HISTORY & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

OF INDIAN RAILWAYS

Prepared By:-
Khushbu Bhat
Parul University
Vadodara
 FIRST TRAIN RUN IN INDIA

3:35pm on April 16th, 1853

1835-1836
 A short experimental railway line is constructed at Chintadripet, near
Madras, which later became the Red Hill Railroad.

1837
 The first operational railway in India - the Red Hill Railroad near
Madras, used for transporting granite stone.

1838
 Likely date of first locomotive built in India.
1840s
Various proposals for railways in India, especially around Calcutta
(EIR) and Bombay (GIPR).

1844
R MacDonald Stephenson's "Report upon the Practicability and
Advantages of the Introduction of Railways into British India" is
published.

1845
A railway is in operation near Rajahmundry for conveying
construction material and stone for irrigation works and a dam across
the Godavari.
Survey work carried out for Bombay-Kalyan line and an extension up
the Malay Ghat for proposed connections to Khandwa and Pune.
May 8: Madras Railway Company is formed.
East India Railway company is formed.
1849
August 1: Great Indian Peninsular Railway incorporated by an
Act of Parliament..

1851
Construction begins of an "experimental" section of track
(Howrah-Rajmahal) for the proposed Calcutta-Delhi link via
Mirzapur (EIR).

1852
Construction of a line out of Bombay begins, and a locomotive,
Falkland, begins shunting operations on February 23. The line
is ready by November, and on the 18th of November, a trial run
of the Bombay-Thane trip (35 km) is held.
The Madras Guaranteed Railway Company is formed.
1853
On April 16th, at 3:35pm, the first train in India leaves Bombay for
Thane.
Madras Railway incorporated; work begins on Madras-Arcot line.
Lord Dalhousie's famous Railway Minute of April 20 lays down the
policy that private enterprise would be allowed to build railways in
India, but that their operation would be closely supervised by the
government.

1854
On August 15th, the first passenger train in the eastern section is
operated, from Howrah to Hoogly (24 miles). The section is soon
extended to Pundooah.
GIPR opens its first workshops at Byculla.
Stations are classified into 4 groups on some railways, according to
traffic and the proportion of European and Indian passengers.
1855
 BB&CI Railway incorporated, and begins work on a
Surat-Baroda line.
 February 3: EIR's "experimental" track for a Calcutta-
Delhi route now consists of a Howrah to Raneegunje
(Raniganj, collieries near Asansol) section of 121 miles.
 August: EIR 21 and 22 ('Express' and 'Fairy Queen')
begin work. The Fairy Queen is still working!

1855-1856
 HMS Goodwin carrying railway carriages for East Indian
Railway Co. sinks. Another ship carrying a locomotive is
mis-routed to Australia.
1856
May 28: Royapuram - Wallajah Road line constructed by the Madras
Railway Company
Jul 1: The first train service in the south begins, from Royapuram /
Veyasarapady (Madras) to Wallajah Road (Arcot) (approx. 100km)
by the Madras Railway Company.
A combined Loco, Carriage and Wagon Workshop is set up by the
Madras Guaranteed Rly. (later part of the MSMR) at Perambur, near
Madras, later to become the Carriage and Wagon Workshops of SR
(and the Loco Workshops at Perambur).

1858
Eastern Bengal Railway and the Great Southern of India formed
(guaranteed railways).
June 14: Khandala-Pune section of GIPR open to traffic. The 21km
gap over the Bhore ghat (Karjat - Khandala) is crossed by palanquin,
horses, or on foot. In some cases the passenger cars were also carried
over each way.
1861
Madras Railway's trunk route from Madras extended to Beypur /
Kadalundi (near Calicut).
Great Southern Railway of India completes 125km BG line between
Nagapatnam and Trichinopoly.

1862
Feb. 8: Jamalpur Loco Works established.
Amritsar-Attari section completed on the route to Lahore.
The Indian Branch Railway Co. formed to construct short branches and
feeder lines in northern India, with a 20-year subsidy but no guarantee.
The Indian Tramway Co. is formed for building short lines around
Madras.
The first double-decker coaches to be used in India, and perhaps in the
world.

1863
First luxury carriage in India is built for the Governor of Bombay.
1864
August 1: First train into Delhi. Through trains run between
Delhi and Calcutta; coaches are ferried on boats across the river
at Allahabad..
Jolarpettai - Bangalore Cantt. branch added by Madras Railway;
Bangalore Mail begins running.
First proposals for (horse-drawn) trams in Bombay.

1865
Yamuna bridge at Allahabad opened, allowing EIR trains to
cross over without using ferries.
GIPR timetables show 'local trains' separately for the first time.

1866
Railway Branch formed in Central Public Works Department.
The 1 Dn / 2 Up Mail begins running -- this is the predecessor of
the Howrah - Kalka Mail.
1867
Virar - Bombay Backbay suburban service commences
(BB&CI); one train in each direction each day.
Some Indian locos are sent overseas for the Abyssinian
expedition.

