draw with poor patients from various parts of
Warangal district at the Kazipet railway station here.

Already 406 polio patients have registered for treatment, of which 276
have been screened for surgeries, in the four
days since the month-long medical camp on the four-coach air-
conditioned train was inaugurated by the Social
Welfare Minister, Mr. Kadiam Srihari.

Fifty two patients have been operated so far and all of them have been
accommodated at a school run by the
railways nearby for post-operative care. The school is a hub of
activity these days with a number of attendants of
patients hanging around and a unit of doctors functioning
round-the-clock. The patients and an attendant each are
provided free food and accommodation. The operations, medicines, aids
and appliances are also provided free of cost
to the patients.

The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation is the funding partner in the entire
collaboration involving the district administration and
the Impact India Foundation which is the owner of the train. The
district administration has made the local
arrangements, providing the services of Government doctors and
para-medical staff and also mobilising the patients.

This is the fourth camp on the Lifeline Express in the State. The
earlier camps were held at Shankerpally in Ranga
Reddy district in 1993, S. Kota near Vizag in 1995 and Dronachalam in
Kurnool district last year. The 30 days of the
present camp period have been equally divided to treat patients of
polio, eye and ear disorders in that order.

Mr. K.C.P. Singh, Administrator of Lifeline Express, said three more
camps are planned on the train at Nandalur in
Cuddapah, Kanyakumari and Calicut by next summer. He said 38 camps had
been held on the train so far. The camps
were mainly held to correct post-polio problems, cataract and other
ophthalmic problems and ear disorders. Plastic
surgeries were also taken up recently to treat select cases of burns,
cleft and palate lips.

Impact India has collaborated with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation to
conduct camps on the train for the last five years.
The train has four air-conditioned coaches, one of which has been
designed as an operation theatre consisting of
three tables. One other coach houses a sterilisation compartment,
medical store, waiting compartments for doctors
and a computer room. There is a kitchen, beds for staff and two
generators in the third coach while the fourth coach is
exclusively an auditorium attached with audiometry rooms, an x-ray room
and a laboratory.

***

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
Dr. S. Parthasarathy Phone: + 49 -531-3913328
I F R A FAX: + 49 -531-3915197
Tech. Univ. Braunschweig
Langer Kamp 8
38106 Braunschweig - GERMANY

e mail : partha@ifra.email
<A HREF="http://www.ifra.ing.tu-bs.de/~m05/partha/partha.en.html">http://www.ifra.ing.tu-bs.de/~m05/partha/partha.en.html</A>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
--

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Double-decker query

Date: 14 May 1999 03:45:22 -0500


> What is the reason for the low utilisation
> of this high-capacity stock ? Loading
> gauge restrictions ?

It is a bit late to think of the loading gauge now, the DDs
have been used on the worst ghats in India (the Thull ghats -
Panchawati Exp and the Bhore ghats - Sinhagad Exp). It has
also been used in the 25 KV electrified section (Flying Rani
?) so clearance of the OHE is not an issue. I think the real
problem lies in ride quality index, which is poor in these
coaches. Also the restriction inflying debris in the lower
deck and the restriction on throwing out of 'garbage' on the
upped deck meant that the traveling public was not very happy.
The DD coach was just an exercise in high capacity seating
arrangement. I have traveled many times in the wooden hard
seats (with a contour for the buttocks) of the Sinhagad
express and never was the journey really comfortable.
Since three years, the Sinhagad and the Panchawati has got air
braked day coaches and are no longer double deckered.
Now the retired Sinhagad rake is worked as the Pune Daund
Shuttle. I suspect that the Flying Rani
has similarly donated its DD rake to Valsad fast passenger.

Apurva

From: Shankar <>

Subject: Re: SNAKES.

