Map showing the Indian rail network and travelling times between major stations

Rail transport is a commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in India. Almost all rail operations in India are handled by a state-owned company, Indian Railways, under the federal Ministry of Railways. The rail network traverses the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of 63,140 kilometres (39,234 mi).^[1] It is said to be the 2nd largest railway network in the world, transporting over 5 billion passengers and over 350 million tonnes of freight annually.^[1] Its operations cover twenty-eight states and three union territories and also provide limited service to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Image File history File links India_railway_schematic_map. ... Image File history File links India_railway_schematic_map. ... Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ... “km” redirects here. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... E9 may mean: The EMD E9 diesel locomotive The European route E9 This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A tonne or metric ton (symbol t), sometimes referred to as a metric tonne, is a measurement of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. ... This article is about transported goods. ... India is a federal republic comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. ...

Railways were introduced to India in 1853,^[2] and by the time of India's independence in 1947 they had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalised as one unit—Indian Railways—to form one of the largest networks in the world. Locomotives manufactured at several places in India are assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Colour signal lights are used as signals, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and disc-based signalling are still in use. Accommodation classes range from general through first class AC. Trains have been classified according to speed and area of operation. Many trains are officially identified by a four-digit code, though many are commonly known by unique names. The ticketing system has been computerised to a large extent, and there are reserved as well as unreserved categories of tickets. The Indian independence movement was a series of steps taken in the Indian subcontinent for independence from British colonial rule, beginning with the Rebellion of 1857. ... Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ... Great Western Railway No. ... A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers or engineers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether he or she must stop or may proceed, or instructions on what speed the train may go. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Track

Broad gauge is the most predominant gauge used by the Indian railway.

The total length of track used by Indian Railways is about 108,805 kilometres (67,608 mi) while the total route length of the network is 63,465 km.^[3] About 28% of the route-kilometre and 40% of the total track kilometre is electrified.^[3] Track sections are rated for speeds ranging from 75 to 160 km/h (47 to 99 mph). Indian railways uses three gauges, the Broad gauge (wider than the standard gauge—4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)); the metre gauge; and the narrow gauge (narrower than the standard gauge). Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ... Kilometres per hour (American spelling: kilometers per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Narrow-gauge railways are railroads (railways) with track spaced at less than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8½ in (1. ... Comparison of standard gauge (blue) and one common narrow gauge (red) width. ...

Broad gauge—1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)—is the most widely used gauge in India with 89,771 km (55,781 mi) of track. In some regions with less traffic, the metre gauge—1,000 mm (3 ft 3.7 in)—is common, although the Unigauge project is in progress to convert all tracks to broad gauge. Narrow gauge is present on a few routes, lying in hilly terrains and in some erstwhile private railways (on cost considerations), which are usually difficult to convert to broad gauge. Narrow gauge covers a total of 3,651 km (2,269 mi). The Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway are two notable hill lines that use narrow gauge.^[4] A typical Nilgiri train on the rack section The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) connects the town of Mettupalayam with the hill station of Ooty (correctly Udhagamandalam), in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India. ... The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the Toy Train, is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal, run by the Indian Railways. ...

In most places sleepers (ties) used are made of prestressed concrete, or steel or cast iron posts, though teak sleepers are still in use on few older lines. The prestressed concrete sleeper which is in wide use today is based on RDSO Drawing No. RDSO=T-2496. Metal sleepers were also extensively used before the advent of concrete sleepers. Indian Railways divides the country into four zones on the basis of the range of track temperature. The greatest temperature variations occur in Rajasthan, where the difference may exceed 70 °C (158 °F). Ferroconcrete sleepers A variant fastening of rails to wooden sleepers A railroad tie, cross tie, or sleeper is a rectangular object used as a base for railroad tracks. ... Traditional reinforced concrete is based on the use of steel reinforcement bars, rebar, inside poured concrete. ... Species Tectona grandis Tectona hamiltoniana Tectona philippinensis Teak (Tectona), is a genus of tropical hardwood trees in the family Verbenaceae, native to the south and southeast of Asia, and is commonly found as a component of monsoon forest vegetation. ... For other uses, see Temperature (disambiguation). ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ...

Locomotives

A DMU Train

Main article: Indian locomotives

Indian Railways use a specialised classification code for identifying its locomotives. The code is usually three or four letters, followed by a digit identifying the model (either assigned chronologically or encoding the power rating of the locomotive).^[5] This could be followed by other codes for minor variations in the base model. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Indian locomotive fleet consists electric and diesel engines. ...