1868
Madras Railway extends its network (with a new terminus
at Royapuram) to Salem, and also finishes the Jolarpettai -
Bangalore Cantonment branch.
Calcutta and South-Eastern Railway, having suffered
extensive losses on their Sealdah-Canning line because of
floods and other problems, decide to transfer the line to
the government in return for capital costs, becoming the
first railway to be taken over by the state.
1869
 Governor-General Lord Lawrence suggests that the Government of
India itself undertake all future construction of railway lines. But
GIPR's guarantees and leases are extended, and also those of the
Bombay, Baroda, and Madras Railway Companies. Still, this year
marks a turning point in government policy away from the guarantee
system.
 Total trackage in India is about 4000 miles.

1870
 Mobile post-office services in trains on EIR.
 The Nizam of Hyderabad pays for the construction of a railway
linking Hyderabad to the GIPR.

1871
 EIR trackage totals 1350 miles; other railways: GIPR -- 875, Madras
Railway -- 680, Sind and Punjab -- 400, BBCI -- 300, East Bengal --
115, and Great Southern -- 170.
1872
 First MG line from Delhi to Farukh Nagar is built.
 The Saunders system of air-cooling first-class coaches is
introduced on the GIPR.

1873
 The world's first commercial MG sevice runs from Delhi
to Rewari.
 Early attempts to set up a horse-drawn tram system in
Calcutta, between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street
(3.8km). This service opened on Feb. 24 and closed by
Nov. 20 for lack of patronage.
1874
 Wadi-Secunderabad railway line built with financing from the Nizam of
Hyderabad, and later becomes part of the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway.
Secunderabad railway station built by this railway.
 Fourth Class accommodation is introduced on several railways, consisting of
coaches with no seats in them, or just a few benches, as a way of alleviating
overcrowding.
 Lord Salisbury, Secretary of State for India, stipulates the use of BG to settle
the gauge debate, and work begins on relaying many MG lines to BG.
 May 9: Horse-drawn tram system begins operation in Bombay, betwen Parel
and Colaba. Operated by Stearnes and Kittredge with a stable of 900 horses.

1875
 Special train built for the Prince of Wales on his visit to India; this train is later
used as the vice-regal train for the next 3 decades.

1877
 Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA) formed.
1878
 Railway line laid across the Bolan Pass to help move men and materiel
during hostilities in Afghanistan.
 Construction of Victoria Terminus begins in Bombay.
 Construction of the Siliguri-Darjeeling line, the first hill railway in
India (not counting the ghat sections near Bombay).

1879
 Following an agreement between the British and the French, an MG
line is laid between Pondicherry and Villupuram.

1880
 The Kandahar State Railway from Ruk to Sibi is formed; 133.5 miles
of track are laid in 101 days!
 The Darjeeling Steam Tramway (later the Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway) starts services on its first section, the Siliguri-Darjeeling line.
1881
September: Darjeeling Steam Tramway becomes the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway.
Horse-drawn trams begin regular operation in Calcutta.

1882
Bangalore City linked to Bangalore Cantonment by Madras Railway.
Post of Director General of Railways is created in the Central Public
Works Department.
Jan 1: Victoria Terminus, still under construction, is opened to the public.
Steam tramway system begins operating in Calcutta.

1885
Seats are provided in Fourth Class accommodation. Simultaneously,
accommodation classes are reorganized so that the Fourth Class becomes
Third Class, Third Class is renamed Second Class, and Second Class is
transformed to "Inter" Class.
First coaches (wooden-bodied) with steel underframes introduced.
1887
Victoria Terminus named after Queen Victoria on Jubilee Day.

1888
Construction of Bombay's Victoria Terminus building is completed.
The cost was estimated at Rs 1,640,000

1890
Sometime in the 1890s third class passengers are allowed on the
prestigious Mail trains.
Railways Act passed by the government defining the framework for
railway construction and operation.

1891
Toilet facilities are introduced on a large scale in first class
carriages.
Construction begins for the Nilgiri railway.
1892
Early use of simple mechanical interlocking devices.

1895
First locomotive built in India at the Ajmer works.
Madras trams begin operating, with a conduit
system. (This is replaced in 1905 with electric
traction.)

1896
Indian railway staff and some MG locos are sent
overseas to help build the Uganda Railway.
1897
Lighting in passenger coaches introduced by many railway
companies.
Lower classes tended to get gas lamps, whereas upper classes
sometimes got electric lights, but often gas or oil lamps.
First Godavari bridge built near Rajahmundry, helping Chennai-
Howrah traffic.
Hoogly (Hooghly) bridge built.
Mettupalayam-Coonoor rail line constructed.

