IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 2901 - 2920
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Barsi Light Railway
Date: 18 Jun 1998 22:41:38 -0500
Hi Iain,
I can talk to the Solapur division drivers who work BG trains between
Pune
and Raichur about the latest position. The SUR division also operates
the NG
Barsi Light Railway. A friend of mine who has just returned from Latur
mentions that the BG track between Latur and Latur Road (on the Manmad -
Hyderabad route) is complete and waiting for inauguration. About the NG
scenario I will let you know in a few weeks time.
Apurva Bahadur
Iain A Fraser wrote:
> Hi folks....
>
> Can someone bring me up to date with the regauging program for the
Barsi
> Line. I am doing very detailed research into the line with a view to
> publication and am always intrested in whats happening out there.
> I am hoping to visit soon and am hoping to have up to the minute info
> before I come out.
> Any help appreciated
>
> Iain
> Aerolite Booktraders
> Rail Book Specialist
> <A HREF="http://www.aerolite.u-net.com">http://www.aerolite.u-net.com</A>
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Indian Railway Signalling
Date: 18 Jun 1998 22:48:01 -0500
Hi John,
Its great to see you on the mailing list.
Please apply to Anurag Acharya <irfca-request@cs.email to subscribe
and
send mail to Indian Railways Info Zone <irfca@cs.email to broadcast
to
the gang. I will keep it mind to focus on Indian signaling whenever I
photograph next.
Apurva Bahadur
John Hinson wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I understand from a friend of mine in India that you have a mailing
list
> about Indian railway signalling? I wondered if I might be permitted to
> subscribe.
>
> I run the UK's only signalling web site, which although primarily
about
> British signalling, does have a small section devoted to signalling in
> India. I would very much like to obtain some scanned photographs of
the
> old Indian signalling for the site.
>
> Thank you.
> --
> John Hinson
>
> ________||_
> / \ at
> /_____________\
> |___________| The Signal Box
> | | | | |
> |__|__|__|__| <A HREF="http://trainweb.com/signalbox/">http://trainweb.com/signalbox/</A>
> /| |
> //| ===== |
> // | |
> |/ |_ _ _ _ |
> --- o ---
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: LOCO SPECIAL
Date: 19 Jun 1998 06:31:38 -0500
Hello Poras,
This is with reference to your earlier post about rod driven electrics.
I'm
sorry I did not respond
earlier: I was rather too very preoccupied re-establishing home ever
since
my family re- joined me here in Dubai.
The engine you refer to was of class EF/1, later classed WCG/1 after
standardization.
The EF/1 or WCG/1 was from a lot of 41 electrics to be first put on line
in
the country. Most were built by the Swiss Loco Works in Winterthur,
Switzerland. Electrical equipment was supplied by Metropolitan Vickers,
London. With 650 hp under the hood and with a C-C wheel arrangement,
power was transmitted by means of the connecting rods.
Apart from the connecting rods, other unusual features of these engines
were
articulated bodies and
very long wheelbase. The articulation meant that the engines were
particularly suitable for operation
on the heavily curved ghat sections.
The EF/1s are derived from the famed Swiss 'crocodile' class of engines,
so
named due to an alleged
resemblance to that animal while rounding bends, thanks to the low
profile
and long wheel base.
Built in 1928 and put on line in 1929, the engines were one of the two
first
classes of electrics to run
in the country. They were withdrawn from active service in 1974, but it
is
indeed a tribute to Anglo-
Swiss technology that some examples soldiered on as station pilots and
shunters till as recently as
1992.
The crocodiles were very fondly regarded by their crews and most
examples
bore the original GIPR
number in addition to the new IR WCG/1 number.
One crocodile is preserved at the National Rail Museum, Delhi in her
original black livery. She is
christened 'Sir Leslie Wilson'.
********************************
While on the subject, I might also mention that the earliest electrics
bore
a steam locomotive type
of wheel arrangement. The sister engines of the crocodiles were classed
EA/1, later WCP/1.
They bear the 1-A-A-A-2 wheel arrangement, similar to steam's 4-6-2.
They
too were built at
the Swiss Loco Works, Winterthur with electricals by Metropolitan
Vickers,
but were not articulated.
They had a box shape, like a bus.