The three (or four) letters are, from left to right, the gauge of tracks on which the locomotive operates, the type of power source or fuel for the locomotive, and the kind of operation the locomotive can be used for.^[5] The gauge is coded as 'W' for broad gauge, 'Y' for metre gauge, 'Z' for the 762 mm narrow gauge and 'N' for the 610 mm narrow gauge. The power source code is 'D' for diesel, 'A' for AC traction, 'C' for DC traction and 'CA' for dual traction (AC/DC). The operation letter is 'G' for freight-only operation, 'P' for passenger trains-only operation, 'M' for mixed operation (both passenger and freight) and 'S' for shunting operation. A number alongside it indicates the power rating of the engine.^[5] For example '4' would indicate a power rating of above 4,000 hp (2,980 kW) but below 5,000 hp (3,730 kW). A letter following the number is used to give an exact rating. For instance 'A' would be an additional 100 horsepower; 'B' 200 hp and so on. For example, a WDM-3D is a broad-gauge, diesel-powered, mixed mode (suitable for both freight and passenger duties) and has a power rating of 3400 hp (2.5 MW). This article is about a unit of measurement. ... The kilowatt (symbol: kW) is a unit for measuring power, equal to one thousand watts. ... This article is about a unit of measurement. ... The megawatt (symbol: MW) is a unit for measuring power corresponding to one million (106) watts. ...

The most common diesel engine used is the WDM-2, which entered production in 1962. This 2,600 hp (1.9 MW) locomotive was designed by Alco and manufactured by the Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, and is used as a standard workhorse.^[6] It is being replaced by more modern engines, ranging in power up to 4,000 hp (3 MW). The WDM-2 is IRs diesel workhorse and can be found over the entire railway network. ... Alco and ALCO redirect here. ... The Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi, India, are a major manufacturer of locomotives in India. ... , VārāasÄ« ( , Hindi: , IPA: ), also known as Benares, Banaras, or Benaras ( , Hindi: , , IPA: ), or Kashi or Kasi ( , Hindi: , ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ...

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a World Heritage Site, and one of the few steam engines in operation in India.

There is a wide variety of electric locomotives used, ranging between 2,800 to 6,350 hp (2.1 to 4.7 MW).^[6] They also accommodate the different track voltages in use. Most electrified sections in the country use 25,000 volt AC, but railway lines around Mumbai use the older 1,500 V DC system.^[7] Thus, Mumbai and surrounding areas are the only places where one can find AC/DC dual locomotives of the WCAM and WCAG series. All other electric locomotives are pure AC ones from the WAP, WAG and WAM series. Some specialised electric multiple units on the Western Railway also use dual-power systems. There are also some very rare battery-powered locomotives, primarily used for shunting and yard work. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1214 KB) Description: Toy Train, Darjeeling, India Source: I have taken this photo myself in mid 2004 with my own Sony DSC-707. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1214 KB) Description: Toy Train, Darjeeling, India Source: I have taken this photo myself in mid 2004 with my own Sony DSC-707. ... The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the Toy Train, is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal, run by the Indian Railways. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Josephson junction array chip developed by NIST as a standard volt. ... City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... , “Bombay” redirects here. ... Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... Trains of the Singapore MRT. EMUs are often used for rapid transit lines. ... The Western Railway is one of the 16 zones of Indian Railways, and is among the busiest railroad networks in India. ...

The only steam engines still in service in India operate on two heritage lines (Darjeeling and Ooty) and on the tourist train Palace on Wheels.^[8] Plans are afoot to re-convert the Neral-Matheran to steam. For other uses, see Darjeeling (disambiguation). ... Ooty, short for Ootacamund (an anglicized name for Udhagamandalam), is a popular hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. ... The Palace on Wheels is one of four luxury trains on Indian Railways. ... Neral is a small town, 90 km from Mumbai (Bombay) in the Maharashtra state of India. ... Monsoon 2006, Matheran Matheran   with a population of 5,000, is a hill station in Maharashtra, India. ...