1898
August: Mettupalayam-Coonoor rail line opens.

1899
South Indian Railway begins Madras - Tuticorin service connecting
with the boat to Ceylon, using vestibuled coaches for both First and
Second class. The trip takes nearly 22 hours for the 443 mile route.
Electric traction for trams introduced in Calcutta.
1901
 Sir Thomas Robertson Committee submits recommendations on administration
and working of the railways. An early version of the railway board is constituted,
with three members serving on it at first.
 Railway mileage now at about 24,750 miles in India, of which 14,000 miles are
BG, and most of the rest MG (with only a few hundred miles of 2' and 2'6"
gauge lines).
 The railways also start returning some modest profits; for the last 40 years they
had been making large losses.

1902
 Electric trams begin operating in Calcutta.
 The Jodhpur Railway becomes the first to introduce electric lights as standard
fixtures. (Electric lighting had been tried by other railways starting in the 1890s.)

1903
 The Robertson Report recommends re-laying all BG and MG lines to standard
gauge, but this report seems to have been completely ignored.
 Nov. 9: Kalka-Shimla Railway line opened, built at 2'0" gauge (but re-laid later).
 The first bogie-mounted coaches appear, including bogie dining cars on some
railways.
1904
The Kharagpur Locomotive and Carriage and Wagon Workshop is set up.
Railway Board expanded, given more powers.

1905
Powers of the Railway Board are formalized under Lord Curzon. The
Board is under the Department of Commerce and Industry, and has
government railway official serving as chairman, and a railway manager
from England and an agent of one of the company railways as the other
two members.
The visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales gives EIR a chance to build a
special train with coaches rivalling the luxury saloons used by nobility in
Europe.
A petrol-driven 0-4-0 loco from Kerr Stuart is in use by the Morvi
Railway and Tramways company.
Railway Board decides that lavatories will be provided in all lower class
carriages for trains running more than 50 miles.
The first electric trams run in Madras with overhead electrification.
Entire Calcutta tram network is now electrified and converted to standard
gauge.
1906
The 'General Rules' are framed, governing operation of railways.
The Grand Chord via Gaya, which significantly shortens the
distance between Delhi and Calcutta, opens on the EIR's Calcutta-
Delhi trunk route (inaugurated by the Earl of Minto, the Viceroy
and Governor-General of India.
Indian Standard Time (IST) comes into force for timekeeping in
British India (except for Calcutta and some other regions).

1907
Railway Mail Service (RMS) is established.
22 March: Matheran Light Railway opens, with 4 articulated 0-6-
0T locomotives.
Madras Railway trunk route extended from Calicut to Mangalore.
May 7: Electric trams begin operating in Bombay.
June: Kanpur's electric tram system begins operation.
1908
 India's first internal combustion locomotive, a petrol-driven MG
loco, is delivered to the Assam Oil Co.
 Inward-opening doors are introduced on passenger coaches.

1909
 India's first electric locos (two of them) are delivered to the Mysore
Gold Fields by Bagnalls (Stafford) with overhead electrical
equipment by Siemens. Also among the earliest electric vehicles,
electrically operated rail trolleys are brought into.

1912
 June 1: Punjab Mail (GIPR) makes its inaugural run.

1913
 In the Mumbai area, suburban terminals are opened at Kurla,
Kalyan, Thane, and at the Bandra.
1914
Ceylon Government Railway extends the line from Polgahawela to
Talaimannar at the northern tip of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), to enable
connecting services with SIR trains with a ferry crossing across the
Palk Strait. Steamer services from Dhanushkodi (India) to
Talaimannar (Ceylon) start on March 1.

1915
First ever diesel locomotive in India, a 2'6" gauge unit from
Avonside (Bristol) is supplied to the India Office for use on a tea
plantation.

1916
Parsik tunnel (1.3km) opened to traffic.

1919
Bhusawal loco shed set up by GIPR; at the time the largest loco shed
in Asia and the third largest in the world.
1920
Total trackage at 37,000 miles (about 15% privately-held). The
East India Railway Committee (chaired by Sir William Acworth,
hence also known as the Acworth Committee) points out the need
for unified management of the entire railway system. On the
recommendations of this committee, the government takes over
the actual management of all railways, and also separates railway
finances from the general governmental finances (the latter step
led to the practice, followed to this day, of presenting the Railway
Budget separately from the General Budget every year).
Electric lighting of signals is introduced between Dadar and
Currey Road.
Sep.: Double-decker electric trams are introduced in Bombay.

1921
Total trackage stands at 61,220 route km.
The Railway Board is reorganized with a Chief Commissioner of
Railways having overriding powers on technical matters.
1922
Locomotive Standards Committee publishes a paper with details of
proposed standardization of locomotive classes.