The EA/1s sort of heralded the advent of high speed rail travel in
India. It
was an EA/1 which hauled
the Deccan Queen on its inaugural run in 1930. It covered the 192 km in
2
hrs 45 mins with the then
7 car DQ. Today's Queen takes 3 hrs 25 mins.
The EA/is were also withdrawn in 1974 or so, and spent their last years
hauling local trains between
Poona and Lonavla: a far cry indeed from the 2 hrs 45 min run with the
DQ.
TWO of the EA/1s are preserved: one at the Nehru Science Centre, Bombay,
and
another, named
'Sir Roger Lumley' at the National Rail Museum, Delhi.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 03:05 PM 6/9/98 +0530, you wrote:
>Hi Gang,
>A few years back when I was in college and then when I started my work
at
>Godrej, I used to see a shunting loco On which it was written SIR
LESLIE
>WILSON IN MUMBAI AT V.T. I always wondered what type of engine was
this ?
>Its wheels were similar to the steam and the piston used to move back
and
>forth. Almost all trains from Byculla yard to V.T. and vice versa were
>hauled by these locos. I used to see the Deccan Queen because that was
my
>time of return, from office. I am sure the Pune gang or the Mumbai
gang
>must have seen this locos. These were Electric locos much similar to
WCM 1
>but had long hoods.
>Please give me some info regarding these locos and can I see them at
the
>Rail Museum in Delhi ? Probably Shankar or Viraf can give me a brief
>history of these locos.
>
>Whilst we were discussing the various Superfasts on the Indian railways
we
>mentioned PrayagRaj and Paschim and various other trains but we
completely
>forgot Poorva Expressses via Gaya and Via Patna between Delhi and
Howrah.
>I think these are really the prestigious trains on the Indian Railways
>superfast trains list. When I saw it in Calcutta it was the Gaya train
>with the WAP 5 in the front. It also has a beautiful Livelry more like
>the erstwhile Deccan Queen and has a few AC coaches including !st AC.
>If Poorva express is such a beautiful colourful train then why isn't
our
>WR Paschim given a good look. ( 2925 Dn) I believe there used to be a
>Rajdhani type AC express earlier and then on some days it used to be
>Paschim Express. Probably my senior colleagues will definetely give me
>some info on all this .
>
>Bye,
>
>
>PORAS P.SAKLATWALLA
>TEL :5773535/3636
>EXT :4226/4232/4237
>
>
>
From: S. Kumar <>
Subject: calcutta circular rail
Date: 19 Jun 1998 07:21:14 -0500
Can someone give me details of the circular railway. How are the
suburban lines
doing, particularly the ones originating from Sealdah South? I thought
that the
suburban lines were rather underutilized in the late 70's.
Does the metro run all the way from Dum Dum to Tollygunge now?
Thanks
Kumar
From: S. Kumar <>
Subject: NDLS-MAS AC Express
Date: 19 Jun 1998 09:23:17 -0500
Talking of AC Expresses, the "Southern" Express used to run on the
non-AC days
between New Delhi and Madras Central. However a controversy broke out
when
the railways wanted to rename the train with the Hindi word "Dakshin".
The DMK
govt. in Tamil Nadu strongly objected to the proposed name change.
Finally it is
believed that Indira Gandhi herself intervened to work out the following
compromise.
The Southern express exchanged names and schedules with the New
Delhi-Madras
Grand Trunk Express.
The new Southern express was renamed Dakshin express, but was diverted
to
Hyderabad (and hence did not come close to TN!).
A new Kazipet-Madras "Link" express was started to connect with the
Dakshin at
Kazipet, and effectively retain the link from NDLS to Madras. (I
believe now the
Link links Visakhapatnam, not Madras, with Kazipet).
Kumar
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 09:30:19 -0500
sank@telco.email wrote:
>
> > (Assam, e.g., used to
> > have its MG stock the other way round from the rest of India, so
every
> > train had to reverse at Siliguri after the Assam rail link was
built.)
> I think Assam had reversed stock BECAUSE of the peculiar layout
> of Siliguri Junction. Earlier, the MG line from the south used
> to terminate at Siliguri Town, and the DHR NG line started from there.
Minor correction - the line from the South was a BG line of East Bengal
Railway from Calcutta (Sealdah) via Sarah Bridge, Haldibari, Jalpaiguri
that terminated at Siliguri. There used to be a train called Darjeeling
Mail that ran over this route before the partition in 1947. The Meter
Gauge line to Siliguri came as a result of the Assam Rail Link project
which was put in place to reconnect Siliguri and Assam to the Indian
Railway system after the old link via Sarah Bridge was severed as a
result of the creation of East Pakistan.
