INDIAN RALIWAY

Indian Railways (reporting mark IR) is a State owned national transporter, responsible for rail transport in India. It is owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. It is the fourth largest railway network in the world comprising 119,630 kilometres (74,330 mi) of total track^[4] and 92,081 km (57,216 mi) of running track over a route of 66,687 km (41,437 mi) with 7,216 stations at the end of 2015-16.^[2] In 2015-16, IR carried 8.107 billion passengers annually or more than 22 million passengers a day and 1.101 billion tons of freight annually.^[2] As of the end of 2015-16, of the total 68,525 km (42,579 mi) route length, 28,327 km (17,602 mi) or 45% were electrified and 28,371 km (17,629 mi) or 37% were double or multiple line routes.^[5] The railway network is predominantly a broad gauge network. Small stretches of the network use metre and narrow gauges. All the electrified lines use 25 kV AC electric traction.^[2]

IR operates both long distance and suburban rail systems. Indian Railways ran on average 13,313 passenger trains daily in 2015-16. The trains have a five-digit numbering system. Mail or express trains, the most common types, run at an average speed of 50.9 km/hr.^[6]As of the end of 2015-16, IR's rolling stock comprised over 251,256 freight wagons, 70,241 passenger coaches and 11,122 locomotives(39 powered by steam, 5,869 by diesel fuel and 5214 by electricity).^[2] It also owns locomotive and coach production facilities at several places in India.

Indian Railways is the world's eighth biggest employer and had 1.331 million employees at the end of 2015-16.^[3] In 2015–2016 Indian Railways had revenues of ₹1.683 trillion (US$26 billion), consisting of ₹1.069 trillion (US$17 billion) freight earnings and ₹442.83 billion(US$6.9 billion) passengers earnings.^[2] It had an operating ratio of 90.5% in 2015-16

The history of rail transport in India began in the early nineteenth century.

1832–1852: Industrial railways[edit]

The first proposals for railways in India were made in Madras in 1832.^[7] The first train in India ran from Red Hills to Chintadripet bridge in Madras in 1837. It was called Red Hill Railway. It was hauled by a rotary steam engine locomotive manufactured by William Avery. It was built by Sir Arthur Cotton. It was mainly used for transporting granite stones for road building work in Madras.^[7] In 1845, a railway was built at Dowleswaram in Rajahmundry. It was called Godavari Dam Construction Railway. It was also built by Arthur Cotton. It was used to supply stones for construction of a dam over Godavari.^[7] On 8 May 1845, Madras Railway was incorporated. In the same year East India Railway company was incorporated. On 1 August 1849, Great Indian Peninsular Railway was incorporated by an Act of Parliament. "Guarantee System" providing free land and guaranteed rates of return (5%) to the private English companies willing to work on building railways was finalized on 17 August 1849. In 1851, a railway was built in Roorkee. It was called Solani Aqueduct Railway. It was hauled by steam locomotive Thomason, named after a British officer in-charge of same name. It was used for transporting construction materials for building of aqueduct over Solani river.^[7] In 1852, the "Madras Guaranteed Railway Company" was incorporated.

1853–1924: Passenger railways and expansion[edit]

India's first passenger train between Bombay and Thane in 1853

^{The first passenger train in India ran between Bombay (Bori Bunder) and Thane on 16 April 1853. The 14-carriage train was hauled by three steam locomotives: Sahib, Sindh and Sultan. It ran for about 34 kilometers between these two cities carrying 400 people. The line was built and operated by GIPR.[8][9] This railway line was built in 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge, which became the standard for the railways in the country. In the same year, Madras Railway was re-incorporated. The first passenger railway train in eastern India ran from Howrah to Hoogly, for distance of 24 miles, on 15 August 1854. The line was built and operated by EIR.[10] In May 1854, the Bombay-Thane line was extended to Kalyan by building bridge over "Dapoorie viaduct" over Ulhas river.[11] This was also the first railway bridge in India. In the same year GIPR started its first workshops in Byculla. In 1855, BB&CI Railway was incorporated.[12] In August 1855, EIR 'Express' and Fairy Queen steam locomotives start hauling trains.[13] The first passenger train in South India ran from Royapuram / Veyasarapady (Madras) to Wallajah Road (Arcot) on 1 July 1856, for a distance of 60 miles. It was built and operated by Madras Railway.[14] In the same year, first workshop was set up by the Madras Railway at Perambur, near Madras. The Bombay-Thane line was extended to Khopoli in same year. In 1858, Eastern Bengal Railway was incorporated.[15] On 24 February 1873, the first tramway (a horse-drawn tramway) opens in Calcutta between Sealdah and Armenian Ghat Street, a distance of 3.8 km.[16] GSIR and Carnatic Rly. merge to form the South Indian Railway. On 9 May 1874, horse-drawn tramway begin operations in Bombay between Colaba and Parel. In 1880, Calcutta Tramways Company incorporated is incorporated.[17] In 1890 East Coast State Railway is incorporated. In 1897, Lighting in passenger coaches was introduced by many railway companies. The Jodhpur Railway became the first to introduce electric lights as standard fixtures.[2]}