IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 9321 - 9340
From: S Pai <>
Subject: Re: MAS-SBC
Date: 01 Nov 1999 09:11:49 -0500
Between 1985 and 1989 I seem to remember the distance was indicated as
352km in the (then-new) computerized tickets.
Continental drift? :-)
--Satish
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Matheran Rly.
Date: 01 Nov 1999 10:05:52 -0500
From: Shankar <>
Subject: wp glory revised
Date: 01 Nov 1999 12:17:31 -0500
Hello,
I know there are not many steam freaks amongst us.
Nonetheless, thanks to nearly a dozen new pics provided by John Lacey,
I've added a full new page to my WP glory site.
The entire site has also undergone major repair, overhaul and revamping,
and now has a totally new look.
Check out the expanded and refurbished site at:
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/shankaronline/wpglorymain.htm">http://members.tripod.com/shankaronline/wpglorymain.htm</A>
(and do revert with your comments).
Cheers.
Shankar
PS: There are several glaring typos in the HTML, particularly on page 2,
which I shall rectify in due course. Enjoy!
From: Anand I.S. <>
Subject: BHEL Diesel & WDG-4
Date: 01 Nov 1999 13:09:44 -0500
Hi pals,
Must sure be getting old ! Sometime back I came across BHEL Co-Co
diesels
built for private sectors. It was dual cab hood type. I should say that
the
Australian/Victorian class 'N' diesels were akin to it. Now this was
some
sure good design, hjaving the practibility of easy maintenence, being
hood
type, plus the dual cabs at each end, one with toilet !; which would
afford
easy visibility to the crew.
Now why can't our IR have gone in for this type, instead of the
incongrous(no offence to some fan) long single cab design.When I saw the
WDG-4 at Gooty with long end driving,the driver sure had some problem
of
visibility, as he was craning out of the window, which again by itself
is
projected out !
Now I would like some friend of ours if the BHEL diesel had been sighted
by
him/her, to tell us about it. If my memory serves me correct, the one
pictured was for NTPC. I had this photo but has misplaced it.
Waiting for enlightenment.
i.s.anand
isadeltic@hotmail.email
F/6, BALAKA,
SWASTIK PARK,
CHEMBUR MUMBAI - 400071
INDIA.
Tel(R): 91+22+5226163
Tel(O): 91+22+2623235
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From: Anand I.S. <>
Subject: Footplating
Date: 01 Nov 1999 13:38:02 -0500
Dear Srinivas,
I certainly feel discretion is better. U c I have trmendous experience
of
both quoted, but am not willing to go public. At the most best is to b
ambigous,while describing these things 4 e.g. it is better not to quote
the
exact train/location/date etc..
I know this will b a heart break 4 most of us, but don't you agree 4 the
long run, it is good.
anand i.s.
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From: Anand I.S. <>
Subject: Matheran Rly.
Date: 01 Nov 1999 13:41:18 -0500
Hi folks,
News is that the rly. is suppoed to start from today.
The service to Matheran @ 8.40, 11.00 & 17.00 with 17.00 not likely,
the return services @ 5.45, 13.10 & 14.35. Confirmation whther this has
happened or not in a day or two.
anand i.s.
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From: Anand I.S. <>
Subject: IR services
Date: 01 Nov 1999 13:49:40 -0500
Friends I think that given the situations , IR is doing a wonderful job
on
hand.
At least most of our problems are politically motivated with some stray
general public frustrations, when they go on the rampage destroying pvt
and
rly property.
But what beats me solid is the fact, that even in the most developed
countries like germany, switzerland, U>K> , France etc; rly property is
damaged for no wanton reason, except for the fact of vandalism !
Graffiti is most common, with even sabotage levels. This does not apply
only
to public rly. property, but even where pvt. musuems are concerned.
Thankfully this does not happen in India !
So, I think our IR deserves a great big hand, and we true rail-fans
ought
not to be perturbed much.
anand i.s.
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From: Anne Ogborn <>
Subject: Iranian railways engine
Date: 01 Nov 1999 20:14:56 -0500
ex Iranian railways engine, now at Orange Empire Rly Museum
operated on iranian rlys in WWII -
<A HREF="http://www.oerm.mus.ca.us/images/oerm1956.jpg">http://www.oerm.mus.ca.us/images/oerm1956.jpg</A>
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Udhampur-Baramula Link....