Immediately after the Assam Rail Link was built service between Calcutta
and Siliguri was restored through two trains and a ferry crossing. North
Bengal Express ran overnight from Sealdah to Maharajpur Ghat (near
Tinpahar on the Sahibganj Loop). There was a ferry crossing from
Maharajpur Ghat to Manihari Ghat. Then there was a MG train called North
Bank Express which ran from Manihari Ghat to Siliguri via Katihar,
Barsoi and Kishanganj on the (then new) Assam Rail Link. I have memories
from my childhood days of travelling by North Bengal and North Bank
Expresses to Siliguri and then to Darjeeling by DHR. My Mother has vivid
memories of taking the Darjeeling Mail via Sarah Bridge to Siliguri and
then taking DHR to Darjeeling in her younger days. If you look at a
combined rail map of Bangladesh and India you will see clearly that the
old rail link between Calcutta and Siliguri is pretty much intact and in
service in its various parts, except that trains do not cross the border
between India and Bangladesh. The border crossings are between Gede and
Darshana near Calcutta in the South, and near Haldibari in the North.
Of course as you all know Darjeeling Mail (albeit on a different route
with a different Northern terminus) was finally restored after the
construction of Farakka Barrage and the BG line between Malda and Barsoi
(and of course the BG line from Barsoi to New Jalpaiguri.
> A little further, the Kalimpong line brached off to the right and
> still further, the Kishanganj NG line went left. I think SGU Jn lies
> at what used to be this point; the Kishanganj line became the MG
> line to Katihar, and a straight MG line was built through Sevoke
> to Gauhati. Just outside Siliguri, this line is crossed by the
> DHR proceeding to Darjeeling.
Indeed, the Siliguri Kishanganj NG alignment was pretty much used as is
by the Assam Rail Link. The new MG line from Barsoi to Kishanganj took
off from Barsoi in the direction of Radhikapur and made a 180 degree
about turn just East of Barsoi station to avoid getting into East
Pakistan/Bangladesh and then headed North to meet the old NG alignment
at Kishanganj. When the new BG line was built on this route it followed
the same alignment (more or less) between Barsoi and Kishanganj, but
used a different, more southerly alignment North of Kishanganj.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
From: Iain A Fraser <>
Subject: Re: Barsi Light Railway
Date: 19 Jun 1998 09:33:22 -0500
Hi again...
Thanks for the response..all info gratefully received. Im looking
forward to visiting the area.....
Cheers
Iain
From: Anurag Acharya <>
Subject: Re: processed&cleaned archives
Date: 19 Jun 1998 10:03:36 -0500
How do you want me to send them? Set up for ftp; set up for http;
mail?
anurag
From: T.H.Sanyal. <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 10:33:00 -0500
Jishnu Mukherji wrote:
>> of Siliguri Junction. Earlier, the MG line from the south used
>> to terminate at Siliguri Town, and the DHR NG line started from
there.
>Minor correction - the line from the South was a BG line of East Bengal
>Railway from Calcutta (Sealdah) via Sarah Bridge, Haldibari, Jalpaiguri
>that terminated at Siliguri. There used to be a train called Darjeeling
Right, but didn't this line get converted to MG (Haldibari - Siliguri)
with the Assam Link being MG? Then this section got reconverted to BG
when BG reached New Jalpaiguri (from Khejuria Ghat). Incidentally,
I have heard that the New Jalpaiguri station was supposed to be named
New Siliguri (which really makes sense as the station is close to
the town of Siliguri and rather far from the Jalpaiguri town), but
some politico objected to that as the station is within the Jalpaiguri
district, so it had to be named after Jalpaiguri. I can't
vouch for the truth of this account, but it sounds plausible.
>Immediately after the Assam Rail Link was built service between
Calcutta
>and Siliguri was restored through two trains and a ferry crossing.
North
>Bengal Express ran overnight from Sealdah to Maharajpur Ghat (near
>Tinpahar on the Sahibganj Loop). There was a ferry crossing from
I remember Sakrigali Ghat - Manihari Ghat crossing, do you think it
predates or postdates the crossing you mention?