Traction

As of March 2007, 17,810 kilometres (11,067 mi) of the total 63,465 km (39,435 mi) route length is electrified.^[9] Most places use 25,000 V AC through overhead catenary delivery.^[10] A major exception is the entire Mumbai section, which uses 1,500 V DC.^[10] This is currently undergoing change to the 25,000 V system, and is scheduled for completion by 2008. Another exception is the Kolkata Metro, which uses 750 V DC delivered through a third rail. For the railroad term see Overhead lines For its use in ring theory, see Catenary ring. ... , “Calcutta” redirects here. ... A rapid transit, underground, subway, tube, elevated, or metro(politan) system is a railway — usually in an urban area — with a high capacity and frequency of service, and grade separation from other traffic. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in Washington, D.C., electrified to 750 volts. ...

Traction voltages are changed at two places close to Mumbai. Central Railway trains passing through Igatpuri switch from AC to DC using a neutral section that may be switched to either voltage while the locomotives are decoupled and swapped. Western Railway trains switch power on the fly, in a section between Virar (DC) and Vaitarna (AC), where the train continues with its own momentum for about 30 m through an unelectrified section of catenary called a dead zone.^[10] All electric engines and EMUs operating in this section are the necessary AC/DC dual system type (classified "WCAM" by Indian Railways). , “Bombay” redirects here. ... Central Railway headquarters at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus The Central Railway is one of the 16 zones of Indian Railways, and is one of the largest. ... 59. ... The Western Railway is one of the 16 zones of Indian Railways, and is among the busiest railroad networks in India. ... Virar is the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway (India) railway line. ... Vaitarana is a place north of the city of Bombay, India. ... For the railroad term see Overhead lines For its use in ring theory, see Catenary ring. ...

Signalling systems

See also: Railway signal and Railway signalling

The Indian Railways makes use of colour signal lights, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and discs-based signalling (depending on the position or colour) are still in use.^[11] Except for some high-traffic sections around large cities and junctions, the network does not use automatic block systems. Safety therefore depends completely on the skill and vigilance of the personnel operating the individual signals and the drivers. A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers or engineers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether he or she must stop or may proceed, or instructions on what speed the train may go. ... It has been suggested that safeworking be merged into this article or section. ... A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers or engineers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether he or she must stop or may proceed, or instructions on what speed the train may go. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Railway signalling is a safety system used on railways to prevent trains from colliding. ...

Coloured signalling makes use of multi-coloured lighting and in many places is automatically controlled. There are three modes:^[11]

• Two aspect signalling which makes use of a red (bottom) and green (top) lamp
• Three aspect signalling which makes use of an additional amber lamp in the centre
• Four (multiple) aspect signalling makes use of four lamps, the fourth is amber and is placed above the other three.

Multiple aspect signals, by providing several intermediate speed stages between 'clear' and 'on', allow high-speed trains sufficient time to brake safely if required. This becomes very important as train speeds rise. Without multiple-aspect signals, the stop signals have to be placed very far apart to allow sufficient braking distance and this reduces track utilisation. At the same time, slower trains can also be run closer together on track with multiple aspect signals.

Semaphores make use of a mechanical arm to indicate the line condition. Several subtypes are used:^[11]

• Two aspect lower quadrant
• Three aspect modified lower quadrant
• Multiple aspect upper quadrant
• Disc-based: These signals are located close to levers used to operate points. They are all two-aspect signals.

Production units

Locomotives and coaches are produced in the following locations in India.^[5]

• CLW: The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in Chittaranjan makes electric locomotives.
• DLW: The Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi makes diesel locomotives.
• ICF: The Integral Coach Factory in Perambur makes integral coaches. These have a monocoque construction, and the floor is an integral unit with the undercarriage.
• RCF: The Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala also makes coaches for the Indian Railways.
• RWF: The Rail Wheel Factory at Yelahanka manufactures wheels and axles.
• Others: Some electric locomotives have been supplied by BHEL, Jhansi, and locomotive components are manufactured in several other plants around the country.

Chittranjan Locomotive Works is an electric locomotive manufacturer based in India, one of the largest manufacturers in the world. ... , Chittaranjan (In Hindi: चित्तरंजन) is a census town in Asansol subdivision of Bardhaman District in the state of West Bengal, India. ... The Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi, India, are a major manufacturer of locomotives in India. ... , Vārāasī ( , Hindi: , IPA: ), also known as Benares, Banaras, or Benaras ( , Hindi: , , IPA: ), or Kashi or Kasi ( , Hindi: , ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... Started in 1952 the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) is located Avadi a suburb near Chennai, India. ... // Perambur, is a suburb in North Chennai, which is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu in India and also the fourth largest city in India. ... Monocoque (French for single shell) is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. ... Established in 1986, the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) was the second coach manufacturing unit of Indian Railways. ... Kapurthala (Punjabi: ) is a city in Punjab state of India. ... Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) at Yelahanka, Bangalore is a premier manufacturing unit of Indian Railways,which is engaged in the production of wheels, axles and wheel sets of railroad wagons, coaches and locomotives for the use of the Indian Railways and select overseas customers. ... , Yelahanka is a township in Bangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka originally envisaged as a satellite town of Bangalore city, but now part of the Brihat Bangalore Mahanagar Palika. ... BHEL is an acronym for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, a Gas and Steam turbine manufacturer in India. ...

