20 Amazing Facts About Indian Railways
We,
Indians, are so fascinated with our railway’s transport system. The Indian
Railway network doesn’t only connect different locations, but it touches our
hearts beyond any race, religion, caste, gender, or class. The tangled railway lines
unite Indians in one thread. It perfectly represents the vision of our
constitution makers that says there should be no discrimination on anyone’s
background.
Railways
carry all of us, give us space to know more about others, know nature and explore
different places. But do you know the carrier of people and freight is also
loaded with amazing facts? You will be surprised to learn that more than 1.3
million IRCTC train tickets are booked daily and thousands of passengers check
their PNR status every second. These facts will make you feel proud of your
favourite transport mode.
1- 169 Years Old Heritage- The Indian railways came into existence long back in 1853 on 16 April. Its first passenger train ran between Mumbai’s Bori Bandar to Thane, covering 34 kilometres. The train was operated by three locomotives called Sahib, Sultan and Sindh. The train had 30 wagons.
2. Indian Railways Has Its
Mascot- It is fascinating that the
railway has its ‘Shubhankar’ named Bholu. Bholu, an elephant dressed as a
railway guard, was created in 2002 by the National Institute of Design on the
150th anniversary of railways. Railways officially accepted this cheerful, ethical,
responsible, sincere, and stable elephant artwork as its mascot in 2003.
3. First Railway Workshop
Established in Bihar- Did you know that
the first railway workshop of the British government was established at
Jamalpur, near Munger, Bihar? It was established before Indian independence in
1862. The place gradually turned into one of India’s important central
industrial units, with iron and steel foundries, rolling mills, and more.
4. World’s 4th Largest Rail
Network- With over 68 thousand
kilometres, the Indian Railways is the world’s 4th largest railway network,
followed by the US, China and Russia. As of now, it has over 45 thousand
kilometres of the electrified rail network. Besides that, the railway is also
the most significant rail route globally, operated by a single government.
5. Railways Owns 4 UNESCO
World Heritage Sites - Indian Railways owns
four UNESCO recognised world heritage sites. They are Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway (inscribed in 1999), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai (inscribed in
2004), Nilgiri Mountain Railway (inscribed in 2005), and Kalka Shimla Railway
(Inscribed in 2008). Soon, it may get the congruence for two more UNESCO sites,
namely Matheran Light Railway and Kangra Valley Railway.
6. 34 Operational Rail
Museums, Heritage Gallery, Art Gallery and Heritage Park- To showcase the vast history of the nation’s lifeline,
Indian Railways have 34 operational and 3 under construction Rail Museums,
Heritage Gallery, Art Gallery and Heritage Park in different cities of India.
These sites preserve and promote rail tourism. Delhi Rail Museum is the first
railway museum in India, also known as the National rail museum of India.
7. Indian Railways Has
World’s Longest Platform- India possesses the
world’s longest platform, 1,366 metres in length, at the Gorakhpur Railway
Station in Uttar Pradesh. However, this title of Gorakhpur station will soon be
transferred to Hubli Junction Railway Station, Karnataka, officially known as Shri
Siddharoodha Swamiji Railway Station, UBL. The under construction platform is
1,505 metres in length.
8. Provides Luxurious Rides- Indian Railways proudly owns 5 royal trains named Royal
Rajasthan on Wheels, Palace on Wheels, The Golden Chariot, The Maharajas’
Express and The Deccan Odyssey. Among them, the Palaces on Wheels is the oldest
luxurious train. However, the tariff of these trains is not affordable for all.
9. Longest and Shortest
Train Ride- In India, you can take the
longest train ride from Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh with Vivek Express. It covers
4189 kilometres with 56 stops in 82 hours and 30 minutes. Whereas, it is a fun
fact that the shortest train ride in India can be taken from Nagpur to Ajni,
covering only 3 kilometres.
10. Indian Railways Has Two
Different Stations at the Same Location- Isn’t
it surprising that there are two railway stations at the exact location? But it
is a fact about railways. In Ahmednagar, Srirampur and Belapur stations are
located at the same spot but on opposite sides of the track.
11. Maximum Number of Routes
Emerges - Mathura Junction railway
station, MTJ is one of the crucial railway stations because of its religious
value and vast rail connectivity to different cities. At Mathura junction, 7
railway lines emerge, the maximum railway route from a single location.
12. 94% Of Railway’s Earning
Gets Spent for Operating It- Whatever
Railways earn, it spends 94% on running trains and its smooth functioning. For
example, if it earns 1 rupee, it spends 94 paise on operating trains. It is
also a major concern for the Railway Ministry as it doesn’t save much of its
earnings.
13. Diamond Crossing of
Indian Railways From Where Trains Go to East, West, North and South- In Nagpur, there is a diamond crossing; Railways itself
has given this name to the crossing. Two railway tracks, going towards
North-South and another two lines, going towards East-West making a square-like
shape called diamond crossing. It is a widely used crossing; railway staff need
to be attentive to operate it.
14. World’s Highest Rail
Bridge - Indian Railway is constructing the world’s highest rail
arch bridge with steel and concrete over the Chenab river. It is at the
elevation of 1178 feet from the river. The bridge will connect the Bakkal and
Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
15. Largest Employer in the
Country- Railways employ approx 1.4
million people in India. It is a fact that the Indian Railway is one of the
world’s largest employers’ companies and institutions. Apart from this direct
employment, several people earn a livelihood through railways by selling goods
and services at the stations and trains. E-catering and rail apps that provide
rail services also generate job opportunities. One station One Product is
another initiative to utilise the railway as a marketplace to boost people’s
livelihood.
16. Pir Pranjal Is India’s
Longest Rail Tunnel- Did you know the
longest rail tunnel in India is Pir Pranjal, located in the Pir Pranjal range
of the middle Himalayas in Jammu Kashmir? It is 11.25 kilometres in length. The
tunnel is part of the Jammu- Baramulla railway line.
17. Howrah Junction Is the
Busiest Railway Station- With the most number
of platforms, Howrah Junction is the busiest railway station of Indian
Railways. Its 23 platforms handle over 1 million passengers daily. Also, Howrah
is the oldest railway station in India.
18. Electrical Appliances
Functions at 110 Volts in Rail Coaches- In
India, household appliances operate at 220 volts, but electric appliances like
bulbs, fans, and sockets function at 110 volts on the railway coaches. It helps
the railway save its bulbs and fans from thieves as it becomes hard to convert
110 volts appliances into 220 volts.
19. Resonance Frequency of
the Suspension of Train Coaches Tweaked for Human Body-To match the human body’s frequency, while designing rail
coaches, the resonance frequency of suspension is kept near 1.2 Hz or 72 bpm.
It is the only reason one can also get sleep on a running train.
20. Oldest Working Indian
Locomotive Still in Use- Indian railways
still use its oldest working Locomotive, Fairy Queen, for the ride. The
locomotive works with a steam engine that runs as a tourist train between Delhi
to Alwar. The train was built in 1885 and retired in 1909. In 1997, the Fairy
Queen was relaunched. Presently, it travels at a speed of 40km/h.
Knowing
these facts about Indian Railways doesn’t seem like you knew railways better
than before. So, why are you just reading it alone? Share this rail information
with your friends and family members to let them know about the Indian rail a
little more.