Date: 31 Dec 1999 10:48:22 -0500
> Can u tell me something about it...... I'd got some details of this
rly.
> line upto Qazigund..... I'd got it from a Rly. report in NRM
library....
> They had given all stations upto Qazigund...... But further details
are
> missing ??? Can someone Help me out ??????????????
Sandeep,
There is a report in the Oct issue of the IR mag about the bridge on the
Tawi
river outside Jammu. The tracks are through only till Udhampur and I
guess
military trains must be running till there. This is one of the typical
problems
of study of the IR. Official info is suspect, incomplete or often wrong
hence our
knowledge is usually from actual sightings and observations, but not
many people
I know go to Kashmir anymore ....
I include a scan of an article posted on the IRFCA an year ago on the
subject of
Kashmir Railways.
Apurva
Hi Gang,
This is an article about the proposed Jammu & Kashmir railway in the
Indian Express of 11th Oct 98. Go through it and get back with your
comments.
Apurva
Destination nowhere
Hundred years after a project for a rail line between Jammu and the
Valley was
first
conceived and successive PMs laid foundation stones for it, all that the
State
has got is a
13-km track
ARUN SHARMA reports
When former prime minister IK Gujral laid the foundation stone for the
287
km-long
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line in July last year, he became
the fifth
VIP to do
so in the past 12 years. However, about Its 340 crore later, the
Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar - Baramulla rail ink still leads to nowhere.
While a Railways spokesperson claims 78 per cent of the work has been
completed
on the
Jammu~Udhampur section and a final survey of the pegging of alignment
between
Qazigund and Baramulla was done on October 2 sources say only 13 km of
the track,
between Jarrirnu and Bajalta, has been completed so far. Significantly,
Rs.
340.43 crore
have already been spent of this. Only Rs 78.3 crore has been spent on
the
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla sector. Completion of work on this sector
alone is
now
estimated to cost Rs2,500 crore.
The rest of the Rs 340 crore (Rs 262 crore) has been spent on laying the
53.2 km
long
broad gauge line between Jammu and Udhampur, of which only 13km is
complete till
now.
Its initial estimate was about Its 50 crore. Now, completing the line is
expected
to take
another Rs. l38 crore.
Railway officials say the Centre had initially sanctioned a rail link
between
Jammu and
Udhampur in 1980 - 81, and the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi, had
laid a
foundation
stone for the same at Udhampur in 1983. However, in 1994-95, the Centre
sanctioned a rail
link between Udhampur and Srinagar as well. Later, the line was extended
upto
Baramulla.
A look at the files in the state archives reveals that the project has
been
hanging since
even earlier It was in the 1890s that the idea of having a rail link
between
Jammu and the
Valley was first conceived by the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir,
Partap
Singh.
The Maharaja, according to the records, awarded the contract for laying
the
Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line to a London based firm, M/s S.R.
Scott
Straten
and Company. Partap Singh reportedly picked up Staten and Company after
going
through
the feasibility reports submitted by various British engineers.
It was only around 1903 that the work could finally begin on the
project.
However, during
the Partition, it had to be abandoned.
The archives records reveal that among the first surveys of the project
was
conducted by a
British engineer named Adam. He pointed out that though the gradient on
the
42-mile
section from Tawi river in Jammu to Udhampur rarely exceeded 1 in30
(rise of
surface by l
metre after horizontally travelling every 30 metres), there were short
lengths
with gradient
1 in 25 near the Nandini tunnel, about 16 miles from Jammu. For this
section,
Adam
recommended steam locomotives on a two-feet-six-inch gauge line with
slight
alterations.
But beyond Udhampur, Adam recommended electric trains due to the sharp
gradient.
He
had also taken into account the problem of electricity supply for the
link and
recommended
setting up of power stations near Udhampur (of 1,500 HP), Ramsoo (2,500
HP) and
Banihal
(1,000 HP). However, Adam's grand scheme was rejected by the then
British
Resident in
Kashmir, Louis W Dane, who said it was not feasible to have power
stations along
the
railway line.