Date: 14 May 1999 04:10:04 -0500


Hello,
Yew! What a blood curdling experience!
I for one can wet my trousers even if I see a dead snake sprawled in
front of me,so I can imagine your state!
My hatred for snakes is indescribable.Thats whyI'm happier about terms
like "resembles the crocodile when rounding bends' rather than 'snaking
its way through the ghats'.
Anyway, thank goodness you got off relatively unscathed. As the popular
song goes, 'It happens only in India!'
Best regards.
Shankar



VIRAF P.. MULLA wrote:
>
> > Indeed.I also read somewhre about how a live python being carried in
a
> > passenger coach caused panic as it escaped from its basket. How far
it
> > is true I do not know, but that certainly counts among
oddities.Might
> > have been a freak case, though.
>
> Hello,
>
> I distinctly remember some 20 years back the Railway Police
discovering a
> gunny bag full of snakes in a Churchgate bound local from Virar. Some
> passengers had noticed the movements in the bag and the police were
> alerted. This was reported in The Times Of India.
>
> But let me share with you what happened to me when I boarded a crowded
> Virar bound fast train from Andheri. The train was jampacked and
during
> the evening rush hours you hardly notice your fellow passengers. After
> sometime I sensed some movement just over my left shoulder.
Absentmindedly
> I just brushed whatever it was with a casual flick of my right hand
and
> settled down for the rest of the journey.
>
> The train is going at quite a speed and all the passengers including
me
> are lolling like pendulums with thwe movement to the train. After a
few
> seconds of the brushing aside incident I sensed that the people around
me
> have focused their sights on me or rather just somewhere behind me.
> Frankly at certain moments I tend to be goofy. Nothing registered at
that
> moment but then again I felt some slithery movement near my nape. So I
> just casually turned my head to brush aside the nuisance. Horror upon
> horrors! what I saw turned my blood into ice. The nuicance was a
python
> wrapped around the neck of a sadhu . Instant fear made shout a profany
and
> the sentence which is unprintable but you can imagine what I spoke.
The
> next moment all the others around burst into laughter. This incident
is
> etched in my memory.
>
> Regards
> Viraf

From: Simon Darvill <>

Subject: Indian industrial railways

Date: 14 May 1999 05:18:56 -0500


Since I visited India in 1992, I have been researching the history of industrial railways used in India and other South Asian countries. This document has now reached over 170 pages with the information coming from builders works records, other peoples observations and other published sources.
 
The thing that I am in desperate need of now is photographs. Does anybody have any photographs of railways at industrial locations in India. I have a number of photos of the locos at the sugar factories in Bihar (which seem to be to only place that European enthusiasts visit - probably because they are steam!) but almost nothing from anywhere else.
 
Also, if anybody has any information about the present situation at any industrial site, I would be happy to hear.
 
If anybody would like a copy of my document, I am more than happy to let you have an emailed copy. Please bear in mind that it is a work in progress and that it is a large file (nearly 1MB!). Incidentially, it is a Word file.
 
Thank you all in advance for any assisatnce
 

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Wheel chocks

Date: 14 May 1999 06:02:34 -0500


I do not think anyone else keeps their powers in a cleaner
shape than the British. Just remembered something I read on
the walls of the erstwhile MG steam shed at Mysore:

" Train your mind to shine your engine "

Apurva

Jayant S wrote:

> <A HREF="http://web.ukonline.co.uk/c.baker3/rail/pics/steam_1.html">http://web.ukonline.co.uk/c.baker3/rail/pics/steam_1.html</A>
>
> There is a picture of BR71000 here with
> orange wheel chocks (sprags ?) in place.
>
> JS

From: FyffesFL <>

Subject: Re: sprags

Date: 14 May 1999 06:19:46 -0500


concur with Ken Walker

richard

From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>

Subject: Late running of trains (from CR page)

Date: 14 May 1999 07:06:38 -0500


Hi Folks,

Has anyone looked at the actual arrival/dep. times at the CR
official page, lately? Here is the info. that I just got off the site.

