#Know your train 005
#Kalka Mail
#Name: This train connects Kolkata and Kalka, Haryana and bears the name of
Kalka.
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*Previously before independence, this train was named as
East India Railway Mail.
#Operator(s): This train is maintained and operated by the Kolkata based
Eastern Railways(ER).
#Inauguration: This train is one of the oldest
trains of India, It was
inaugurated on Monday,
January 1st 1866.
*This train(Numbered as 1UP/2DN) began operation between Calcutta
and Delhi and was further extended to Kalka.
*This train used to carry the
Viceroy of India and the other
British officials from Calcutta,
the then national capital of
India to Kalka from where they
carried on their cars to Shimla,
the summer capital of India.
*Kalka was the nearest station
of Shimla on Broad Gauge.
*Hence both the station and
the train had been very much
important for government
officials till air travel was
introduced.
*During that time this highly
prestigious train was known
as 1UP/2DN East India Railway
Mail.
#Regions and States: This train travels
through the states of
West Bengal, Jharkahnd,
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Haryana and
Chandigarh.
#Railway Zones and Halts: This train passes
through the Railway
Zones,
1.Eastern Railways
(ER)
2.East Central
Railways(ECR).
3.North Central
Railways(NCR)
4.Northern Railways
(NR).
*Having halts,
ER-4
ECR-10
NCR-12
NR-13
Total: 37 halts
between Kolkata
Howrah Junction
and Kalka.
#Languages: This train connects Bengali, Hindi
,Urdu and Punjabi speaking
regions of India.
#Speed: #Max: 110 Kmh between HWH and
GAYA &
#Min: 45 Kmh between MGS and CNB.
#Average Speed: This train travels a distance
of 1713 km in 32 hours&50
mins with an avg.speed of
52kmh.
#Disasters and accidents:13 coaches of Kalka Mail derailed on Kanpur-Fatehpur line near Fatehpur Malwa Station on 10 July 2011 afternoon.
* The cause is unknown though poor maintenance of the locomotive is suspected to be the cause as the engine had started swaying sideways just before the accident.
*More than 69 persons died and 200 were injured.
* The injured were taken to hospitals of Kanpur, Lucknow and Allahabad.
(source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalka_Mail
the disaster part only.)
#Ratings:1.Choie of people: Full of people
around the year- 8.5/10
2. Speed: Good- 7.5/10
3. Quality of food: Good- 8/10
4. Punctuality: Average-6.5/10
5. Cleanliness: Good- 7/10.
TOTAL: 37.5/50.

#KnowYourTrain
.
#Vaigai Express
.
~~~ Madurai’s Own Train ~~~
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#Name: The city of Madurai in Southern Tamil Nadu is situated on the banks of the river Vaigai. Since the train connects Chennai with Madurai, it has been aptly named as Vaigai Express.
.
#Inauguration: 15th August, 1977 from Madurai
.
#Regions (Physical): Eastern Coastal Plain, Kalvarayan Hills, Plains of the Palani Hills, Kaveri Delta
.
#Regions of State: The districts of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Tiruchchirapalli, Dindigul and Madurai
.
#Zone, #Division: The train belongs to #SR Zone, Madurai Division. The train passes through the following divisions: #SR – Chennai, Thiruchirapalli, Madurai
.
#Route:
> Madurai – Chennai Egmore Line (via Chord Line)
.
#Halts, #States: The train passes entirely through one state and halts at 7 intermediate stations, excluding originating and destination stations.
.
#Soils: It crosses through region having Alluvial, Black and Red soil
.
#Rivers: Cooum, Adyar, Palar, Gedilam, Pennar, Manimuthar, Kaveri, Vaigai
.
#Languages: Tamil
.
#Speed: Highest average speed: 95 kmph between Vridhhachalam Jn and Ariyalur
Lowest average speed: 47 kmph between Dindigul Jn and Madurai Jn
.
#Trivia:
> The only train on IR (along with Pallavan Exp) to have a PS coach – Half of which is Pantry Car and half is Second Sitting.
> In the days of MG, it used to run with special green and yellow livery, with twin YDM-4 locos.
> MG Locos had Special double tone horn for easy identification
> The locos always ran in Short Hood Forward mode
> It was the only MG train of SR certified to run at 110 kmph
> For the first time on the MG, the ICF manufactured two 40-seat AC chair car coaches exclusively for the Vaigai and Pallavan express.
> The driver and the Guard had corded telephone system to communicate with each other.
.
#RSA: 12605/06 MS-TPJ-MS Pallavan SF Express
.
#Base: Madurai Jn
.
Photo Credits:
Pic-1: Train Board (click here )
Pic-2: MG Vaigai Express of the yesteryears ( /blog/post/668092 )
Pic-3: Chennai Egmore Station (click here )
Pic-4: Kamrajar Salai, Marina Beach, Chennai (click here )
Pic-5: Vaigai River (click here )
Pic-6: Madurai Station (click here )
Pic-7: Meenakshi Temple, Madurai ( click here )

#ICF Perumur Chennai by #BK (Biplob Kagyung)
Profile
#INAUGURATION
Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, is a premier Production Unit of Indian Railways
manufacturing railway...
more...

passenger coaches.
ICF is the first of its kind to be established after Independence for the manufacture of
light weight, all steel and all welded “Integral” railway passenger coaches. The factory
was set up in 1955 with Swiss collaboration.