1923
Total trackage at 60,540 route-km.

1925
February 3: First electric railway operates on Harbour branch of the
GIPR from Victoria Terminus to Kurla (16 km), using 1500V DC
overhead traction. The section is designated as a suburban section.
EMUs from Cammell Laird and Uerdingenwagonfabrik are used. In
the same year electrification of VT-Bandra is also completed and
EMU services begin there as well, with an elevated platform at
Sandhurst Road.
First Railway Budget.
East Indian Railway Company taken over by the state on January 1;
Great Indian Peninsular Railway taken over on June 30.
Khyber Railway opened from Peshawar Cantt. to Landi Kotal.
1927
In the Bombay area tracks in some places are doubled and even tripled or
quadrupled (e.g., between Bandra and Borivili).
Patiala State Monorail stops operations.
8-coach EMU rakes are introduced on the main line in Mumbai and 4-coach
rakes on the Harbour line.

1928
Work begun on Madras suburban line.
The first batch of electric EMUs for Bombay arrive (made by British
Thompson Houston / Cammell Laird).
First automatic colour-light signals in India, on GIPR's lines between
Bombay VT and Byculla.
Golden Rock workshops near Trichy set up by the South Indian Railway.

1929
Kazipet-Balharshah link completed, connecting Delhi and Madras directly.
The Grand Trunk Express begins running between Peshawar and
Mangalore.
1930
The Times (London) nominates the Frontier Mail "the most famous express
train in the British empire".
June 1: The Deccan Queen begins running, hauled by a WCP-1 (No. 20024,
old number EA/1 4006) and with 7 coaches, on the GIPR's newly electrified
route to Poona (Pune).

1931
Madras MG suburban railway line completed. ((April 2?) May 11:
Tambaram-Beach has electric traction). The first MG EMU service.
Total trackage in India at about 43,000 miles. Hardly any new construction
until after World War II.

1932
MSMR's workshops at Perambur split into the Carriage and Wagon
Workshops and the Locomotive Workshops.

1934
Shoranur-Cochin line converted to BG.
1936
Air-conditioning introduced in some (first-class) passenger coaches.
Matunga workshops manufacture 5 air-conditioned coaches, the first
such to be made locally.
Indian Railway Committee under Sir Ralph Wedgwood constituted to
look into the position of the state-owned railways and how to improve
their finances

1937
Wedgwood Committee makes recommendations for public relations,
advertising, etc. which until then had been neglected. Also recommends
faster and more reliable passenger services and expansion of freight
activities, for the railways to compete with road transport.
The post of Minister for Transport and Communications is created; the
Minister was a civil servant, and could decide on matters dealt with by
the Railway Board.
May 1: The Flying Queen (predecessor of Flying Ranee) is introduced
between Bombay and Surat, hauled by an H class 4-6-0 and making her
run in 4 hours.
1939
World War II. Railways under strain again. Locomotives, wagons, and
track material are taken from India to the Middle East. Railway
workshops are used to manufacture shells and other military equipment.
The entire railway system is in poor shape by the end of the war.

1940
All-steel BG coaches manufactured for the first time in India.

1942
Most of the remaining large railway companies are taken over by the
state.
First Link Train run between Bhusaval and Nagpur with two XP engines.

1943
The opening of the Howrah bridge in February allows the Calcutta routes
of trams to be connected to the Howrah routes; total system is at 67km.
1944
 April: MSMR merged with the lines worked by the SIR company, and taken
over by the state.
 Oct. 1: BNR taken over by the state.

1945
 Indian Railway Standards renamed Indian Government Railway Standards.
Locomotive classification codes updated to include diesels and electrics.
 Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co. (TELCO) formed as a company.

1946
 A Skelton system monorail (locomotive with rubber tires guided by a rail, and
wagons carried on the rail with outrigger wheels for stability) is installed for
the 18km section from Bhanvad to Khambalia in Gujarat, powered by a
modified diesel loco.

1947
 Independence/Partition. Two big systems, Bengal Assam Railway and North
Western Railway are no longer in India.
 Assam Railway is cut off from the rest of the Indian system.
1948
 Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is taken over by the state.
 Calcutta time is discontinued and Indian Standard Time (introduced
in 1906) is observed everywhere in the country.

1950
 Assam Rail Link finished, re-connecting Assam Railways with the
rest of the Indian system wholly through Indian territory.
 The Assam Rail Link project also saw the first use of pre-stressed
reinforced concrete in railway construction in India.
 Jan. 26: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works established in West
Bengal.
 Several Janata Express ("People's Express") trains are introduced,
with only second-class accommodation.
 Nov. 1: Flying Ranee introduced (resurrection of the Flying Queen
from 1938).
 Some railway coaches production (10 a month) begins at Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd., Bangalore.
1951
Zonal grouping of IR begun. SR is created on April 14, CR and WR on Nov.
5.
About 388 km of trackage is electrified (Bombay and Madras suburban
lines) out of a total of about 55,000 km.
New batch of 30 EMUs from Metropolitan Cammell arrive at Bombay for
CR.
The post of Chief Commissioner of Railways is abolished; the Railway
Board now adopts the practice of making the seniormost member Chairman
of the board. The Chairman did not have overriding powers as the Chief
Commissioner did; but the Chairman and Financial Commissioner could
together override the rest of the Board.
The government of West Bengal enters into an agreement with the Calcutta
Tramways Co. to take over many of its administrative functions, and to
reserve the right to purchase the entire system in the future with 2 years'
notice.