Research and development

The Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) at Lucknow is the research and development wing of the Indian Railways.^[12][13] It functions as a consultant to the Indian Railways on technical matters. It also provides consultancy to other organisations connected with railway manufacture and design. RDSO has been reorganized with effect from January 1, 2003 by elevating its status from ‘Attached Office’ to ‘Zonal Railway’ to give it greater flexibility and a boost to the research and development activities.^[1] , Lucknow ( , Hindi: लखनऊ, Urdu: لکھنؤ, ) is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Accommodation classes

A standard passenger rake contains many coaches of different classes. The following table lists the classes in operation. Not all classes may be attached to a rake though.

Typical activity while getting off, esp in General compartments

At the rear of the train is a special compartment known as the guard's cabin. It is fitted with a transceiver and is where the guard usually gives the all clear signal before the train departs. A standard passenger rake generally has four general compartments, two at the front and two behind, of which one is exclusively for ladies. The exact number varies according to the demand and the route. A luggage compartment can also exist at the front or the back. In some trains a separate mail compartment is present. In long-distance trains a pantry car is usually included in the centre. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixels, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixels, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... For other uses, see Caboose (disambiguation). ... A transceiver is a device that has both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined in to one. ... Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad lightweight dining car Silver Grill passes through Denver, Colorado on October 24, 1936. ...

Nomenclature

Bholu is the mascot of the Indian Railways, adopted in 2003.

Trains are sorted into various categories which dictate the number of stops along their route, the priority they enjoy on the network, and the fare structure. Each express train is identified by a four-digit number^[16]—the first digit indicates the zone that operates the train, the second the division within the zone that controls the train and is responsible for its regular maintenance and cleanliness, and the last two digits are the train's serial number. Bholu is the mascot for the Indian Railways, adopted in 2003, the 150th year of the IR. Taken from here: [1] This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Bholu is the mascot for the Indian Railways, adopted in 2003, the 150th year of the IR. Taken from here: [1] This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ...

For super-fast trains, the first digit is always '2',^[16] the second digit is the zone, the third is the division and only the last digit is the serial number within the division. Trains travelling in opposite directions along the same route are usually labelled with consecutive numbers.^[16] However, there is considerable variation in train numbers and some zones, such as Central Railway, has a less systematic method for numbering trains.^[16] Most express trains also have a unique name attached to them which are usually exotic and are taken from landmarks, famous people, rivers and so on.^[17][18] Some notable examples are: Central Railway headquarters at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus The Central Railway is one of the 16 zones of Indian Railways, and is one of the largest. ...

1. Charminar Express between Hyderabad and Chennai, named after the Charminar monument in Hyderabad.
2. Ashram Express between Ahmedabad and New Delhi, after Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram
3. Gitanjali Express between Mumbai CST and Howrah (Kolkata), after Rabindranath Tagore's famous work.
4. Parasuram Express between Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram, after Parasurama.
5. Prayag Raj Express between Allahabad and New Delhi, after Prayag, a sacred pilgrimage spot and the ancient name of Allahabad.
6. Lal Bagh Express between Bangalore and Chennai, after the famous Lal Bagh botanical gardens in Bangalore.
7. Godavari Express between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam after the Godavari River in South India.
8. Nilgiri(Blue Mountain) Express between Chennai and Coimbatore after the Nilgiri hills.