**********************************
5218 Muzaffarpur-Kurla Pawan Express 04.10 CLA(T) - 24hrs. late
3003 Calcutta-Mumbai Mail (Via Allahabad.) 11.35 CSTM - 20min late
3201 Patna-Kurla Exp. 11.50 CLA(T) - 3hrs. late
1094 Varanasi-Mumbai Mahanagari Exp. 15.15 CSTM - 3hrs. late
1028 Gorakhpur-Dadar Exp. 20.00 13/5 DR(T) - 27hrs. late
142 Varanasi-Kurla 15:30 CLA(T) - 5hrs. 35min late
156 Dharbanga-Kurla 19:30 13/5 CLA(T) - 16hrs late
2617 Mangala-Lakshdweep Exp. - 2hrs. late
************************
I look at these times everyday only to conclude that Mumbai-bound trains
from the Allahabad-Itarsi section have been consistently late. Why is
that? What causes a train to be late by 16 or more hours despite an
overdose of make-up times? Of course, a ripple effect due to the late
arrival of the incoming rake can cause a delay at the departure point
itself. It's hard to imagine that CR would be so sloppy! Isn't it time
that IR got its act together and tackled this problem aggressively?
On a general note, what is the main cause of late-running of IR trains?
Single-line sections? Saturated routes? Faulty signalling? I just
cannot seem to comprehend how trains can be more than 2-3 hrs. late
despite the generous make-up times!!
Vijay

From: Shankar <>

Subject: Re: Double-decker query

Date: 14 May 1999 07:55:33 -0500


Hello,
I think the answer to Jayant's question is brought out most
appropriately in one of the books I read a few years ago (was it India
by Rail?)

The book said: 'when empty, the usage of space is impressive. When full,
the cars are cramped,crowded and claustrophobic' (or words to that
effect).

I don't think loading gauge was ever a problem:the cars were built on a
well frame and were only marginally taller than conventional cars.

The two main drawbacks were 1.internal layout, which was too
cramped,hence restricting movement within the car,esp when the train was
packed: you used to have people sitting in the passages, on the steps,on
the railings etc etc. and 2. Logistics: as Apurva said, people on the
upper deck couldn't throw rubbish out of the window.
COnversely,some of the lower deck passengers were quite upset when some
of the upper deck passengers spat out of the window and the spit landed
on them. (yew!)
Also vendors: neither the upper (a bit too high) nor the lower (a bit
too low) passengers could buy anything from vendors on the platform due
to the position of the windows.

Some of the upper class passengers also complained of excessive heat in
the summer months as they were too close to the roof.

Lack of luggage storage space was another bane: passengers could come on
board with only small hand baggage and were encouraged to book all
their heavies in the parcel van.It would have served to discourage our
typical desi bhais who cannot seem to travel without everything but the
kitchen sink, but the concept didn't sink in!

And so double decker cars died their natural death.

On another note, it must be noted that even the Deccan Queen had a
double deck car for a while in between. Soon after the Sinhagad Express
was introduced,(1978?) there was a proposal to develop an airconditioned
version of the dd car. THe proposal never took off.

Best regards.

Shankar
>
> What is the reason for the low utilisation
> of this high-capacity stock ? Loading
> gauge restrictions ? Or are they not
> really operationally suitable for IR
> needs ? I remember the Pune-Mumbai
> Sinhagadh Express being a DD train
> until a couple of years ago, now it
> is run with conventional stock.
>
> Any musings would be welcome......
> --
> Jayant S
> --

From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>

Subject: Re: Double-decker query

Date: 14 May 1999 08:49:10 -0500


>The two main drawbacks were 1.internal layout, which was too
>cramped,hence restricting movement within the car,esp when the train
was
>packed: you used to have people sitting in the passages, on the
steps,on
>the railings etc etc. and 2. Logistics: as Apurva said, people on the
>upper deck couldn't throw rubbish out of the window.
>COnversely,some of the lower deck passengers were quite upset when some
>of the upper deck passengers spat out of the window and the spit landed
>on them. (yew!)