Later, another British engineer, W J Weightman, was engaged for
conducting a
survey and
he gave his report in 1902, recommending a railway line to Kashmir from
Abotabad
in
Pakistan. His recommendations were also rejected by the British
Resident, who
cited the
plan of another British engineer, Wilde Blood, to link Jammu with
Kashmir through
a
railway link via Reasi.
The Resident explained that a rail line along the river Chenab through
Reasi
would not
only bypass the snow-bound areas but also "enable the Darbar to develop
coal,
iron and
lead mines in that direction". This led the Maharaja to appoint British
engineer
Col De
Bourbel to prepare a report on coal reserves in the area. Besides, he
also sought
a report
from T.D. La Touche, the then deputy superintendent of the Geological
Survey of
lndia, on
the Sangar Marg and Mehowgala coal mines.
After that, the Maharaja's government began negotiations with M/s S.R.
Scott
Staten and
Company for executing the project This was sometime in 1903.
When Indira Gandhi resurrected the project 80 years later, she
proclaimed that
the line
would be completed in five years. Thereafter, successive Central
governments have
continued to heap promises and perform the ritual of laying foundation
stones.
After Mrs
Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation stone at Udhampur, in his turn
as prime
minister.
The same was repeated by his successor in office, and later by Suresh
Kalmadi
when he
was the Union rail-way minister, H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K Gujral. While
laying the
foundation stone at Udhampur during his tenure as prime rninister, Gowda
had
announced
a Central grant of Rs 2,500 crores for completing the project on time.
While nothing much has come of the promises or the visits, officials
gleefully
point to the
places the line will connec. The 287 Kms stretch between Udhampur and
Baramulla
is to
cover important places like Katra, Reasi, Salal, Banihal, Qazigund,
Anantnag,
Awantipura
and Srinagar. The stretch is expected to have 81 tunnels - 89-km long in
all -and
a
cable-stayed (pillarless) bridge. The longest, 10 km long tunnel would
be at
Banihal.
The Railway spokesperson caims that in the Jammu-Udhampur seetion, 112
of the 116
minor bridges have been constructed, and the building of the tunnels is
also
almost
complete.
Sources, however, again dispute this. According to them, the Rail-ways
have
awarded
contracts for construction of only four of the eight major bridges on
the 25 km
stretch
between Udhampur and Katra. And that contracts construction of seven
tunnels
between
Udhampur-Katra are yet to be allotted.
The upshot is that more than l00years after the project was first
conceived, all
that the
people of Jammu and Kashmir have got is a 13-km stretch of railway line,
which is
of no
use to people of either region.
(Article also contains two pictures - one of a weed infested single line
and a
similar tunnel
entrance. Not worth scanning.
Apurva Bahadur
From: ranand <>
Subject: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 05:09:25 -0500
I recently spoke with my brother who lives in Bangalore. He has a two
year
old son who is crazy about trains.
Last week end, my nephew forced my brother to take him to the Bangalore
Canttonment station to watch trains.
I gather that he had a thrilling afternoon watching trains. He is
already
partial to diesels and started clapping
when a diesel hauled goods train passed through the station. I gather
that
he already knows the difference
between WAMs and WAPs.
R. Anand
Internet: anand@watson.email
External tel: (914) 784 7054
Notes: Rangachari Anand/Watson/IBM@IBMUS
Tie-line: 863 7054
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 05:33:44 -0500
My greetings to the young fellow and his family. The credit really goes
to your
brother who has taught the little fellow the difference between a WAM
and a WAP. A big
hurrah for choosing diesel over electric !
Apurva
ranand@us.email wrote:
> I recently spoke with my brother who lives in Bangalore. He has a two
year
> old son who is crazy about trains.
> Last week end, my nephew forced my brother to take him to the
Bangalore
> Canttonment station to watch trains.
> I gather that he had a thrilling afternoon watching trains. He is
already
> partial to diesels and started clapping
> when a diesel hauled goods train passed through the station. I gather
that
> he already knows the difference
> between WAMs and WAPs.
