INDIAN RAILWAYS
Indian Railways(IR) is an Indian state owned enterprise, owned and operated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Railways. It is one of the worlds largest railway network comprising 115000km of track over a route of 67312km and 7112 stations. Railways were first introduced to India in the year 1853 from Mumbai to Thane. In 1951 the systems were nationalized as one unit, the Indian Railways, becoming one of the largest networks in the world.IR operates both long distance and suburban rail system on a multi gauge network of broad, meter and narrow gauge. It also owns locomotive and coach production facilities at several places in India, with assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Its operations cover 29states and 7 union territories and also provide limited international services to Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Indian Railways is the worlds seventh largest commercial or utility employer, by number of employees, with over 1.376 million employees as of last published figures in 2013.IR's rolling stock comprises over 245267 freight wagons,66392 passenger coaches and 10499 locomotives. The train have a 5-digit numbering system and runs 12617 passenger trains and 7421 freight trains daily. As of 31 March 2016, 27999km of the total 67312km route length was electrified. Since 1960,almost all electrified sections on IR use 25000 volt AC traction through overhead catenary of delivery.
RAILWAY ZONES
Indian Railway is divided into 17 zones, which is further classified into divisions. The number of zones in Indian Railways increased from 6 to 8 in 1951,nine in 1966 and sixteen in 2003.Each zonal railway is made up of a certain number of divisions each having a divisional headquarters. There are a total of sixty-eight divisions.
Each zone is headed by a general manager, who reports directly to the Railway Board. The zones are further divided into divisions under the control of Divisional Railway Managers(DRM). The divisional officers of mechanical, electrical, signal, telecommunication, accounts, personnel, operating, commercial, security and safety branches report to the respective Divisional Railway Managers and are in charge of operation and maintenance of assets. Further down the hierarchy tree are the station masters, who control individual stations and train movements through the tracks territory under their stations administrations.
ROLLING STOCK
1) Locomotives
Locomotives in India consist of electric and diesel locomotives. The worlds first CNG locomotive is also used. In India locomotives are classified according to their track gauge, motive power and the work they are most suitable for. The class name includes information about the locomotive. It comprises of 4 or 5 letters. First letter denotes the track gauge. Second letter denotes the their motive power. The third letter denotes the kind of traffic for which they are suited.
2) Goods Wagon
The no of goods wagon was 205596 on 31 march 1951 and reached the maximum no 405183 on 31 march 1980 after which it started declining and was 239321 on 31 march 2012.The no is far less than the requirement and the Indian Railways keeps losing freight traffic to road. Indian Railways carried 93 million tonnes of goods in 1950-51 and it increased to 1010 million tonnes in 2012-13.
3) Passenger Coaches
Indian Railways has several types of passenger coaches. The coaches used in Indian Railways are produced at Integral Coach Factory(ICF),Rail Coach Factory including LHB coaches. Passenger coaches numbered 46722 on 31 march 2012.EMU coaches are used for suburban traffic in large cities.
4) Freight
Indian Railways earn about 70% of its revenue from freight traffic. Most of its profit comes from transporting freight and this makes up for losses on passenger traffic. It deliberately keeps its passenger fare low and cross subsidies the loss making passenger traffic with the profit making freight trains.
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