Facts about Indian Railways

Indian Railways are certainly the 'Lifeline of the Nation' since the last 150 years. Indian Railways are known to be the largest railway network in Asia as well as world's largest railway system under a single management. IR has about 1.6 million people employed, making itself the second largest commercial or utility employer in the world.

IR has boasted of more than 7,500 railway stations. It has a fleet of about 7800 locomotives, 40,000 coaches 3,26,000 wagons. 9 pairs of Rajdhani and 13 pairs of Shatabdi Express Trains run on the rail tracks of India. In the year 1977, the National Rail Museum was established at New Delhi. Here is a list providing some interesting and amazing facts about Indian Railways.

First Passenger Train Ran On- 16th April 1853 (between Bombay to Thane)

First Railway Bridge- Dapoorie Viaduct on the Mumbai-Thane route

First Ghats Covered by the Rail lines- Thal and Bhore Ghats

First Computerized Reservation System started in- New Delhi (1986)

First Electric Train ran on- 3rd Feb' 1925 (between Bombay VT and Kurla)

Toilets on Trains were introduced in- 1891 (1st Class) 1907 (lower classes)

Shortest Station Name- Ib (Orissa)

Longest Station Name- Sri Venkatanarasimharajuvariapeta (Tamil Nadu)

Shortest Run- Route between Nagpur to Ajni (3km)

Longest Non-Stop Run (Distance)- Trivandrum Rajdhani (528 km in 6.5 hrs)

Longest Railway Platform in the World- Kharagpur (2,733 ft in length)

Longest Railway Bridge- Nehru Setu on Sone River (10044ft in length)

Oldest Preserved Locomotive- Fairy Queen (1855), still in working order

Gauges of Track- 4 Gauges; BG (5'6"), MG (1 metre), NG (2)

IR Daily Runs- About 14,000 trains

IR Daily Carries- More than 11 million passengers 1 million tonnes of freight

Railway Station with all the Three Gauges - Siliguri Railway Station