#PRODUCTION
ICF’s initial plan was to produce 350 Broad Gauge Third Class shells (unfurnished
body of the Railway Coaches) only, which were to be furnished by the Zonal Railways’
workshops. Later, in view of the severe limitation of capacity of the Railway
workshops and also to take advantage of mass production, a separate Furnishing
Division was added on 2nd October, 1962. The capacity was progressively expanded
from the initial 350 shells to 750 fully furnished coaches per annum by 1973-74 with
additional inputs. This was enhanced progressively from 850 coaches during 1986-87
to 1000 coaches in 1990-91. The modernization project is under last stage of
execution to augment capacity to 1250 coaches and will be over by 2010-11.
Capacity is further being enhanced to 1500 coaches per annum through infrastructure
additions and modernization of machines.
#DESIGN FEATURES
The design concept of the coach stipulates that the roof, side wall, end wall and the
underframe are joined together by welding, to form a fully ‘integral’ coach shell. The
end-wall construction has been made specially strong to make it anti-telescopic to
ensure maximum safety to passengers. Further, crashworthy features are provided
with CBC design to minimize impact on passengers during accidents/derailments.
From the basic design handed down by the collaborators, ICF has diversified having
established its expertise and skill in this field, to design and manufacture more than
350 different types of coaches for Indian Railways and export market. Every time a
new type of coach is launched, emphasis is laid on improving passenger comfort,
passenger safety and higher speeds. ICF follows standard inspection procedures to
ensure quality from raw material stage to the finished coach. PRODUCT RANGE
ICF has been meeting the needs of the Indian Railways for varied types of coaches,
however sophisticated the type may be. Some of the important types are:
1. SELF PROPELLED COACHES
· Electric Multiple Units for suburban services in Metropolitan cities;
· Diesel Rail Cars;
· Metro Coaches for Kolkata Metro Railways;
· Diesel Electric Multiple Units & Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Units for non-electrified
routes and Mainline Electric Multiple Units for long distance inter-city commutership.
. Accident Relief Trains / Medical Vans
. OHE Inspection Cars
2. AIR-CONDITIONED & NON-AIRCONDITIONED PASSENGER COACHES
· Air-conditioned Sleeper Coaches of first & second class;
· Air-conditioned Chair Cars of first and second class;
· Double Decker Coaches with seating capacity for 148 passengers as against the
conventional 90 passengers.
3. SPECIAL COACHES
· Air-conditioned & Non-air-conditioned Pantry Cars
· High Capacity Power Cars for Shatabdi & Rajdhani Express Trains
· Air-conditioned Military Ward and Saloon Cars for Indian Army.
· Air-conditioned Saloon Cars, Dining Cars, Bar & Restaurant Cars, luxury suites for
luxury tourist trains like Palace on Wheels (WR), Deccan Odyssey (CR), The Golden
Chariot (SWR), Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (NWR) and Maharajas’ Express of IRCTC
. Lifeline Express for operation of hospital on wheels
. Jet Deflector Crane Cars, Inter Communication Coaches for DRDO
EXPORT
ICF’s achievement on the export front has been enviable since its inception. Against
stiff international competition from more advanced countries like Japan, etc., ICF
secured several export orders, most of which are repeat orders. So far, 359 bogies,
11 stainless steel coach shells and 481 coaches including air-conditioned coaches
have been exported to 13 Afro-Asian countries. ICF has bagged a number of awards
for Export Excellence also. DESIGN & DEVLOPMENT EFFORTS
Complementing the existing design capacities and facilities, a fully computerised
Design & Development Cell has been set up with sophisticated state-of-the-art
computer designing facilities and testing equipment both for coach components and
raw materials. D&D Centre uses 3-D modelling on SolidWorks platform for generating
3-D drawings and IDEAS software for Finite Element Analysis.
Strain gauge testing and squeeze test are done on prototypes before commencement
of series production.
#PRODUCTION WITH INNOVATION
ICF has carved a niche in the Indian Railway system by constantly improving the
‘quality of travel’ through its passenger coach design which has undergone a sea-
change from the days of bye-gone era of mere ‘transport of passengers’. There has
been a steady growth both in the quality and quantity of its production. Over the
years ICF has endeavoured to meet passengers’ expectations through innovations like
 Cushioned seats in General Second Class and SLR coaches
 Provision of Controlled Discharge Toilet Systems
 Anti-injury features in the passenger areas of A/C 2-tier and Sleeper coaches
 Enhanced carrying capacity in A/C 2-tier, First A/C and Garib Rath Chair Car
 Provision of forced ventilation, PIS/PAS in AC/DC EMUs for WR and CR
 UIC vestibules in mainline coaches
 Disabled friendly features in SLRD/SRD coaches
 Modular toilets in passenger coaches
 Stainless steel panelling, handholds in EMUs
 Provision of laptop and cell phone charging points in passenger coaches
 Use of stainless steel in Pantry Cars including interiors and the equipment
As milestones in this endless travel, ICF has obtained the ISO: 9001, ISO: 14001 and
ISO: 18001 certificates for the QMS, EMS and OHSAS systems respectively.
All this has been made possible through ICF’s commitment to progress and
improvement with its dedicated workforce functioning in a contented atmosphere in
pleasant surroundings and working conditions. Several welfare schemes like staff
quarters, adequate clean water supply, improved medical facilities, online information
kiosks, issue of pass centrally, encouragement in sports activities, etc., are provided.
PRODUCTION WITH INNOVATION is our motto and we will continue to live
up to it.