1952
NR, ER, and NER zones created on April 14.
Fans and lights mandated for all compartments in all classes of passenger
accommodation, although this is not implemented for many years.
1954
Sleeping accommodation is introduced in 3rd
class coaches.

1955
Integral Coach Factory set up at Perambur, with
the help of Swiss Car and Elevator
Manufacturing Co. (Switzerland).
Eastern Railway split to form a new South-
Eastern Railway.
First-class abolished, and 2nd, Inter, and 3rd
classes are renamed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd classes,
respectively.
1956
Passenger fares standardized at 30 paise, 16 paise, 9 paise and 5 paise
per mile for 1st, 2nd, Inter, and 3rd class, respectively. (Platform
tickets are 2 annas each.)
Divisional system of administration set up or planned for the various
regional railways.
New Italian-made EMU introduced for the Madras Beach - Tambaram
suburban line.
The first fully air-conditioned train is introduced between Howrah and
Delhi (predecessor of the Poorva Exp.). Another fully air-conditioned
train (the first that is vestibuled) is introduced later between Delhi and
Bombay Central. A "buffet-cum-cinema" car is introduced in the
Janata Exp. between Kanpur and Jha Jha. Third-class passengers are
permitted to use the dining car earlier reserved for higher classes of
travel.
On August 14, the first all-indigenous steel-bodied integral design
coach rolls out from ICF.
Suburban Train Overcrowding Enquiry Commission presents its report
with suggestions on improvements to Bombay suburban services.
1957
Research, Designs, and Standards Organization (RDSO) of IR
formed.
All-India numbering scheme introduced for locomotives.
Nov. 24: Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and
Telecommunications established at Secunderabad.
Railway Protection Force is constituted.

1958
January 15: North-Eastern Railway splits to form a new
Northeast Frontier Railway.
A coach washing machine is procured for the EMU carshed at
Bombay Central.
Signal and Telecom Workshops established at Podanur.

1959
First steam loco designed and built entirely by CLW.
1961
Diesel Loco Works (DLW), Varanasi, is set up
Kunzru Committee investigating level-crossing accidents and
other mishaps issues many recommendations for improving
safety.

1962
ICF begins production of self-propelled units (EMUs) - initially
only trailer coaches.
Delhi trams stop operating.
Golden Rock workshops begin manufacturing wagons.

1963
All 8-car rakes in Mumbai converted to 9-car rakes, the
standard formation for a long time thereafter.
Early experiments carried out to test the feasibility of 140km/h
and 160km/h running for passenger trains.
1964
Taj Express from New Delhi to Agra is introduced to
allow tourists to visit Agra and return to New Delhi the
same day. Running at 105km/h it brought down the
travel time on this route to 2h 35m.
First AC loco, a WAG-1, built by CLW.
March 31: Bombay trams stop operating.
Dec 23: Boat Mail at Dhanushkodi is washed away by
large waves in a cyclone and 150 or more passengers
are drowned. The official death count was about 128,
but the number of unreserved passengers could not be
determined.
1965
Madras-Tambaram-Villupuram is converted from 1.5kV DC traction to
25kV AC traction, as is the Madras Beach - Tambaram suburban section.
The mainline tracks between Madras and Tambaram are also electrified
(25kV AC).
Fast freight services ("Super Express") are introduced on several routes,
especially those linking the four major metropolitan centres, and other
important cities such as Ahmedabad and Bangalore.

1966
First containerized freight services started, between Bombay and
Ahmedabad.
Several DC sections converted to AC in the Madras and Calcutta areas. The
Igatpuri-Bhusaval section is partially electrified (Igatpuri to Nandgaon).
Total electrified route km about 2,400.
May: Kirandul-Kottavalasa line completed, allowing ore from the Bailadilla
iron mines (and Bacheli) near Kirandul to be brought to the east coast and
connecting to the main rail network near Waltair. This is the highest broad-
gauge line in the world and sees some of the heaviest freight loads of IR.
1967
Ajanta Exp. (Kacheguda - Manmad), the fastest MG
train in India with an average speed of 42.5 km/h.
Second-class sleeper coaches for select trains (GT Exp.,
Frontier Mail, Howrah-Madras Mail, Bombay-Madras
Exp., Delhi-Lucknow Mail, etc.).
CR runs its first superfast goods train from Wadi
Bunder to Itarsi (the "Freight Chief").
Jul. 19: Calcutta Tramways Co. is taken over by the
government of West Bengal. (Assets vested with
government in 1976.)