I have traveled once in a DD coach from Mumbai CST to Pune on the
Sinhagad
Exp. (summer of 95). I admit that it was a bit cramped but not
overcrowded.
I would, anyday, prefer a DD coach with normal occupancy to a regular,

overcrowded coach with folks breathing down your neck and taking up
every
ounce of floor space available - this was the case during my Indrayani
trip
from Mumbai to Lonavala. At Kalyan, all hell broke loose and our II
class,
non-AC coach was transformed to a fish-market of sorts!! Getting to the

door to take video shots was an ordeal. In fact, one of the commuters
was
visibly offended when I objected to him traveling on a reserved coach
without a reservation - he thought it was his right to do so :-( At
Lonavala, we decided to upgrade our II class tickets by Pragati to I
class,
a decision I did not regret!

In any case, weren't DD trains introduced to cater to short-distance
commuters (3 hrs. or so) and eliminate overcrowding by increasing the
seating capacity per coach? If the present Sinhagad Exp. is able to
handle
traffic with regular coaches then there seems to be no need to have DD
coaches.


>
>On another note, it must be noted that even the Deccan Queen had a
>double deck car for a while in between. Soon after the Sinhagad Express

You can spot this coach at <A HREF="http://www.xula.edu/~vbalasub/train5.html">http://www.xula.edu/~vbalasub/train5.html</A>

How about the Vanchinad Exp. and Flying Ranee? Are they still DD
trains?
Were DD trains running on any other zones? Did the Asansol Exp. have
such
coaches anytime?

Vijay


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From: Sunil Bajpai <>

Subject: Re: WP and WG locos

Date: 14 May 1999 08:55:13 -0500



-----Original Message-----
From: Harsh Vardhan <champa@del3.email
To: Sunil Bajpai <sunil@lw1.email Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
Cc: IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
Date: 12 May 1999 18:49
Subject: Re: WP and WG locos



>No, the WP 7000 is at the Rly. Station but WG 10253 is at the Loco Shed
>outside the loco foremen's office.

Thanks for clarifying the facts.

>By the way while on the subject, there are numerous stories and
versions
>about why steam finished so quickly on IR. The latest one was that
after
>emergency experience, Indira Gandhi ordered them to be packed off as it
was
>felt that the tough working conditions of steam era propagated trade
>unionism.
>
>Can we have your unofficial comment on this untimely demise of steam?
>


:-) Can't say about the truth of this statement but surely the steam era
did
not finish off on this account. The relative speed of decline in later
years
was a conscious decision because it was simply uneconomical to run steam
locos compared to diesel, which provide the cheapest traction. Consider
the
following and it is easy to see why:

o high maintenance costs,
o low availability of locos,
o speed, range and tractive effort limitations

Sunil

From: Bharat Vohra <>

Subject: Great FAQ!!

Date: 14 May 1999 12:17:44 -0500


Dear Satish,
Tremendous job done on the FAQ site...unbelievable effort from you....my

hearty congrats to you!
God, it covers almost every possible concievable aspect of IR....almost
like
a bible for IR on the net...great job done!
I have saved all the pages on my hard drive and am in the process of
going
through each....will soon let you know what modifications and
corrections I
can come up with in the information provided.....and of course as you
mentioned you can update that as and when u get the time!
Once again well done!
Best Regards,
Bharat Vohra


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From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Re: Double-decker query

Date: 14 May 1999 19:02:53 -0500



I suspect that the Flying Rani
> has similarly donated its DD rake to Valsad fast passenger.
>

No Appu, Flying Ranee is still a DD train and so is Valsad Fast
Passenger.
No question of donating or sharing. Both the trains have seperate rakes.
I feel that the rake of VFP get cleaned very rarely. It is in a dirty
filthy condition.

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

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Re: sprags is catch sidings

Date: 14 May 1999 19:14:43 -0500


> I have a web page ready on my hard disk about a visit to the ghats,
which
> will be uploaded soon to my site.

Appu,

Is it about the trip that we did along with the members of the Model
Railway Society - Pune when there was a accident and we travelled back
to
Lonavala on a flat wagon whislt the other travelled in the hopper wagons
of a maintenance train.

Viraf

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

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Re: SNAKES.

Date: 14 May 1999 19:32:14 -0500



> My hatred for snakes is indescribable.

