IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 6561 - 6580
From: Anand Krishnan <>
Subject: Re: Longest Diesel Haul on the IR
Date: 07 Jun 1999 09:14:41 -0500
Hi all,
>In the recent accident, from the picture, the train looked Diesel
hauled to
>me,
>there seemed to be no OHE visible in the pictures.
That section was indeed energised as it was on the main
Sec'bad-KZJ
line. Maybe the OHE were damaged due to the accident. The line is for
sure
energised, no doubt about that. As Mr.Saif has said, this train is
usually
hauled by a WAP1/4 from LGD till VSKP. Now all trains on that route are
hauled by A/C locos till VSKP. Fairly important train in the SCR, very
evident as the accident reporta say that 1 First A/cand 2 2nd A/C were
badly
damaged.
Kind regards,
ANand
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From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: FYI
Date: 07 Jun 1999 12:11:03 -0500
>From: Pushkar Apte <pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
>To: vijay_642@hotmail.email
>Subject: FYI
>Date: Mon, 07 Jun 1999 09:45:28 PDT
>
>New inter-city train to Madgaon from
> today
>
> By Our Staff Reporters
>
> MUMBAI: A new inter-city express train between
Chhatrapati
> Shivaji Terminus (CST), Sawantwadi and Madgaon will be
> operated from Monday. The 103 Down train started by the
> Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) will leave CST every
day
> at 5.20 a.m. and reach Madgaon at 4.20 p.m.
>
> The new train will be operated daily and will halt at
Dadar,
> Thane, Panvel, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kudal,
Sawantwadi,
> Tivim and Karmali. The 104 Up train will leave Madgaon
at
> 12.30 p.m. and reach CST at 11.15 p.m. The train will
have
> seven general chair car bogies, two air-conditioned
bogies,
>two
> brake vans and one pantry car.
>
I am confused! Is this new train a temporary measure until the Goa
polls or
is it permanent? Also, the number seems to be the same as the current
CSTM-Madgaon tri-weekly special. How is that possible?
Vijay
_______________________________________________________________
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From: Auroprem Kandaswami <>
Subject: Salem-Karur BG line likely in three years
Date: 07 Jun 1999 13:23:11 -0500
Courtesy, The Hindu, 8 June 1999
SALEM, JUNE 7. The Salem-Karur broad gauge project
for
which works have begun is expected to be completed
within three years.
This project would be a boon especially to the
people of
Namakkal district as it is one of the districts in the
country served very little by the railways. It is
expected
to spur the industrialisation of this region.
In addition, this could connect two major textile
centres,
Salem and Karur, and also help a major poultry and
automobile centre, Namakkal. As most of the eggs
produced
in Namakkal region are sold in southern districts
and a substantial portion in Kerala, it could help
the
poultry enterprise of Namakkal region immensely.
At present, passengers from Salem bound for Tiruchy
or
Madurai side would have to go via Erode to reach
Karur traversing 130 km. The new line linking Salem
and
Karur directly would have a distance of 96 km, thus
reducing the total travelling distance by 44 km and
also
travelling time at least by one hour.
According to official sources,for the project
estimated to
cost Rs. 217 crores, the allotment for the current
year is Rs. 23 crores.
While 12 villages in Salem district had been
divided into
14 blocs for acquisition purpose, 35 villages in
Namakkal district had been divided into 36 blocs
and eight
villages in Karur district into eight blocs.
In Namakkal district, where the total length of the
line
would be 53.2 km (between No 3 Komarapalayam and
Mohanur), land acquisition had been taken up in two
phases.
The first phase between Komarapalayam and
Veesanam for a distance of 35.2 km involving more
than 300
acres had already been completed. The second
phase between Namakkal and Mohanur for a distance
of 18 km
involving 77.55 acres was nearing completion.
Land acquisition work in all the three districts
had been
almost completed. Though landowners were reluctant
initially, they gave their concurrence after
realising the
importance of the project, said Mr. Dayanand Kataria,
Collector, Namakkal.
This project would have 22 overbridges, 111 small
bridges
and 15 tunnels. At present, bridge work across the
Thirumanimuthar at Pallapatty, Salem, had begun.