>Maharajpur Ghat to Manihari Ghat. Then there was a MG train called
North
>Bank Express which ran from Manihari Ghat to Siliguri via Katihar,
>Barsoi and Kishanganj on the (then new) Assam Rail Link. I have
memories
>from my childhood days of travelling by North Bengal and North Bank
>Expresses to Siliguri and then to Darjeeling by DHR. My Mother has
vivid
>memories of taking the Darjeeling Mail via Sarah Bridge to Siliguri and
>then taking DHR to Darjeeling in her younger days. If you look at a
I have heard that the old Darjeeling Mail was regarded as a crack train
and covered Calcutta - Siliguri run in 9 hours! None of the current
trains come close to matching that feat.
>combined rail map of Bangladesh and India you will see clearly that the
>old rail link between Calcutta and Siliguri is pretty much intact and
in
>service in its various parts, except that trains do not cross the
border
>between India and Bangladesh. The border crossings are between Gede and
>Darshana near Calcutta in the South, and near Haldibari in the North.
Although direct Calcutta Siliguri run through East Pakistan stopped
some time after partition (does anyone know when?), service between
Calcutta and some points within East Pakistan (Goalanda, Khulna, and
probably Sirajganj too) continued till the 1965 war between India and
Pakistan. The Eastern Railway time table in 1967 included timings
of trains called East Bengal Mail/East Bengal Express with a rider
"If and when re-introduced". I have seen the green colored coaches
of one such train stored in Halisahar store of ER, deteriorating
over time.
ths.
From: T.H.Sanyal. <>
Subject: Re: LOCO SPECIAL
Date: 19 Jun 1998 11:07:00 -0500
Shankar wrote:
>The EA/1s sort of heralded the advent of high speed rail travel in
India. It
>was an EA/1 which hauled
>the Deccan Queen on its inaugural run in 1930. It covered the 192 km in
2
>hrs 45 mins with the then
>7 car DQ. Today's Queen takes 3 hrs 25 mins.
So in sixty or so years, the Deccan Queen has "progressed" from
2:45 run to 3:25 run! I believe the saddest story is of the Toofan
Express. This train has been slowed down by 10 hours or so between
Calcutta (Howrah) and Delhi over the years. Does anyone know what
was the best timings for this train? In 1955 this train took about
26 hours, second only to the Kalka Mail, but I believe it used to
be faster than that. Today, the name "Toofan" is a bad joke.
ths.
From: Shanku Niyogi <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 11:16:03 -0500
T.H. Sanyal wrote:
Although direct Calcutta Siliguri run through East Pakistan
stopped
some time after partition (does anyone know when?), service
between
Calcutta and some points within East Pakistan (Goalanda, Khulna,
and
probably Sirajganj too) continued till the 1965 war between
India
and
Pakistan. The Eastern Railway time table in 1967 included
timings
of trains called East Bengal Mail/East Bengal Express with a
rider
"If and when re-introduced". I have seen the green colored
coaches
of one such train stored in Halisahar store of ER, deteriorating
over time.
I seem to vaguely recall similar timetable items for trains on the
Sealdah-Bongaon line. Although I may be wrong, because my
timetable-memorizing days were in my childhood. :)
Shanku
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 11:56:28 -0500
T.H.Sanyal. wrote:
>
> Jishnu Mukherji wrote:
>
> >> of Siliguri Junction. Earlier, the MG line from the south used
> >> to terminate at Siliguri Town, and the DHR NG line started from
there.
>
> >Minor correction - the line from the South was a BG line of East
Bengal
> >Railway from Calcutta (Sealdah) via Sarah Bridge, Haldibari,
Jalpaiguri
> >that terminated at Siliguri. There used to be a train called
Darjeeling
>
> Right, but didn't this line get converted to MG (Haldibari - Siliguri)
> with the Assam Link being MG? Then this section got reconverted to BG
> when BG reached New Jalpaiguri (from Khejuria Ghat).
That is correct.
> Incidentally,
> I have heard that the New Jalpaiguri station was supposed to be named
> New Siliguri (which really makes sense as the station is close to
> the town of Siliguri and rather far from the Jalpaiguri town), but
> some politico objected to that as the station is within the Jalpaiguri
> district, so it had to be named after Jalpaiguri. I can't
> vouch for the truth of this account, but it sounds plausible.
Seems quite plausible. If ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury was in power back
then he would probably have called it New North Malda;-):-).