>
> R. Anand
>
> Internet: anand@watson.email
> External tel: (914) 784 7054
> Notes: Rangachari Anand/Watson/IBM@IBMUS
> Tie-line: 863 7054
From: RAMESH DHARAP <>
Subject:
Date: 02 Nov 1999 07:06:51 -0500
Chief Executive,
Central Railway.
Dear sir
I am First class season ticket holder btwn CSTM and Nasik
I regularly travel by panchavati and Tapovan express
In Panchavati Express while in the dn Direction from cstm to
manmad the AC Chair car coach no 2 is fully occupied by all railway
officers. these officers travell upto kalyan with great pleasure in
spite of we pass holders and Full fare paying travellers keep begging
them for seats. It's no wonder when you get answered by the TTE or
Conductor, that we should wait upto kalyan and then only enter the
coach. As regular traveller and keen watcher of railway i am
complaining this as a final option. If these kind of harrasment is not
stopped by you, we harrased a lot and part of the fare paying public,
going to stop the train daily.
Hope you officials at Railway know the term "FARE PAYING" and do the
justice for "FARE PAYING PUBLIC"
THANKING YOU
DHARAP
WORLI
ravidharap@yahoo.email
Visit my personal Homepage at
<A HREF="http://mail.indiatimes.com/indiatimes/users/dharap">http://mail.indiatimes.com/indiatimes/users/dharap</A>
www.geocities.com/ravidharap
Regards
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From: Sridhar Shankar <>
Subject: Re: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 07:28:08 -0500
The little fella should be commended for exhibiting superior judgement
at
such an early age. Hopefully the WDM2 and its derivatives will survive
on
IR long enough to give him the thrill/satisfaction it has given us.
-Sridhar
> He is already partial to diesels and started clapping
> > when a diesel hauled goods train passed through the station. I
gather that
> > he already knows the difference between WAMs and WAPs.
From: San-Ind <>
Subject: Please Put me on Mailing List !!!!
Date: 02 Nov 1999 08:31:56 -0500
Hi Everybody !!
I'm a new member of IRFCA..... I just entered here one month ago.....
My problem is that i don't Get Automatic mails from Irfca as i think
every
member recieves.....
So please include me in that list.....
Now a days....For seeing latest mails of other members I've to go to
IRFCA
site & download the mails.... This is a very time-consuming method & i
always left behind if something new Thing is on list.....
So please do something for me .....
Regards
Sandeep Sharma
*-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-*-*-**-
*-*-*
Digital Operation Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.
90/30A, Ist Floor, Malviya Nagar,
New Delhi-17
Ph.91-11-6285286, 6451620, 6423136
E-mail: docqcs@nd.email sandeep@docpl.email
Web: www.docpl.com
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From: Anne Ogborn <>
Subject: Re: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 09:32:00 -0500
I belong to a model railroading club. Our layout is
in the basement of a children's museum, and naturally
we get many, many young visitors.
Some of them are real buffs. I remember one day
a young boy came up to me and started talking
about the TGV, ICE, etc. in great breathless detail.
We've actually organized a children's program for
some of these youngsters.
Annie
From: S.SRINIVAS <>
Subject: Re: Footplating
Date: 02 Nov 1999 09:41:28 -0500
Dear Apurva,
Here are some answers from me. Some
information / questions from you were
real surprises for me.
Regards.
S. Srinivas
============================
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
> Srinivas,
>
> Solve some railway related mysteries for all of us:
> Why is Bangalore = SBC (South Bangalore City ?)
Yes. Bangalore City should have been BC. But, there must have
been
another station with the
Abb. BC in existence even before Bangalore
City was named. So, add a S before BC.
The real reason can be only given by the
Rail guy (probably an englishman) who did it.
> Also why is Cuddupah = HX ?
> Did Cuduppah have any other older name like Bezwada for Vijaywada
(BZA)?
>
My My. I did not even know that Cuddappah was abbreviated as HX.
Again, only the guy
who did it must know. AFAIK, Cuddapah does
not have any other name. It did not have any
name change.
> Which is the local electric shed for the electric powers from SBC, or
do
> you use AJJ powers ?
>
Most of powers one can see at SBC are from AJJ.