Meanwhile,
laying of rails had also commenced at No 3
Komarapalayam, the border of Namakkal district,
near
Mallur. This would be followed by similar works at
Thengalpalayam, Pudhuchattiram, Kalangani and
Kattnachampatty. It was planned to have a tunnel in the
Keeranaur Annamalaipatty region.
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: FYI
Date: 07 Jun 1999 22:52:58 -0500
We are all confused here. The train number, rake formation, timing,
everything
is same. But I have seen two separate announcement of two trains. My
guess is
that the Intercity is permanent. They did announce the triweekly holiday
special
first with a large ad, but I guess the election commission pulled them
up for
unfair poll practices, so they quietly converted the train into the long
overdue
intercity and made it into a daily train.
Apurva
Vijay Balasubramanian wrote:
> >From: Pushkar Apte <pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
> >To: vijay_642@hotmail.email
> >Subject: FYI
> >Date: Mon, 07 Jun 1999 09:45:28 PDT
> >
> >New inter-city train to Madgaon from
> > today
> >
> > By Our Staff Reporters
> >
> > MUMBAI: A new inter-city express train between
Chhatrapati
> > Shivaji Terminus (CST), Sawantwadi and Madgaon will be
> > operated from Monday. The 103 Down train started by
the
> > Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) will leave CST every
day
> > at 5.20 a.m. and reach Madgaon at 4.20 p.m.
> >
> > The new train will be operated daily and will halt at
Dadar,
> > Thane, Panvel, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kudal,
Sawantwadi,
> > Tivim and Karmali. The 104 Up train will leave Madgaon
at
> > 12.30 p.m. and reach CST at 11.15 p.m. The train will
have
> > seven general chair car bogies, two air-conditioned
bogies,
> >two
> > brake vans and one pantry car.
> >
>
> I am confused! Is this new train a temporary measure until the Goa
polls or
> is it permanent? Also, the number seems to be the same as the current
> CSTM-Madgaon tri-weekly special. How is that possible?
>
> Vijay
>
> _______________________________________________________________
> Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit <A HREF="http://www.msn.com">http://www.msn.com</A>
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: FYI
Date: 08 Jun 1999 03:26:43 -0500
Hello,
Reminds me of another similar instance sometime in 1980 I think.
Although a direct train was introduced between Bombay VT and Bangalore
via Guntakal, (after that section was regauged),it was initially named
as a holiday special. Soon to be made a permanent train on that route,
we were all assured. The train continued to run as Bombay-Bangalore
Holiday special for several months.
The 'Holiday Special' continued even long after the holiday season was
over and after all the other specials had stopped running.
It was nearly eight or so months afterwards when the 13dn/14up
Bombay-Madras Janata Express was withdrawn that this holiday special was
timed to run to the old Madras Janata timings.
The holiday special was subsequently renamed 'Udyan Express'.
Best regards.
Shankar
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
>
> We are all confused here. The train number, rake formation, timing,
everything
> is same. But I have seen two separate announcement of two trains. My
guess is
> that the Intercity is permanent. They did announce the triweekly
holiday special
> first with a large ad, but I guess the election commission pulled them
up for
> unfair poll practices, so they quietly converted the train into the
long overdue
> intercity and made it into a daily train.
>
> Apurva
>
> Vijay Balasubramanian wrote:
>
> > >From: Pushkar Apte <pushkar_apte@hotmail.email
> > >To: vijay_642@hotmail.email
> > >Subject: FYI
> > >Date: Mon, 07 Jun 1999 09:45:28 PDT
> > >
> > >New inter-city train to Madgaon from
> > > today
> > >
> > > By Our Staff Reporters
> > >
> > > MUMBAI: A new inter-city express train between
Chhatrapati
> > > Shivaji Terminus (CST), Sawantwadi and Madgaon will
be
> > > operated from Monday. The 103 Down train started by
the
> > > Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) will leave CST
every day
> > > at 5.20 a.m. and reach Madgaon at 4.20 p.m.