> >Immediately after the Assam Rail Link was built service between
Calcutta
> >and Siliguri was restored through two trains and a ferry crossing.
North
> >Bengal Express ran overnight from Sealdah to Maharajpur Ghat (near
> >Tinpahar on the Sahibganj Loop). There was a ferry crossing from
>
> I remember Sakrigali Ghat - Manihari Ghat crossing, do you think it
> predates or postdates the crossing you mention?
Ah yes, now we are getting into minutea:-). As it turns out the main
flow of the Ganga around that area was very variable and there were
times when Maharajpur Ghat did not have any water within miles of it
while Shakrigali Ghat did and vice versa. So naturally, the point of
embarkation for the ferry had to be moved around to accommodate for
mother nature's whims. There was a similar problem, although not as
sever at Manihari Ghat, and at bad times passengers had to treck across
the sandy banks for quite a distance to get to the train station from
the ferry.
> >Maharajpur Ghat to Manihari Ghat. Then there was a MG train called
North
> >Bank Express which ran from Manihari Ghat to Siliguri via Katihar,
> >Barsoi and Kishanganj on the (then new) Assam Rail Link. I have
memories
> >from my childhood days of travelling by North Bengal and North Bank
> >Expresses to Siliguri and then to Darjeeling by DHR. My Mother has
vivid
> >memories of taking the Darjeeling Mail via Sarah Bridge to Siliguri
and
> >then taking DHR to Darjeeling in her younger days. If you look at a
>
> I have heard that the old Darjeeling Mail was regarded as a crack
train
> and covered Calcutta - Siliguri run in 9 hours! None of the current
> trains come close to matching that feat.
It was indeed. The distance was considerably shorter via Sara Bridge
too.
> >combined rail map of Bangladesh and India you will see clearly that
the
> >old rail link between Calcutta and Siliguri is pretty much intact and
in
> >service in its various parts, except that trains do not cross the
border
> >between India and Bangladesh. The border crossings are between Gede
and
> >Darshana near Calcutta in the South, and near Haldibari in the North.
>
> Although direct Calcutta Siliguri run through East Pakistan stopped
> some time after partition (does anyone know when?), service between
> Calcutta and some points within East Pakistan (Goalanda, Khulna, and
> probably Sirajganj too) continued till the 1965 war between India and
> Pakistan. The Eastern Railway time table in 1967 included timings
> of trains called East Bengal Mail/East Bengal Express with a rider
> "If and when re-introduced". I have seen the green colored coaches
> of one such train stored in Halisahar store of ER, deteriorating
> over time.
As far as I recall East Bengal Mail used to run via Gede/Darshana to
Gualondo as it did before partition. East Bengal Express used to run via
Benapol/Petrapol to Khulna. Both originated/terminated at Sealdah Main.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 12:27:59 -0500
> > Although direct Calcutta Siliguri run through East Pakistan stopped
> > some time after partition (does anyone know when?), service between
> > Calcutta and some points within East Pakistan (Goalanda, Khulna, and
> > probably Sirajganj too) continued till the 1965 war between India
and
> > Pakistan. The Eastern Railway time table in 1967 included timings
> > of trains called East Bengal Mail/East Bengal Express with a rider
> > "If and when re-introduced". I have seen the green colored coaches
> > of one such train stored in Halisahar store of ER, deteriorating
> > over time.
>
> As far as I recall East Bengal Mail used to run via Gede/Darshana to
> Gualondo as it did before partition. East Bengal Express used to run
via
> Benapol/Petrapol to Khulna. Both originated/terminated at Sealdah
Main.
Ooops, wrong recollection. There were actually three trains. They were:
East Bengal Mail via Gede/Darshana to Gualondo
East Bengal Express to ???
Barisal Express to ???
One of these ran to Khulna via Benapol/Petrapol (i.e. via Bongaon), alas
I don't remember which - but probably it was Barisal Express. I need to
get my old timetable collection out of storage to check for sure.
Sorry about the earlier misinformation.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
From: T.H.Sanyal. <>
Subject: East Bengal Mail etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 12:44:00 -0500
Jishnu Mukerji wrote:
>Ooops, wrong recollection. There were actually three trains. They were:
> East Bengal Mail via Gede/Darshana to Gualondo
> East Bengal Express to ???
via Gede/Darshana and Sara bridge to Sirajganj, I believe
> Barisal Express to ???
via Jessore to Khulna, I believe
Like IR's Assam link necessitated by partition, a link was necessary
for the East Pakistan Railway (to replace Ranaghat-Bangaon link
between the two lines from Calcutta into East Bengal). The crack train
on this route is/was an Express from Khulna to Parbatipur (also
crossing the Sara Bridge).
ths.