Shanker I don't hate snakes. As an animal lover I am very fascinated
by them. Infact I have a photograph of me with a huge python around my
neck. It was just that I didn't expect to find one trying to rest it's
head on my shoulder in a crowded train. I think I was more embarassed
by the passengers laughing at me.

Viraf


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

From: P Y JOSHI <>

Subject: unsubscribe

Date: 14 May 1999 20:07:09 -0500


unsubscribe

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: OCR of Shankar's first mail

Date: 14 May 1999 20:39:26 -0500


OCR output of Shankar's first large email (SH1.tif)
Shankar, please check for typos, rest of the gang please post additions
and
corrections.

STATION AND SHED CODES ON THE I.R.
How often have you glanced at locomotives standing on line, and wondered
what all
those letters emblazoned on those engines meant? Letters like TKD, GZB,
AJJ. Or
glanced at strange names like 'Diesel Shed Golden Rock' or 'Electric
Loco Shed
Sanatnagar' and wondered where the engine came from? Or read abbreviated
timetables
with terms like CHTS-MAQ Link Exp, or CSTM-FZR Punjab Mail, and wondered
what those
destinations were?
The following then is a brief rundown on some of those strange letters
and names which
are in effect station codes and shed codes on the IR. Wherever the shed
is located at
a location other than that station, the shed location is also indicated.
ADA : Adra
ADI : Ahmedabad (Ahmedabad engines are also based at Vatwa and
Sabarmati)
AGC : Agra Cantt. (Agra engines also based at Idgah, Tundla and Agra
Fort)
AQ : Ajni (Nagpur) Nagpur engines are stabled here or at Itwari.
AJJ: Arakonam
ALD : Allahabad (some Allahabad engines are based at Naini)
AMI : Amravati
ASN: Asansol
ASR: Amritsar
BAMY: Bandra Marshalling Yard (Bombay) (Some WR engines are based here)
BAREILLY: Shed code not known. Bareilly engines are based at Izzatnagar.
Basin Bridge: Madras Central (there used to be a steam shed at Basin
Bridge)
Bondamunda: (BNDM):Bondamunda shed is attached to Rourkela.(stn.code not
known).
BPL: Bhopal
BPO: Baripada
BPQ : Ballarshah
BQA : Bankura
BSB : Varanasi (Benares) (some Varanasi engines are also based at Mughal
Sarai (MGS)
BSL: Bhusaval
BSP :Bilaspur
BZA : Vijayawada (prev. Bezwada)
BRC:Baroda(Vadodara)
CBU : Coimbatore
CHTS: Cochin Harbor Terminus
CLA: Kurla (Bombay)
CCB : Chakki Bank.This is the shed location for Pathankot.(station code
not known).
CNB : Kanpur (Cawnpore)
CPC : Kanpur Central
CPR: Chhapra
CSTM: Bombay VT (Chhatrapati Shivaj i Terminus,Mumbai)
(Bombay engines are also based at Bandra (BAMY), Kurla (CLA:shunting
engines only)
Bombay Central(MCT (Mumbai Central)) or Kalyan KYN).
Some ERU overhead equipment inspection cars are homed at Thana (Thane:
TNA).
CAPE: Kanyakumari. (Based on the old name Cape Comorin).
DBG: Darbhanga
DDN: Dehradun
DD : Daund (Dhond)
There is a shed at Dongargarh attached to Nagpur. Shed code not known.
DGP: Durgapur
DR : Dadar (Bombay) some engines are stabled based at Dadar
ED : Erode
ERS: Ernakulam
ET : Itarsi
FD : Faizabad
FZR: Ferozepore
GHY: Gauhati (Guwahati)
GONDA: (displayed always in full)
GTY : Gooty
GOLDEN ROCK: Tiruchirapalli diesel shed is located at Golden Rock.
GKP: Gorakhpur
GTL: Guntakal
GWL: Gwalior
GZB: Ghaziabad (Some NR Delhi locomotives are based here)
Hatia: Code not known.Hatia is the shed locationfor Ranchi.(RNC).
HYB: Hyderabad (Hyderabad engines are based at Begumpet, Lallaguda and
Sanatnagar).
HWH: Howrah (Calcutta) (Howrah engines are also based at Liluah, Sealdah
and Andal)
(Some are also based at Asansol (ASN)
HNZM: Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi: many Delhi trains originate here)
IND: Indore
JAM: Jamnagar
JAT: Jammu Tawi
JPJ: New Jalpaiguri
JHS : Jhansi
JTJ: Jolarpet (Jolarpettai)
JBP : Jabalpur
KGP: Kharagpur (some Kharagpur engines are based at SRC: Santragachi).
(Kharagpur shed is located at Nimpura)
KGN: Kurseong
KJM: Krishnarajapuram (Bangalore)
KUD : Khurda Road
KOP: Kolhapur
KTE: Katni (displayed full)
KYN : Kalyan (Bombay)
Lallaguda: Secunderabad.
LKO: Lucknow
LNL : Lonavla
MAS: Madras (Madras engines are based at Basin Bridge, Egmore, Perambur
& Royapuram)
MAQ : Mangalore
MFP : Muzzaffarpur
MCT : Mumbai (Bombay) Central (The shed is actually located at
Mahalaxmi)
MGS : Mughal Sarai (Usually displayed full: some Varanasi engines are
also based
here).
MIB : Motibagh