> > >
> > > The new train will be operated daily and will halt
at Dadar,
> > > Thane, Panvel, Roha, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kudal,
Sawantwadi,
> > > Tivim and Karmali. The 104 Up train will leave
Madgaon at
> > > 12.30 p.m. and reach CST at 11.15 p.m. The train
will have
> > > seven general chair car bogies, two air-conditioned
bogies,
> > >two
> > > brake vans and one pantry car.
> > >
> >
> > I am confused! Is this new train a temporary measure until the Goa
polls or
> > is it permanent? Also, the number seems to be the same as the
current
> > CSTM-Madgaon tri-weekly special. How is that possible?
> >
> > Vijay
> >
> > _______________________________________________________________
> > Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit <A HREF="http://www.msn.com">http://www.msn.com</A>
From: Royston Ellis <>
Subject: information
Date: 08 Jun 1999 18:07:26 -0500
From: Royston Ellis <>
Subject: information
Date: 08 Jun 1999 19:06:43 -0500
I never realised when I signed up as a member three days ago that I
would
get so much fascinating information from irfca members about Indian
Railways. In my ignorance I e-mailed member Anand directly to ask what
the
letters WD etc represented and he has enlightened me and suggested I
introduce myself to members and send e-mails to the list not
individuals.
Thanks Anand.
My interest in railways is as a rail travel writer. I wrote <India By
Rail>
published in UK & USA as well as in German and French editions; the last
edition came out in 1997 so it needs updating. I also wrote <Sri Lanka
By
Rail>.
I'm looking forward to reading the e-mails members send each other: they
are certainly broadening my own outlook!
Royston Ellis
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>
Subject: Re: information
Date: 08 Jun 1999 19:13:59 -0500
Mr. Royston Ellis
I have read your book.
WELCOME ABOARD.
Viraf.
==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
==========================
From: Steven Brown <>
Subject: Re: information
Date: 08 Jun 1999 20:54:51 -0500
Welcome to the group!
Many members of this group have webpages
A list of these pages can be found at
<A HREF="http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail/irfca.htm">http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail/irfca.htm</A>
There is a link from my timetable and map page to a site selling your
book,
but there's not really a detailed review there. Is there an existing
site
that promotes your book adequately? If not maybe one of our group could
do a
good review of your book.
Regards
Steve Brown
The First Indian Railways Homepage : <A HREF="http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail">http://www.trainweb.com/indiarail</A>
-----Original Message-----
From: Royston Ellis <royston@panlanka.email
To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Tuesday, June 08, 1999 6:05 PM
Subject: information
>I never realised when I signed up as a member three days ago that I
would
>get so much fascinating information from irfca members about Indian
>Railways. In my ignorance I e-mailed member Anand directly to ask what
the
>letters WD etc represented and he has enlightened me and suggested I
>introduce myself to members and send e-mails to the list not
individuals.
>Thanks Anand.
>
>My interest in railways is as a rail travel writer. I wrote <India By
Rail>
>published in UK & USA as well as in German and French editions; the
last
>edition came out in 1997 so it needs updating. I also wrote <Sri Lanka
By
>Rail>.
>
>I'm looking forward to reading the e-mails members send each other:
they
>are certainly broadening my own outlook!
>
>Royston Ellis
>
From: John Lacey <>
Subject: Clarifications sought
Date: 09 Jun 1999 01:16:06 -0500
Please excuse my ignorance but I was puzzled by a line in the press
story about the introduction of the CSTM-MAO trains:
TATKAL SCHEME available for seat reservation - @ Rs. 50/- extra : 1 II
class Chair Car (108 seats/full coach) and II AC Chair Car
(35 seats)
I gather from the Indian Railways site that this scheme applies to a
number of Superfast trains and that reservations are available from
08.30 on the day previous to travel.
How widespread is this scheme? For how long has it been operating? Is
it successful?
The IR site also mentioned a limited revival of first class. What does
this mean in practice?
Thanks,
John
From: Anand Krishnan <>
Subject: Re: information
Date: 09 Jun 1999 01:26:42 -0500
Welcome Royston to the list,
Nice to have a rail travel writer to the
amongst
us. My eyes are set on hearing your experiences on the indian railways.
Well, it would be great if you could fit in some snapshots of your book
"India by Rail" thru mails. All of us here will be very very eager to
hear
about it. Even otherwise you could tell us about your travel by Indian
railways.