From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E. Heath <>
Subject: Re: Couplings and that
Date: 19 Jun 1998 12:57:45 -0500
Hi Apurva,
Good about the pictures. My photos show the Matheran couplers to be
a
kind of centre-buffer-plus-link arrangement, though apparently not -- as
someone else suggested -- actually a rudder coupling like Darjeeling.
Barsi
Light of course has Jones type choppers.
"Shaku" Couplers: I'm open to correction, but I think thse are
actually Scharfenberg couplers, which are increasingly adopted worldwide
for electric rail multiple-unit work. You'll also see them in Germany on
railcars and trams. They're a centre-buffer type designed to form a
rigid
bar between the vehicles whn couple, and, as you say, to "make" the
electrical and air connections in one movement. You can identify them by
the fact that the face is rectangular in the horizontal plane, with
semicircular ends, and a large round pin projects, to mate with a hole
on
the opposite coupler. There was an earlier type of "all-in-one" coupler
called a Tomlinson, and much used on trams and interurban cars in North
America. It is rectangular and has a projecting rectangular pin rather
like
a blunt hook; the air/electrical connections are at the sides. If any
readers are in Toronto, they can inspect them on the PCCs ther; Boston
has
similar ones. LOndon Transport used a much heavier version based on the
same principle, (typically) redsignated the "Wedglock". It's still in
use.
Transition couplers were/are used practically wherever railways
were/are changing to MCBs. Most Australian lines used a chain on top,
but
the British used a "drophead" type (SR, LNER, BR) which folded down to
reveal an ordinary coupling hook; used on passenger stock with Pullman
vestibules. I'm not a railwayman so I know very little about the use and
abuse of couplers: perhaps some of you out there can tell us some
stories.
At a later date I'll describe link-and-pin, but as they were
little
used outside the Americas, they're not of great importance to this
discussion.
Cheers
KJ
----------
> Hi Jayant & KJ,
>
> I will try and put up pictures of the couplers used on the NG locos -
the
ZDM
> 4A of Barsi Light Railway and the NDM 1 of the Matheran Railway. There
is
also
> a 'Snaku' (or is it 'Shaku'?) coupler used in between the coaches of
EMUs
and
> DMUs. I remember reading somewhere that this pipe like coupler of the
EMU
> couples the coaches as well as the brake hoses automatically.
> Also discuss the 'larger' CBC and the smaller 'transition' coupler
found
in
> the
> four wheeler CRT and CRC wagons. Please mention the correct procedure
of
> coupling - the coupling is held open by pushing the jaw of the CBC
manually
> and
> then the two rakes are pushed against each other causing them to
lock.
Then a
> pin is inserted to keep the coupler from opening while manually
coupling
the
> air hoses. The cranked handle which comes out on the side of the rake
is
used
> only during uncoupling. Is this the correct procedure ? What happens
if
two
> wagons are brought against each other with the CBC closed, does it
open
> automatically on being forced against each other ?
> I have seen loose shunting at Daund and it is a very nerve wracking
and
> dangerous procedure. I have seen a standing air braked LPG tank wagon
(with
> "not to be loose shunted' written on it), jump in the air a few inches
when it
> collided with the rest of the rake which was moving slowly. Then there
is
the
> man who gets in between the still moving rake to couple the hoses etc.
He
does
> that while walking backwards.
>
>
> Apurva Bahadur
>
> Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E. Heath wrote:
>
> > Hi Sank,
> > Yes, quite a few lines, at least in German-speaking countries or
those
> > using German technology, had the type of centre buffer with side
screw
> > chains that you mention. Certainly the Harz metre-gauge lines have
it,
and
> > so does the Achenseebahn rack line in Austria. Note that the chain
sections
> > are attached to bars pivoting in those slots in the coupler body,
thus
> > accomodating curvature because the whole assembly can "track"
changes in
> > angle between the coupled vehicles.
> > New Zealand followed UK NG practice in originally using
"Norwegian"
or
> > chopper couplers but I think they have now moved to MCB. You can
recognise
> > choppers by the circular or square face with a slot coming down
half-way
> > from the top.
