Rail Transport

Rail transport in India :-
Rail transport is a commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in India.
Almost all rail operations in India are handled by Indian Railways, under the union
Ministry of Railways. The rail network traverses the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of 63,140 kilometres (39,233 mi). It is said to be the 4th largest railway network in the world, transporting over 6 billion passengers and over 350 million tonnes of freight annually. Its operations cover twenty-eight states and three union territories and also provide limited service to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Railways were introduced to India in 1853, and the time of India’s independence in 1947 they had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalized 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 signaling are still in use. Accommodation classes range form 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 computerized to a large extent, and there are reserved as well as unreserved categories of tickets.
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 km (67,608 mi)
while the total route length of the network is 63,465 km (39,435 mi). About 28% of the route-kilo metre and 40% of the total track kilometre is electrified. 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 8’1/2 in (1,435 mm); the metre gauge; and the narrow gauge (narrower than the standard gauge).
Indian 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 gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3’3/8 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 3,350 km (2,080 mi)’[4]. The Kalka-Shimla Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway are two notable hill lines that use narrow gauge.
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).
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). This could be followed by other codes for minor variations in the base model.
The three (or four) letters are, form 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. The gauge is coded as ‘W’ for broad gauge, ‘Y’ for metre gauge, ‘Z’ for 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. 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 (75 kW); 'B' 200 hp (150 kW) 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).
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’[7]. It is being replaced by more modem engines, ranging in power up to 4,000 hp (3 MW).
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). 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. 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 specialized 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.
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. Plans are afoot to re-convert the Neral-Matheran to steam.
Production units :-
Locomotives and coaches are produced in the following locations in India
- 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.