Kind regards,
Anand
>From: Royston Ellis <royston@panlanka.email
>To: irfca@cs.email
>Subject: information
>Date: Wed, 09 Jun 1999 07:06:43 +0500
>
>I never realised when I signed up as a member three days ago that I
would
>get so much fascinating information from irfca members about Indian
>Railways. In my ignorance I e-mailed member Anand directly to ask what
the
>letters WD etc represented and he has enlightened me and suggested I
>introduce myself to members and send e-mails to the list not
individuals.
>Thanks Anand.
>
>My interest in railways is as a rail travel writer. I wrote <India By
Rail>
>published in UK & USA as well as in German and French editions; the
last
>edition came out in 1997 so it needs updating. I also wrote <Sri Lanka
By
>Rail>.
>
>I'm looking forward to reading the e-mails members send each other:
they
>are certainly broadening my own outlook!
>
>Royston Ellis
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>
From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>
Subject: Clarifications here!
Date: 09 Jun 1999 02:42:46 -0500
Hi!
On Wed, 9 Jun 1999, John Lacey wrote:
> Please excuse my ignorance but I was puzzled by a line in the press
> story about the introduction of the CSTM-MAO trains:
> TATKAL SCHEME available for seat reservation - @ Rs. 50/- extra : 1 II
> class Chair Car (108 seats/full coach) and II AC Chair Car
> (35 seats)
This Tatkal is a Hindi term. It means immediate.The tickets under this
scheme
are not sold in advance like others are for 60 days. But they are issued
only
a day prior to the departure of the concerned train.This is basically
useful,
for someone who requires to take up journey for some emergency reason
and is
ready to pay Rs. 50 extra.This scheme is also supposed to help curb the
malpractices a little ,of agents who buy tickets in advance & sell at
premium
prices to the needy ones.
> How widespread is this scheme? For how long has it been operating?
Is
> it successful?
This sure is useful to the ones who have to take up journey at short
notice. It is in operation probably ,since last 1 to 2 years. Not much
than that.
> The IR site also mentioned a limited revival of first class. What
does
> this mean in practice?
Sometime ago the Railways were scrapping 1st class & replacing those
coaches with 2nd AC sleeper or even 3 -tier AC sleeper coaches on few
trains.This sure helped more passengers to take up the journey,as
capacity was increased by 3 to 4 folds.
Earlier in this group, there was discussion in this regard. And many
were
of the opinion, that AC travel was cramped, compact than the open,
spacious
1st class. May be wiser councils have prevailed & railways thinking
revival of 1st class.
Bye,
Shrinivas
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: Longest Non-stop Run by a passenger train???
Date: 09 Jun 1999 06:49:16 -0500
That is correct. This is the longest distance between consecutive
passenger halts for any IR train. However, it
is not a non-stop run since Raltam and Kota are technical halts. Could
someone confirm this with a recent WR working TT? The 2nd longest
distance between consecutive halts is Nagpur - Vijayawada, a distance of
668 km. Again this is not non-stop since the Chennai Rajdhani has a
technical halt at Balharshah for crew change.
Vijay
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Karthik Giddu [SMTP:gidduk@bom5.email
>Sent: Saturday, June 05, 1999 12:15 PM
>To: irfca@cs.email
>Subject: Longest Non-stop Run by a passenger train???
>
>Hi Folks,
>The longest non-stop train in IR is 2431 Trivandrum-Nizamuddin Rajdhani
>Express????. It runs non-stop from Vadodara to Nizamuddin(and
vice-versa) a
>distance of 986 kms. for 12 hrs. as per WR timetable of Aug 98. I do
think
>there will be a maintainence stop at Ratlam for loco change.
>Does any other train in IR run non-stop for such along distance.???
>
>Karthik
>
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: information
Date: 09 Jun 1999 12:36:27 -0500
Hello,
T H E Royston Ellis? This is too good to be true!
Welcome, welcome, welcome aboard. To lift (and modify) the opening
sentence of your book, its India(n Railways) for real on the irfca.