> > There is another type of coupler in use on many Indian NG lines,
namely
> > the ABC Patent Coupling. This was greatly favoured by the GIP and
the
lines
> > it controlled, such as Arvi-Pulgaon,
Achalpulpur-Murtijapur-Yavatmal,
> > Daund-Baramati, etc. It is quite complex, involving a revolving disk
which
> > latches onto a horizontal loop projectijng from the mating coupler.
It
can
> > be recognised by the oval front plate with a very wide opening in
the
upper
> > part of it. Its advantage is that, unlike the chopper, it is
double-ended,
> > so the orientation of the vehicles is unimportant. (Assam, e.g.,
used to
> > have its MG stock the other way round from the rest of India, so
every
> > train had to reverse at Siliguri after the Assam rail link was
built.)
> > Apropos "UP" and "DOWN," the English convention was that trains
going
> > TO London were UP, from London DOWN. That was widely adopted
elsewhere.
In
> > India. the Great Indian Peninsula Railway therefore adopted UP for
trains
> > TO Bombay (hence the anomaly of UP trains descending the ghats).
Similarly,
> > the Madras Railway made Madras UP, The East Indian Railway (later
ER),
> > however, made Calcutta DOWN, not UP. I believe the reason was that
> > originally it was intended that the GIP would run all the way to
Calcutta
> > (hence the name) and so Bombay was made UP with Calcutta DOWN. The
EIR,
> > when it was formed, adopted the same convention. The same applied
to
the
> > Bengal-Nagpur Railway (later SER) It also meant that on the North
Western
> > Railway (later the westernnpart of the NR) Up was to the west, all
the
way
> > to the Khyber. Modern NR trains therefore go UP to Delhi, but
continue
UP
> > to Amritsar, from where Delhi is DOWN! In the Australian States,
> > incidentally, the State capital was always UP, because the railways
were
> > owned by the States, not the Commonwealth, and so your
Melbourne-Sydney
> > train was DOWN to Albury (the break of gauge until 1962) and then UP
to
> > Sydney after that.
> > Hope that all helps.
> > Cheers KJ
> > ----------
> > > > Some European and UK narrow-gauge railways actually went to a
centre
> > > > buffer, with a link coupler slung either above or below it.
> > > I was looking at some pictures of Rhaetian Railway stock: looks
like
> > > a centre buffer with two links on either side, passing through
> > > notches in the buffer. Is this yet another type ?
> > > > the JONES coupler...
> > > What type are the NZ railway couplers ? Looks like a circular
> > > central buffer with a notch on top.
> > > > Darjeeling uses a unique "rudder" coupling....
> > > Something similiar on the Matheran Railway, I think.
> > >
> > > That was an amazing amount of information: thanks a lot !
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jayant S : ID Studio
> > > Tata Technologies India Limited
> > > Telco Premises : Pimpri TEL: 91 (212) 774261 ex 2534
> > > PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA FAX: 91 (212) 773191
> > >
>
>
>
>
>
>
From: T.H.Sanyal. <>
Subject: Ghani Khan Chowdhury
Date: 19 Jun 1998 13:37:00 -0500
Jishnu Mukerji wrote:
>Seems quite plausible. If ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury was in power back
>then he would probably have called it New North Malda;-):-).
But you must admit that he never got around to start a Malda to New
Delhi Superfast Express that by custom he should have been able to do.
:-) :-)
If Ghani Khan never became the Railway Minister, the Calcutta Metro
Railway would still be a trisected worm (to quote The Statesman).
He certainly got things moving. Imagine what he could have done
if someone gave him competent technical advice. Calcutta could have
a first class urban rapid transit system on par with Bombay. Instead,
the way the circular railway idea got executed makes it close to
useless, and the original suburban lines continue in their pathetic
way.
ths.
From: Anurag Acharya <>
Subject: Re: processed&cleaned archives
Date: 19 Jun 1998 14:23:15 -0500
Hi Shanku: you can pick it up from
<A HREF="http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~acha/irfca-archive.tar.gz">http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~acha/irfca-archive.tar.gz</A>
This includes messages till yesterday -- 06/18/98
Let me know when you have grabbed it.
anurag
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Paschim Express
Date: 19 Jun 1998 19:40:21 -0500
> Rajdhani and Jammu Tawi Express were manned by two A-grade drivers
> from Mumbai to Vadodara. Just one trip a week and it entitled them
> 8000 kms mileage allowance. Both were bi-weekly trains initially.
