Monday, January 26, 2009

Facts About Indian Railways



The word general knowledge has huge connotations on multiple layers. It is a term that covers everything on the planet and even celestial space. Let’s know some interesting facts about widely used Indian railways. Indian railways service is lifeline for normal Indians. Indian railways have continued to exist since more than 150 years and have served Indians faithfully. With passage of time, many new services have been introduced by Indian railways which have helped it to become even more efficient and commendable. Indian railways are the largest railway network in Asia and that’s no mean feat.


Indian railways employ more than 1.6 million people and thus becoming the largest utility employer in the world. It is also the largest railway system under one management. Other facts about Indian railways;



  • More than 7,500 railway stations.
    First passenger train traveled between Bombay and Thane on 16th April 1853.
    Parsik Tunnel is the first rail tunnel.
    Dapoorie Viaduct is the first railway bridge ever created.
    Calcutta Metro was the first underground railway.
    Fleet of 7800 locomotives
    Total 40,000 coaches.
    Total wagon number stands to 3,26,000.
    National Rail Museum establishment took place in 1977.
    In 1986, First Computerized Reservation System started in New Delhi.
    Sri Venkatanarasimharajuvariapeta in Tamil Nadu is the longest station name.
    Run of First Electric Train took place on 3rd Feb 1925 between Bombay VT and Kurla
    Ib in Orissa is the shortest station name.
    Toilets in train were set up in 1891 for 1st Class & for lower classes it was in 1907.
    Kerala Express has the distinction of longest run for a daily train. It covers approximately 3100 Km in 42 hours.
    Himsagar Express has the longest run time of 75 hours.
    Trivandrum Rajdhani has longest non-stop run of 528 km.
    Kharagpur is the longest railway platform in the world.
    Longest tunnel is between Khandala and Monkey hill on Konkan Railway of 6.5 km.
    Approximately 14,000 trains run daily on Indian Railway network.
    Siliguri Railway Station has the all the three gauges.
    Howrah-Amritsar Express has maximum number of halts with 115 halts.