See also: Trains of SCR

Hyderabad or Haydarābād (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు Urdu: حیدر آباد ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ... , “Madras” redirects here. ... Charminar (Devanagari: चार मीनार, Nastaliq: چار مینار) (translation: Four Towers), or a mosque of the four minarets, is a monument located in the City of Hyderabad, the capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. ... , Ahmedabad (Gujarati: , Hindi: अहमदाबाद ) is the largest city in the state of Gujarat and the seventh-largest urban agglomeration in India, with a population of almost 51 lakhs (5. ... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... “Gandhi” redirects here. ... Sabarmathi Ashram, located in Gujarat, was the residence of Mahatma Gandhi, from where he started the Dandi March. ... CST Railway Station Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (better referred to by its acronym CST) - is a historic railway station on Mumbai suburban railway. ... Howrah (also spelled Haora) is an industrial city in West Bengal, India. ... (Bengali: , IPA: ) (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941), also known by the sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali poet, Brahmo Samaj philosopher, visual artist, playwright, novelist, and composer whose works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... , Mangalore (Kannada: ಮಂಗಳೂರು, Mangalooru; Tulu: ಕುಡ್ಲ, Kudla; Konkani: ಕೊಡಿಯಾಲ್, Kodial; Beary: ಮೈಕಾಲ, Maikala)   is the chief port city of the state of Karnataka, India. ... , Thiruvananthapuram   (Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം TiruvanÅ­ntapuraṁ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. ... In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... Map of India. ... For other uses, see Bangalore (disambiguation). ... , “Madras” redirects here. ... Lal Bagh Botanical Garden Lal Bagh Botanical Garden is a well known botanical garden in Bangalore, India. ... Hyderabad or Haydarābād (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు Urdu: حیدر آباد ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ... , Visakhapatnam  (telugu - విశాఖపట్నం) (also Viśākhapattanamu, shortened and anglicized: Vizag or Vizagapatnam) is a port city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ... Godavari river map The Godavari River, adjacent to the town of Kovvur This article is about Godavari River in India. ... , Coimbatore   (Tamil: ), also known as Kovai (Tamil: ), is a major industrial city in India. ... The South Central Railway operates various trains between different stations providing a well-developed and interconnected railway route and is considered a crucial zone connecting trains originating from East, West and North of India destined to Southern India. ...

Hierarchy of trains

Trains are classified by their average speed.^[19] A faster train has fewer stops ("halts") than a slower one and usually caters to long-distance travel.

Comfortable interiors of a First Class AC bedroom Rajdhani Express is a passenger train service in India introduced in 1969 providing high-speed connections (up to 140 km/h / 87 mph, speed varies depending upon the particular track section) from various railway stations in the capital city of New Delhi... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... Shatabdi express train at Ahmedabad railway station boarding passengers bound for Mumbai. ... For other uses, see Mail (disambiguation). ... Look up Express in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination. ...

Ticketing

A ticket reservation office in Guntur Division.

India has some of the lowest train fares in the world, and passenger traffic is heavily subsidised by freight.^[20] Until the late 1980s, Indian Railway ticket reservations were done manually. In late 1987, the Railways started using a computerised ticketing system. The entire ticketing system went online in 1995 to provide up to date information on status and availability. Today the ticketing network is computerised to a large extent, with the exception of some remote places. In large cities tickets can be booked for any two points in the country, which may not be available in smaller stations. Tickets can also be booked through the internet and via mobile phones, though this method carries an additional surcharge. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixels, file size: 1. ... Train trasit is a common mode of transportation in Guntur City and its region. ...

Discounted tickets are available for senior citizens (above sixty years) and some other categories of passengers including the disabled, students and high ranking government officials. One compartment of the lowest class of accommodation is earmarked for ladies in every passenger carrying train. Some berths or seats in sleeper class and second class are also earmarked for ladies.^[21] Season tickets permitting unlimited travel on specific sections or specific trains for a specific time period may also be available. Foreign tourists can buy an Indrail Pass,^[22] which is modelled on the lines of the Eurail Pass, permitting unlimited travel in India for a specific time period. Old age consists of ages nearing the average lifespan of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. ... An Indrail Pass is a special railway pass available to foreign nationals created along the lines of the Eurail Pass for unlimited travel without reservation of a ticket on the Indian Railways network. ... A Eurailpass is a pass which allows railway travel and some shipping travel in 17 European countries: Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal Republic of Ireland Spain Sweden Switzerland It can only be purchased by non-European residents: the prohibition also covers residents...

An Indian Railway Ticket from Chennai to Vijayawada by Howrah Mail.