This is to be expected because most of the trains
running on the electrified route are to/from MAS.
We also get to see a few of ED powers. Trains
coming in from Madurai via ED have them. Only
sometimes, we get to see the powers of BZA,
ET, GZB and other places. Once I saw a WAM
from Bhusaval. This power must have really been
taken for a ride. I hope it reached home safely.
But we get to see WDM powers from all over.
From: S.SRINIVAS <>
Subject: Re: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 09:41:38 -0500
Dear Anand
You must tell your brother to visit Bangalore City
station where there is more action and more
WDM powers. The best time is early morning
6 to 8 a.m. or late evening 6 to 10 p.m. The
two year old will also start liking WAM and
WAP's. Give him time and opportunity.
Regards.
S. Srinivas
============================
ranand@us.email wrote:
> I recently spoke with my brother who lives in Bangalore. He has a two
year
> old son who is crazy about trains.
> Last week end, my nephew forced my brother to take him to the
Bangalore
> Canttonment station to watch trains.
> I gather that he had a thrilling afternoon watching trains. He is
already
> partial to diesels and started clapping
> when a diesel hauled goods train passed through the station. I gather
that
> he already knows the difference
> between WAMs and WAPs.
>
> R. Anand
>
> Internet: anand@watson.email
> External tel: (914) 784 7054
> Notes: Rangachari Anand/Watson/IBM@IBMUS
> Tie-line: 863 7054
From: S.SRINIVAS <>
Subject: Re: MAS-SBC
Date: 02 Nov 1999 09:41:49 -0500
Dear Satish
Since both MAS and SBC are on the same
land mass, it cannot be continental drift.
It has to the earth bulging out which
results in more distance between two
points on the sphere.
Regards.
S. Srinivas
============================
S Pai wrote:
> Between 1985 and 1989 I seem to remember the distance was indicated as
> 352km in the (then-new) computerized tickets.
>
> Continental drift? :-)
>
> --Satish
From: Tim & Anita Wakeman <>
Subject: Re: Youngest railfan that I know
Date: 02 Nov 1999 10:13:30 -0500
WAY TO GO!! My little guy was imitating horns at six months. At 18
months he could identify different US railroads from the paint schemes.
It was'nt long until the word Alco was regular in his vocabulary. He
even named our dog Diesel! BTW, While in Bangolore, he to was most
excited when double headed WDM2s tore out of the station bound for New
Dehli smoking in the entire area,(I was too).
Regards, Tim
ranand@us.email wrote:
>
> I recently spoke with my brother who lives in Bangalore. He has a two
year
> old son who is crazy about trains.
> Last week end, my nephew forced my brother to take him to the
Bangalore
> Canttonment station to watch trains.
> I gather that he had a thrilling afternoon watching trains. He is
already
> partial to diesels and started clapping
> when a diesel hauled goods train passed through the station. I gather
that
> he already knows the difference
> between WAMs and WAPs.
>
> R. Anand
>
> Internet: anand@watson.email
> External tel: (914) 784 7054
> Notes: Rangachari Anand/Watson/IBM@IBMUS
> Tie-line: 863 7054
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: wp glory revised
Date: 02 Nov 1999 12:37:19 -0500
Great photos! Keep e'm coming!! The photo corresponding to caption 14
(masjatexp.jpg) seems to be corrupted.
Vijay
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shankar [SMTP:shankie@emirates.email
> Sent: Monday, November 01, 1999 3:18 PM
> To: irfca@cs.email
> Subject: wp glory revised
>
> Hello,
> I know there are not many steam freaks amongst us.
> Nonetheless, thanks to nearly a dozen new pics provided by John Lacey,
> I've added a full new page to my WP glory site.
> The entire site has also undergone major repair, overhaul and
revamping,
> and now has a totally new look.
> Check out the expanded and refurbished site at:
>
> <A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/shankaronline/wpglorymain.htm">http://members.tripod.com/shankaronline/wpglorymain.htm</A>
>
> (and do revert with your comments).
> Cheers.
> Shankar
>
> PS: There are several glaring typos in the HTML, particularly on page
2,
> which I shall rectify in due course. Enjoy!