I have a rather dated edition of your book, (late 1980s, I think). I
bought it in 1992 in Bombay, and must have read it at least eight or
nine times in whole, and innumerable number of times in part. I see now
that the latest edition came out in 1997. I'll try and grab hold of it
very soon.
Apart from fascinating facts about the IR, we also exchange views,
experiences and news about the IR. SOme of our members have scanners,
and they upload images from their travels ever so often.
This is actually the slack season for the irfca, and several of our
members, including the irfca administrator are on vacation. So stay
tuned, I'm sure you'll not be disappointed.
Incidentally, any mail you send to irfca@cs.email is automatically
transmitted to the whole group.
Bye for now, and do stick around.
Best regards.
Shankar
Royston Ellis wrote:
>
> I never realised when I signed up as a member three days ago that I
would
> get so much fascinating information from irfca members about Indian
> Railways. In my ignorance I e-mailed member Anand directly to ask what
the
> letters WD etc represented and he has enlightened me and suggested I
> introduce myself to members and send e-mails to the list not
individuals.
> Thanks Anand.
>
> My interest in railways is as a rail travel writer. I wrote <India By
Rail>
> published in UK & USA as well as in German and French editions; the
last
> edition came out in 1997 so it needs updating. I also wrote <Sri Lanka
By
> Rail>.
>
> I'm looking forward to reading the e-mails members send each other:
they
> are certainly broadening my own outlook!
>
> Royston Ellis
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Update on Calcutta Metro
Date: 10 Jun 1999 01:41:18 -0500
Gang !
This is a OCR of an article (from Business Sunday of 18th May
1999) kindly sent to me by Subir Das of Calcutta. There is a
unclear map showing the new line which has not been scanned.
The idea of using a stream bed is quite unique. Pune and many
other cities could benefit from this sort of alignment for
light railway.
Thanks Subir !
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Nagpur division website
Date: 10 Jun 1999 03:58:37 -0500
Gang !
Check out the SER Nagpur division website:
<A HREF="http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/">http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/</A>
The picture of the Satpura Railways ZE or ZB with a NG freight
at Gondia flyover must be quite dated, there is no OHE !
Or is this some other location ?
Apurva
From: John Lacey <>
Subject: Re: Nagpur division website
Date: 10 Jun 1999 05:33:59 -0500
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
>
> Gang !
>
> Check out the SER Nagpur division website:
> <A HREF="http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/">http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/</A>
> The picture of the Satpura Railways ZE or ZB with a NG freight
> at Gondia flyover must be quite dated, there is no OHE !
> Or is this some other location ?
>
> Apurva
Looks like Gondia to me! and as well the photo appears in " The Blue
Chip Railway" where it is captioned " A train passing over a bridge near
Gondia." The loco is ZE 38.
John
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Nagpur division website
Date: 10 Jun 1999 05:46:33 -0500
This picture must be over 15 - 20 years old, the line from Mumbai to
Calcutta is through electrified for many many years. Maybe you can look
up
the date of electrification of the NGP - BSP section from the Blue Chip
book.
Apurva
John Lacey wrote:
> Apurva Bahadur wrote:
> >
> > Gang !
> >
> > Check out the SER Nagpur division website:
> > <A HREF="http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/">http://my.123india.com/sernagpur/</A>
> > The picture of the Satpura Railways ZE or ZB with a NG freight
> > at Gondia flyover must be quite dated, there is no OHE !
> > Or is this some other location ?
> >
> > Apurva
>
> Looks like Gondia to me! and as well the photo appears in " The Blue
> Chip Railway" where it is captioned " A train passing over a bridge
near
> Gondia." The loco is ZE 38.
>
> John
From: John Lacey <>
Subject: Re: Nagpur division website
Date: 10 Jun 1999 06:51:22 -0500
"The Blue Chip Railway" was published for the BNR/SER centenary of 1987
and the following appears on p113:
"Following sections have been identified for electrification and are
likely to be energised by 1990:-
...Durg-Nagpur..."
John
From: HICJHH <>
Subject: Himalayan Darjeeling Railroad
Date: 10 Jun 1999 17:42:25 -0500
Does anyone have any information about a possible web site for the above
referenced line?? Thanks. John Hudson Portland, Oregon, USA.