1968
Dadar Terminus inaugurated.
ICF begins production of DC EMUs.
1969
March 1: Howrah -- New Delhi Rajdhani Express begins running,
covering the 1441 km distance in 17 hrs 20 min (was previously 24
hours). Max. speed of 120 km/h with technical halts at Kanpur,
Mughalsarai, and Gomoh.
Total of about 3,500 route km electrified. Howrah-Kharagpur section
electrification is complete, as is the Igatpuri-Bhusaval section.
Golconda Exp. introduced between Vijayawada and Secunderabad as
the fastest steam-hauled train in the country. Average speed is 58
km/h.
Madras - Tambaram suburban section gets a Centralized Traffic
Control center at Egmore.

1972
Calcutta Metro construction work begins .
May 17: The Bombay Rajdhani begins service, hauled by a WDM2.
The trip takes 19 hours and 5 minutes.
Feb. 5: CLW's last steam loco, YG 3573.
1973
 Jan. 26: Jayanti Janata Express introduced between New Delhi and
Ernakulam/Mangalore, the first "classless" (all coaches second-class) train.
 First marine ISO container handled in India at Cochin (although not by
rail).

1974
 Third-class accommodation abolished.
 May 3: A total strike by railway workers including the All India
Railwaymen's paralyzes IR completely; tens of thousands are. This event
was among the factors that led to the imposition of a state of emergency in
India by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in June 1975.
 Aug. 13: Parliament regulates working hours for engine drivers to 10 hours
continuous duty at a time.

1975
 First export order for IR -- DLW sends some YDM4 units to Tanzania.
 June: Bombay's Churchgate station is the first to be provided with a special
50Hz AC supply unit to keep its station clocks accurately set; the clocks'
error dropped to about 1 second in 8 days.
1976
Jan. : IR wins its first export contract, for the supply of 15 YDM
locomotives (to be built in DLW, Varanasi) to Tanzania.
Tamilnadu Express introduced.
The Samjhauta Express begins running between India and Pakistan.
Freight trains also begin running between the two countries.
Smoking is banned in Mumbai suburban trains.
Nov. 8 : All assets of the Calcutta Tramway Co. are now vested with
the government of West Bengal.

1977
Feb. 1: National Rail Museum opened at New Delhi.
DLW manufactures prototype of high-speed bogie rated for
170km/h service.

1978
Plans drawn up for Wheel and Axle Plant.
1979
 CORE (Central Organization for Railway Electrification) formed.
 AC 2-tier coaches are introduced.

1981
 Diesel Component Works, Patiala, is set up.
 The first ISO container is hauled by IR, to the new Inland Container Depot
at Bangalore.

1983
 IR begins studies on telecom, IT, and freight information management
upgrades.
 Feb. 10: 'Great Indian Rover', a tourist train for Buddhist sites, with a
specially built rake, launched.

1984
 Wheel and Axle Plant, Yelahanka, begins production.
 Oct. 24: First phase of Calcutta Metro from Esplanade to Bhowanipur
(now the Netaji Bhawan station) done, inaugural run of metro.
 Aug. 11: Electric trains begin running between Madras and Katpadi.
1986
Computerized ticketing and reservation introduced, at New Delhi.
12-car rakes used in trial runs for suburban EMU services on WR.

1987
Automatic signalling based on axle counters introduced by CR on Palwal-Mathura
section.
Railway Coach Factory, Kapurthala, is set up.

1988
The first Shatabdi Express is introduced between New Delhi and Jhansi (later
extended to Bhopal), and becomes the fastest train in the country.
March 31: First (ICF-designed) coaches produced by the newly set-up
Railway Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala

1989
Systematic renumbering of train services using 'universal' numbers (new 4-digit
scheme).
Work begins on the Konkan Railway.
Aug. 29, 1989: The IRFCA electronic mailing list for IR railfans is born. :-)
Rail Spring Karkhana set up for production of coil springs for IR.
1990
Computerized reservations (PRS) introduced at Secunderabad, Chennai,
Mumbai, and Kolkata in addition to New Delhi (this was the early version
before the CONCERT system was developed to interconnect these).
First Self-Printing Ticket Machine (SPTM) introduced, at New Delhi.
Surekha Bhonsle joins IR - she later became the first woman locomotive
driver on IR.

1991
July 16: The hospital train, 'Lifeline Express' (Jeevan Rekha), begins
operation.

1992
Palace on Wheels changed to a broad-gauge train.

1993
AC 3-tier coaches introduced.
ICF begins production of MEMUs and 700hp DMUs.
Sleeper Class introduced on IR, separate from Second Class.
1994
Royal Orient train introduced by WR and Gujarat.
July 11: First MEMU service, Asansol - Burdwan.
August 27: CLW's first WAP-4 loco, 'Ashok', commissioned.
December: Telephone-based phone inquiry (IVRS) introduced.

1995
April 2: New Madras Beach - Tambaram BG line.
Sep. 27: End-to-end through service on the Calcutta Metro begins (Tollygunge to
Dum Dum) with 16 of the planned 17 stations.
Eleven WAP-5 locos imported from ABB (AdTranz), the first locos with 3-phase
AC technology in India.
IR launches 'Exhibition-on-Wheels', a special train with various IR-related
material forming a travelling exhibition.
IR signs agreement with Linke Hoffman Busch (LHB, now part of Alstom) for
supply of, and technology transfer for, passenger coaches.