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Shankar's 2nd email

Date: 14 May 1999 20:43:33 -0500



OCR of SH 2.tif

NDLS: New Delhi (Delhi engines are also based at TKD (Tuqiakabad), GZB
(Ghaziabad) or
Shakurbasti (SSB)
NWP : Naupada
NGP : Nagpur (Nagpur engines are also based at AQ (Ajni) or Itwari)
NJP New Jalpaiguri
PA : Poona (Pune)
PNBE: Patna
R: Raipur
RNC : Ranchi
RC : Raichur
RJT: Rajkot
SBC: Bangalore City
SC : Secunderabad (engine shed at Lallaguda or Kacheguda)
SGNR: Sriganganagar
SGU: Siliguri
SRC: Santragachi( near KGP)
SSB: Shakurbasti (Delhi)
SUR: Sholapur (Solapur)
SWV: Sawantwadi (Konkan Rly.)
TDH: Tindharia
TDL: Tundla (Some Agra engines are based here).
TIRUCHIRAPALLI: Stn.code not known.Loco shed is at Golden Rock
(Ponmalai)
TKD: Tuqlakhabad (Delhi) There is a large diesel shed in Delhi at
Tuqlakhabad.
TVC: Trivandrum Central
VSKP : Vishakapatnam
NIR: Nainpur
This list is by no means comprehensive: in fact it covers not even 25 %
of the total
sheds and stations on the IR. These are the most important ones. This
list will be
updated and upgraded as and when more information becomes available.
NOW ON TO GOODS SHEDS
Goods sheds have exotic names too. Here are some attached to major
centres:
AGRA: Raja-ki-Mandi
AHMEDABAD: Sabarmati
CALCUTTA: Shalimar
BOMBAY: Goods yards at Carnac Bunder, Wadi Bunder and New Mulund.
Subsidiary yards at
Bandra, Sion, Vashi, Kalyan , Borivli, Wadala/Raoli Junction.Oil sidings
at Wadala and
Trombay.
DELHI: Shakurbasti, Subzi Mandi. Container Depots at Pragati Maidan &
Tuqlakhabad.
HYDERABAD: Sanatnagar
JAIPUR: Durgapura
MADRAS: Goods yards at Salt Cotaurs and Royapuram.
NAGPUR: Ajni
POONA (Pune):Gadital.Subsidiary yards at Hadapsar, Chinchwad. Oil siding
at Loni
Kalbhor, Container terminal at Chinchwad, defence sidings at Kirkee
(Khadki) and Dehu
Road.
PATHANKOT: Chakki Bank.
In addition, some massive goods-only marshalling centres are Daund,
Mughal Sarai,
Itarsi,
Jabalpur, Babina (near Itarsi), Lonavla, Vapi, Andal (near Durgapur),
Raoli Junction,
Wadala
(Bombay) etc.
Again, this list covers not even 25 % of the IR network, and will be
upgraded
constantly.