For long-distance travel, reservation of a berth can be done for comfortable travel up to two months prior to the date of intended travel.^[21] Details such as the name, age and concession (if eligible) are required and are recorded on the ticket. The ticket price usually includes the base fare which depends on the classification of the train (example: super-fast surcharge if the train is classified as a super-fast), the class in which one wishes to travel and the reservation charge for overnight journeys. A sample Indian Railway ticket asdfasdfdsafsdf File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A sample Indian Railway ticket asdfasdfdsafsdf File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... , “Madras” redirects here. ... , Vijayawada ( ) (విజయవాడ) literally translates to The Place of Victory. It is also known as Bezawada. ... Howrah (also spelled Haora) is an industrial city in West Bengal, India. ...

If a seat is not available, then the ticket is given a wait listed number; else the ticket is confirmed, and a berth number is printed on the ticket. A person receiving a wait listed ticket will have to wait until there are enough cancellations to enable him to move up the list and obtain a confirmed ticket.^[21][22] If his ticket is not confirmed on the day of departure, he may not board the train. Some of the tickets are assigned to the RAC or Reservation against Cancellation which is between the waiting list and the confirmed list.^[22][21] These allow the ticket holder to board the train and obtain an allotted seat decided by a ticket collector, after the ticket collector has ascertained that there is a vacant (absentee) seat. (UTC)Reservation against Cancellation is a special provision to split a berth into two or more seats. ...

Reserved Railway Tickets can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited,^[23] and also through mobile Phones and SMS. Tickets booked through this site are categorised in to iTickets and eTickets. iTickets are those, which are booked by a passenger and then printed and delivered to the passenger for carrying during journey. eTickets are those, which the passenger can print himself at his end and carry while travelling. For booking an eTicket, one needs one of the authorised valid Photo Identity Card. Cancellation of eTickets are also done online, without the requirement for the passenger to go to any counter. Non-reserved tickets are available for purchase on the platform at any time before departure. A non-reserved ticket holder may only board the general compartment class. All suburban networks issue non-reserved tickets valid for a limited time period. For frequent commuters, a season pass (monthly or quarterly) guarantees unlimited travel between two stops. “SMS” redirects here. ...

International links

India has rail links with Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.^[24] It also plans to install a rail system in southern Bhutan. Before the Partition of India there were eight rail links between what are now India and Pakistan. However, currently there are only two actively maintained rail links between the two countries. The first one is at Wagah in Punjab. The Samjhauta Express plies on this route from Amritsar in India to Lahore in Pakistan.^[24] The second one, opened in February 2006 runs between Munabao (in Rajasthan in India) and Khokhrapar (in Sindh in Pakistan). Other disused links are:^[24][25] This article is under construction. ... Image of Indo-Pakistani border ceremony in Wagah from Michael Palins BBC TV series Himalaya. The Khaki-uniformed guards are Indian, while the green/black/grey-uniformed ones are Pakistani. ... This article is about the geographical region. ... The Samjhauta Express (lit. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... , Rājasthān (DevanāgarÄ«: राजस्थान, IPA: )   is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ... Khokhrapar (Urdu: کھوکھراپار ) is a border town located in Sindh, Pakistan. ... Sindh (SindhÄ«: سنڌ, UrdÅ«: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ...

• Ferozepur–Fazilka–Bahawalnagar–Samasata (through Anupgarh (India) / Amruka & Fort Abbas (Pakistan) near the border). (Punjab)
• Ferozepur–Kasur–Raiwind–Lahore (Punjab)
• Amritsar–Attari–Lahore (Punjab)
• Amritsar–Dera Baba Nanak–Narowal–Sialkot (Punjab)
• Jammu–Sialkot

After the creation of East Pakistan (later Bangladesh), many trains that used to run between Assam and Bengal had to be rerouted through the Chicken's Neck. However as of 2005 there are no passenger links between India and Bangladesh. A metre gauge link exists between Mahisasan (Mohishashon) and Shahbazpur. Another link is between Radhikapur and Birol. These last two links are used occasionally for freight.^[24][25] Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ ) is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Pakistan at the feet of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. ... East Pakistan was a former province of Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. ... The Chickens Neck an isthmus of Indian territory is shown in red. ...