1996
March 4: Victoria Terminus is renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.
July: Six new railway zones proposed and approved in principle.
1997
Freight services begin on Konkan Railway.
Radio communication between driver and guard introduced on the
Delhi - Mughalsarai route.
Madras MRTS begins running with service between Beach and Luz.

1998
Konkan Railway construction is completed, and the first passenger
train is flagged off on Jan. 26.

1999
Dec 2: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway becomes a World Heritage site.
New diesel locos introduced on New Jalpaiguri - Darjeeling section of
the DHR.
Credit cards accepted for booking tickets and reservations in some
stations.
Konkan Railway begins roll-on roll-off (RORO) freight services on
the Kolad-Verna section.
2000
February: Indian Railways' web site deployed.
Feb: 10 YDM-4's are reconditioned at Golden Rock and sent to Myanmar.
Feb: New lightweight passenger coaches supplied by Alsthom LHB.
May 10: First WAP-7 locomotive, 'Navkiran', from CLW.
May 17: First indigenous WAP-5 (named 'Navodit') from CLW.
All-women 'Tejaswini' squads of ticket-checkers and police officers
introduced for Mumbai suburban services.

2001
Jan 21: Freight services between India and Bangladesh officially resumed
after a gap of 25 years, on the Petrapole-Benapole BG link.
July 12: The Maitry Express begins passenger service between Bangladesh
and India.
August: The Rakesh Mohan Committee submits its report, recommending
splitting IR into an operations body and a regulatory body, rationalization
of fares, closure of unprofitable lines, a corporate approach to finances,
manpower reductions, and an aim of privatization after 15 years.
2002
Jan Shatabdi trains come into service.
June 14: Orders passed for creation of two new railway zones:
East Central and North Western.
July 6: Orders passed for creation of five new railway zones East
Coast, South Western, South East Central, North Central, and
West Central.
July 26: The first rake for the Delhi Metro is manufactured by
Rotem, South Korea.
Aug. 3: IR begins online train reservations and ticketing over the
Internet.
Sep. 17: First trial run of the Delhi Metro.
Dec. 1: Internet ticket booking extended to more cities.
Dec. 14: Narrow gauge railway museum inaugurated at Nagpur.
Dec. 25: Delhi Metro opens for commercial operation.
Dec. 31: First trial run of a train run on 5% biodiesel blended fuel
(Amritsar Shatabdi).
2003
August 9: Hyderabad/Secunderabad 'MMTS' train services begin
with 13 Lingampally-Hyderabad services and 11 Lingampally-
Secunderabad services each day.
August 20: The first indigenously manufactured 4-coach rake from
BEML for the Delhi Metro is commissioned.

2004
Jan. 23: BEML begins manufacture of Delhi Metro coaches.
July 1: Chennai area MG EMU services discontinued; last MG
EMU runs from Egmore to Tambaram marking the end of 73 years
of these stalwart trains. Also the day of the last YAM-1 run.
July 12: First goods train from Kolkata (Calcutta) to Nepal using
the Raxaul-Birgunj line.
Nov. 1: BG EMU Services inaugurated between Chennai Egmore
and Tambaram on the newly converted BG line.
Dec. 19: First underground section of Delhi Metro inaugurated
(Delhi University - Kashmiri Gate).
2005
Apr. 27 : Jammu Tawi - Udhampur line in Jammu & Kashmir
inaugurated (dedication ceremony on April 13) and the Uttar
Sampark Kranti from New Delhi to Udhampur begins running. This
line was sanctioned in April, 1980.
Apr. 26: Vigyan Mail - the second incarnation of the Science
Express -- is flagged off from Delhi Safdarjung.
Aug.: IRCTC introduces E-ticketing for IR on Aug. 12; ticketing by
SMS begins on Aug. 26.
Nov. 20: Nilgiri Mountain Railway gets UNESCO's World Heritage
Site status.