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Shankar's 3rd mail

Date: 14 May 1999 20:50:42 -0500


OCR of the SH3.tif

APPENDIX
TALKING 'RAILWAYese'
A BRIEF RUNDOWN OF IR's FAVORITE ABBREVIATIONS & WHAT THEY MEAN
AC: Air Conditioned.
BG: Broad Gauge (5' 6" track).
CCS: Chief Commercial Superintendent.
CCTV: Closed Circuit Television.
CFTS: Chief Freight Traffic Superintendent.
CRS: Chief Reservations Supervisor.
DMU: Diesel Multiple Unit.
Direct: Without involving a change of train.
DRM: Divisional Railway Manager.
Down (train): Going away from its originating station.
EMU: Electrical multiple Unit.
ETA: Expected Time of Arrival.
Elect F'man: Electrical Foreman.
FC: First Class
FC: Financial Commissioner (Railways).
GRP: Government Railway Police.
IRS: Indian Railway Standards.
ITB: International Tourist Bureau (New Delhi)
Jn.: Junction.
LC: Gate Level Crossing gate.
LV: Last Van.
Local: Suburban Train.
M/E: Mail/Express (train).(printed on tickets).
MG: meter (metre) gauge.(3' 3 3/8" track).
NG: Narrow Gauge. (2' 0" or 2' 6" qauge track).
NV: Non- vegetarian
OHE: Overhead Equipment (foreman)
OIGS: On Indian Government Service.
Ordy.: Ordinary stopping passenger train. (printed on tickets)
PF or P/F: Platform.
PNR : Passenger Name Record Number.(Computer access number on a
computerized
reservation ticket)
PWI :Permanent Way Inspector
RAC :Reservation Against Cancellation. (where a very limited of
passengers are allowed
to travel in reserved cars on earmarked seats. They will be allotted
berths en-route
depending upon the availability, no-shows, dropouts etc.)
RMS :Railway Mail Service.
RPF :Railway Protection Force.
RTM :Rail Transport museum.
SM :Stationmaster.
SPURT :Ultrasonic Rail Testing car.
SS :Station superintendent
TC :Ticket Checker.
TTE :Traveling Ticket Examiner.
Up(train) :Coming towards originating station
Veg: Vegetarian.
VLRR: Vegetarian Light Refreshment Room.(cafeteria)
W/L: Wait Listed.(on the waiting list).
W/T: Without Ticket

This list is by no means comprehensive, as thinking back, some hot
favorites like R.R.
(Railway Receipt); Exp. (Express); Pass.(Passenger); Mxd.(mixed); POH
(Periodic
Overhaul), IOH (Intermediate Overhaul); MTP (Metropolitan Transport
Project and
Loco.Foreman (Locomotive shed foreman /in charge) are excluded: However,
this should
give a broad idea of the maze of short forms and abbreviations that is
Railwayland

From: Mike Brooker <>

Subject: Re: Late running of trains (from CR page)

Date: 14 May 1999 20:59:57 -0500


>Hi Folks,
>
> Has anyone looked at the actual arrival/dep. times at the CR
>official page, lately? Here is the info. that I just got off the site.
>
>**********************************
>
>1094 Varanasi-Mumbai Mahanagari Exp. 15.15 CSTM - 3hrs. late

I travelled on this same 1094 Mahanagari Express on Dec. 23-24, 1995 and
it
arrived at VT at least 3 hours late. Maybe closer to 3½ hours late. It
pulled out of Varanasi at least an hour behind schedule.
So that's not a lot of progress in 3½ years, unless you consider
re-naming
of Victoria Terminus "progress". I sure as **** don't :)

********************************************************************
Mike Brooker
99 Wychcrest Ave.,
Toronto, ON M6G 3X8
CANADA
(416) 536-7406
********************************************************************