• Sealdah–Bongaon–Petrapol–Benapol–Jessore
• Sealdah–Banpur–Gede–Abdulpur–Parbatipur–Haldibari–Siliguri
• Katihar–Radhikapur–Biral–Parbatipur–Tista–Eetaldaha–Golakganj–Fakiragram
• Geetaldaha–Alipur duar
• Mogalhat–Changrabandha–Domohani
• Badarpur–Kalaura (Sylhet)

There are two links between India and Nepal: Raxaul Jn., Bihar–Sirsiya, Parsa and Jaynagar, Bihar–Khajuri, Dhanusa.^[25] The former is broad gauge, while the latter is narrow gauge. A move to link the Indian and Sri Lankan railways never materialised. A ferry service however connects the closest railheads between Indian and Sri Lanka. Sealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata (Calcutta) in India, the others being Howrah Station and Kolkata Station. ... Bangaon is one of the five sub-divisions of the District Of North 24 Parganas in the state of West Bengal, India. ... Jessore is a district in south western region of Bangladesh. ... Gede is a village on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, lying south of Malindi and north of Watamu. ... Haldibari is a city and a municipality in Koch Bihar district in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... , Siliguri   (Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি) is a rapidly developing metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. ... , Katihar is a city and a municipality in Katihar district in the Indian state of Bihar. ...

Private railways

Though the Indian Railways enjoys a near monopoly in India, a few private railways do exist, left over from the days of the Raj, usually small sections on private estates, etc. There are also some railway lines owned and operated by companies for their own purposes, by plantations, sugar mills, collieries, mines, dams, harbours and ports, etc. The Bombay Port Trust runs a BG railway of its own, as does the Madras Port Trust.^[26] The Calcutta Port Commission Railway is a BG railway. The Vishakhapatnam Port Trust has BG and NG (2 ft 6 in) railways. Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ...

The Bhilai Steel Plant has a BG railway network.^[26] The Tatas (a private concern) operate funicular railways at Bhira and at Bhivpuri Road (as well as the Kamshet–Shirawta Dam railway line which is not a public line). These are not common carriers, so the general public cannot travel using these. The Pipavav Rail Corporation holds a 33-year concession for building and operating a railway line from Pipavav to Surendranagar.^[26] The Kutch Railway Company, a joint venture of the Gujarat state government and private parties, is involved (along with the Kandla Port Trust and the Gujarat Adani Port) to build a Gandhidham–Palanpur railway line.^[26] These railway lines are principally used to carry freight and not for passenger traffic. Bhilai steel plant is built with the former USSR collaboration. ... The Tata Group is Indias largest conglomerate, with revenues in 2005-06 of Rs. ...

Although generally IR has decided the freight tariffs on these lines, recently (February 2005) there have been proposals to allow the operating companies freedom to set freight tariffs and generally run the lines without reference to IR.

See also

• Fastest trains in India
• High-speed rail
• Indian Railways
• Indian locomotives
• List of Indian rail accidents
• Rail transport
• Railway signal
• Railway signalling
• Trains

This is a list of Indias fastest long-distance trains by commercial speed (i. ... French-designed Eurostar and Thalys TGVs side-by-side in the Paris-Gare du Nord. ... Indian Railways (Hindi भारतीय रेल), abbreviated as IR, is a Department of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Railways, and is tasked with operating the rail network in India. ... Indian locomotive fleet consists electric and diesel engines. ... // June 6, 1981 – Bihar train disaster, India: Hundreds are killed (300-800) when a train falls into a river. ... railroads redirects here. ... A signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers or engineers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether he or she must stop or may proceed, or instructions on what speed the train may go. ... It has been suggested that safeworking be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ...

Notes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• IR History: Early Day. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-19.
• Zones. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Locomotives. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Production Units & Workshops. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Signalling Systems. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Geography : International. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Rolling stock. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Signal Aspects and Indications – Principal Running Signals. Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved on 2005-06-26.
• Salient Features of Indian Railways. Indian Railways. Retrieved on 2005-06-19.
• Indian Railways Online Passenger Reservation Site. Indian Railways. Retrieved on 2005-06-10.

screenshot of the site. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Indian Railways Online Official site
• Trains At A Glance
• Book tickets Online
• Indian Railways Information
• Information and pictures on the Mumbai Metro
• The Indian Railways Fan Club

This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... This articles main focus is on the rail transport in China (including the Qing Dynasty (before 1912) and the Republic of China (1912 to 1949) eras, and in modern times under the Peoples Republic of China (1949 onwards)). See also rail transport in Hong Kong (1842 onwards) and... Hong Kongs rail network comprises of public transport trains operated by two companies, namely the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRC) and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). ... Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services, and air routes that criss-cross the country. ... Rail transport in Saudi Arabia is managed by Saudi Railway Organization. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This is a list of countries spanning more than one continent. ...