2006
Feb. 15: New Delhi - Bhopal Shatabdi cleared for running at
150km/h commercial speed on the New Delhi - Agra Cantt. stretch.
Feb. 17: Thar Express service begins with the train on the Indian
side running from Jodhpur to Munabao with the connecting train on
the Pakistan side running from Karachi to Khokhropar to Munabao
to connect.
2007
Jan. 1: Trial run of the Neral-Matheran NG train from Neral to
Jummapatti following reconstruction of the railway line that was washed
away in 2005.
Jan. 4: Private players allowed into the field of container transport
operation, ending CONCOR's monopoly.
Jan. 12: Mahaparinirvan Express, a Buddhist tourist circuit train, begins
service.
Feb. 7: Advance booking period of railway tickets changed to 90 days.
Apr. 11: IR announces new codes for passenger coaches ('B-1' for AC-3T
coaches formerly designated 'AS-1', etc.).
Apr. 11: First long-distance trains named after a corporate brand
launched. SWR granted PepsiCo the right to run three summer trains
(Bangalore - Nagarkole, Bangalore - Chennai, and Bangalore - Hubli)
under the name 'Kurkure Express' with branding by PepsiCo for its lines
of snacks of that name.
Jun. 30: Trial runs on gauge-converted BG section Madurai -
Manmadurai - Rameshwaram and Pamban Bridge.
Dec. 1: 'Red Ribbon', a special train for AIDS/HIV awareness, is flagged
off.
2008
 Jan. 6: Amritsar-Dibrugarh train derails between Basdih and Sadwar
railway stations, near Ballia, affecting rail traffic in the area for a day.
 Mar. 8: Hajipur railway station of ECR in Bihar becomes the first one to be
staffed entirely by women.
 Jun. 4: Jammu and Kashmir railway line: A trial train from Anantnag
arrives at Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar.
 Jun. 11: Centenary of the Egmore railway station at Chennai (Madras).
 Jun. 20: 12-car rakes brought into service in the Chennai area, between
Chennai Beach and Chengalpattu.
 Jun. 26: Stone India develops a special pantograph for high catenaries
allowing double-stacked container freight movement on electrified lines.
 Jun. 29: The 68km extension of the railway line from Ambassa to Agartala
is done, and NFR successfully runs a light locomotive all the way to
Tripura's capital city Agartala; the line passes through a 1.85km long tunnel
in the Atharamura hill range.
 Jul. 7: Kalka-Shimla Railway added to UNESCO Heritage list. (Official
declaration on Nov. 9.)
 Oct. 12: Inaugural run of train services between Rajwansher in Budgam
district, Srinagar, and Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir.
2009
 Jan. 12: Golden Rock develops a 3000hp Cape gauge
diesel locomotive intended for export to Mozambique
and other countries.
 Apr. 1: Golden Rock Workshop delivers first BG shunter
made by converting an MG locomotive, classed 'WCDS-
6'.
 Jul. 29: Trial runs of first standard-gauge lines of Delhi
Metro (Inderlok-Mundka).
 Sep. 18-28: First 'Duronto' non-stop expresses launched.
Sep. 18 - Howrah - H. Nizamuddin, Sep. 21 - Chennai -
H. Nizamuddin, Sep. 28 - Mumbai-Howrah and Pune -
H. Nizamuddin.
2010
Mar. 31: First air-conditioned double-decker coach, from RCF.
Apr. 1: Rail link to Vallarpadam International Container
Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) opened to traffic. (Includes the
longest (4.62km) railway bridge in the country.)
Apr. 2: First standard-gauge metro line inaugurated - the
Inderlok-Mundka section ('Green Line') of the Delhi Metro.
Jul. 23: IRCTC is stripped of its monopoly in handling catering
for prestigious long-haul trains like Rajdhanis and Shatabdis.
Aug. 15: First rake of Mumbai Metro, from Shanghai, arrives at
the new (under construction) Versova car shed for inspection and
trials.
Chennai Metro: Contract signed with Alstom for supply of 42
train-sets.
Dec. 20: IR switches to using 5-digit train numbers, with
passenger trains within each zone and suburban services, etc., all
being brought under the same uniform system.
2011
Apr. 16: IR launches "Rail Bandhu", an on-board magazine on long-
distance trains.
Oct. 1: The first double-decker superfast train commences running
between Howrah and Dhanbad.
Oct. 14: NR opens India's longest railway tunnel opens: 10.96km
long, piercing the Pir Panjal mountain range in Jammu and Kashmir,
and part of the Udhampur - Srinagar - Baramulla rail link.
Nov. 19: Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari "Vivek Express" is launched,
which has the longest route ever of a scheduled IR train, at 4,286km.

2012
Feb. 5: Western Railway switches to 25kV AC traction for Mumbai
area, ending its use of 1.5kV DC traction.
April: Railway Coach Factory, Kapurthala, starts producing fireproof
coaches with stainless steel bodies, and fire-resistant fittings.
Nov. 8: Rail Coach Factory at Lalganj in Rae Bareli district
inaugurated.
RARE COLLECTIONS
HOWRAH STATION IN OLDEN
DAYS
GIPR MOTOR COACH
PAMBAN RAILWAY BRIDGE
TRAIN IN BHORE GHATS
TRAM SERVICE IN BOMBAY
DOUBLE DECKER TRAIN
LOGO COLLECTION
LOGO COLLECTION
OLD WORKHORSE OF CHENNAI
HPS 62 OF EAST PAKISTAN RAILWAY
TICKETS COLLECTION
TICKETS COLLECTION
AIRCRAFT TYPE TICKET
BOOKLET
TICKET COLLECTION
FERRY SERVICE
Thank You 