> 25 Dn / 26 Up, on the other hand, was manned by one A-grade driver
> and one Asstt. driver from Bombay Central to Vadodara. No special
> allowance since it was considered a part of their daily routine.
>
> Prakash
Hi Prakash,
The driver's link (schedule) is such that once every so many days (34
days in case of Mumbai division CR driver) they have to work all the
Mail / Express trains. Similarly the passenger drivers have their own
links. When there is no A special (mail/express) driver available, a
passenger (A grade) or Goods (C grade) driver 'officiates' for the mail
driver. Thus every A spl driver will work prestigious trains once every
so many days. The mileage is still 8000 Kms per month. The chief crew
controller sees that a driver does not exceed that figure as special
wages will have to be paid in that case. In childhood we were led to
believe that only a few select drivers were 'booked' for say the Deccan
Queen or the Punjab Mail, but now I know that this is not true. I wonder
if all the mail /express drivers on the WR in Mumbai got their turn on
the Rajdhani or were there a chosen few ?
One more terminology for the FAQ - to 'officiate' - when a passenger or
goods driver works a train as a suitable mail driver is not available.
Driver may not be available due to insufficient rest. excessive
'mileage' or late running of trains throwing the system out of gear.
Apurva Bahadur
From: Donald L. Mills, Jr <>
Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
Date: 19 Jun 1998 21:31:08 -0500
Gang- Correct my Geography, Isn't Bangladesh (spelling is terrible) a
separate country now. Does India have any international rail service
to
Burma, China or Bangladesh. I suppose there would be no service to
Pakastan. (spelling) If so, how is this done. I know we here in the
US
have international service with Canada but I don't know of any service
with
Mexico..... Don in WV
----------
> From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
> To: jis@fpk.email
> Cc: T.H.Sanyal. <THS1@PSUVM.email irfca@cs.email
> Subject: Re: Siliguri/MG Couplings etc.
> Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 3:27 PM
>
> > > Although direct Calcutta Siliguri run through East Pakistan
stopped
> > > some time after partition (does anyone know when?), service
between
> > > Calcutta and some points within East Pakistan (Goalanda, Khulna,
and
> > > probably Sirajganj too) continued till the 1965 war between India
and
> > > Pakistan. The Eastern Railway time table in 1967 included timings
> > > of trains called East Bengal Mail/East Bengal Express with a rider
> > > "If and when re-introduced". I have seen the green colored coaches
> > > of one such train stored in Halisahar store of ER, deteriorating
> > > over time.
> >
> > As far as I recall East Bengal Mail used to run via Gede/Darshana to
> > Gualondo as it did before partition. East Bengal Express used to run
via
> > Benapol/Petrapol to Khulna. Both originated/terminated at Sealdah
Main.
>
> Ooops, wrong recollection. There were actually three trains. They
were:
>
> East Bengal Mail via Gede/Darshana to Gualondo
> East Bengal Express to ???
> Barisal Express to ???
>
> One of these ran to Khulna via Benapol/Petrapol (i.e. via Bongaon),
alas
> I don't remember which - but probably it was Barisal Express. I need
to
> get my old timetable collection out of storage to check for sure.
>
> Sorry about the earlier misinformation.
>
> --
> Jishnu Mukerji
From: Jayant S <>
Subject: Re: International Trains
Date: 19 Jun 1998 21:46:25 -0500
> Gang- Correct my Geography, Isn't Bangladesh (spelling is terrible) a
> separate country now.
Yes, it is.
> Does India have any international rail service to
> Burma, China or Bangladesh. I suppose there would be no service to
> Pakastan. (spelling).
Funnily enough, the only passenger train service I know of is the
Samjhauta Express, between Amritsar and Lahore in Pakistan.
I have, on a couple of occasions, found Bangladesh Railways
MG freight stock on the NFR in India. I do not think there is any
link at present to the Myanmar lines, but this will certainly
change if the Singapore-Europe rail link plans come through.
BTW I have read somewhere that there are freight operations
between Mexico and USA.
--
Jayant S : ID Studio
Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri TEL: 91 (212) 774261 ex 2534
PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA FAX: 91 (212) 773191