Indian Railways

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Indian Railways (reporting mark 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 world’s largest railway networks comprising 115,000 km (71,000 mi) of track over a route of 65,000 km (40,000 mi) and 7,500 stations. As of December 2012, it transported over 25 million passengers daily (over 9 billion on an annual basis). In 2011, IR carried over 8,900 million passengers annually or more than 24 million passengers daily (roughly half of which were suburban passengers) and 2.8 million tons of freight daily.

In 2011-2012 Indian Railways had revenues of 111984.89 crore (US$20 billion) which consists of 69675.97 crore (US$13 billion) from freight and 28645.52 crore (US$5.2 billion) from passengers tickets.

Railways were first introduced to India in 1853 from Bombay 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 systems on a multi-gauge network of broad, metre and narrow gauges. It also owns locomotive and coach production facilities at several places in India and are assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Its operations cover twenty four states and three union territories and also provides limited international services to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Indian Railways is the world’s ninth largest commercial or utility employer, by number of employees, with over 1.4 million employees. As for rolling stock, IR holds over 239,281 Freight Wagons, 59,713 Passenger Coaches and 9,549 Locomotives (43 steam, 5,197 diesel and 4,309 electric locomotives).

The trains have a 5 digit numbering system as the Indian Railways runs about 10,000 trains daily. As of 31 March 2013, 23,541 km (14,628 mi) (36%) of the total 65,000 km (40,000 mi) km route length was electrified.[4] Since 1960, almost all electrified sections on IR use 25,000 Volt AC traction through overhead catenary delivery.

The history of rail transport in India began in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1849, there was not a single kilometre of railway line in India. A British engineer, Robert Maitland Brereton, was responsible for the expansion of the railways from 1857 onwards. The Allahabad-Jabalpur branch line of the East Indian Railway had been opened in June 1867

Railway zones
Indian Railways is divided into several zones, which are further sub-divided into divisions. The number of zones in Indian Railways increased from six to eight in 1951, nine in 1952 and sixteen in 2003.[9][10] 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 of the sixteen zones is headed by a General Manager (GM) 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 engineering, mechanical, electrical, signal and telecommunication, accounts, personnel, operating, commercial, security and safety branches report to the respective Divisional Manager and are in charge of operation and maintenance of assets. Further down the hierarchy tree are the Station Masters who control individual stations and the train movement through the track territory under their stations’ administration.
Production units

Indian Railways manufactures much of its rolling stock and heavy engineering components at its six manufacturing plants, called Production Units, which are managed directly by the Ministry. Popular rolling stock builders such as CLW and DLW for electric and diesel locomotives; ICF and RCF for passenger coaches are Production Units of Indian Railways
ndian railways uses four gauges, the 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge which is wider than the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge; the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge; and two narrow gauges, 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) and 610 mm (2 ft). Track sections are rated for speeds ranging from 75 to 160 km/h (47 to 99 mph).

Indian Railways
Type:             Ministry (government department)
Industry:         Railways
Founded:         16 April 1853[1]
Headquarters New Delhi, India
Area served India
Services Passenger railways freight services Parcel carrier Catering and Tourism Services parking lot operations other related services
Revenue 106647 crore (US$20 billion) (2011–12)
Net income 14500 crore (US$2.7 billion) (2012–13)
Owner(s) Government of India (100%)
Employees 1.4 million (2011)[3]
Parent Ministry of Railways through Railway Board (India)
Divisions 17 Railway Zones
Website www.indianrailways.gov.in

Indian Railways
Reporting mark IR
Locale India
Dates of operation 16 April 1853–Present
Track gauge 1676 mm; 1000 mm; 762 mm; 610 mm
Electrification 23,541 km
Length 65,000 km
Headquarters New Delhi, India
Website www.indianrailways.gov.in
1. When was the first underground railway (Metro Railway) started?
(a) 1982 (b) 1989 (c) 1984 (d) 1992
Answer: C

2. Shatabdi Express train was started in
(a) 1984 (b) 1988 (c) 1990 (d) 1985
Answer: B

3. At which of the following places Diesel Component Works is established?
(a) Jamshedpur (b) Patiala (c) Perambur (d) Varanasi
Answer: B

4. Which Zone is the largest in Indian Railways?
(a) Central Railway (b) Northern Railway (c) Eastern Railway (d) Western Railway
Answer: C

5. The railway station situated in the extreme south is
(a) Chennai (b) Cochin (c) Kanyakumari (d) Trivandrum
Answer: C

6. A platform surrounded by rail lines from all the four sides, is called
(a) dock platform (b) passenger platform (c) island platform (d) goods platform
Answer: C

7. When was the nationalization of Indian Railways done?
(a) 1952 (b) 1950 (c) 1951 (d) 1954
Answer: B

8. In which year Research, Design and Standard organization was established?
(a) 1954 (b) 1957 (c) 1959 (d) 1967
Answer: B

9. Railway Staff College is situated at
(a) Bangalore (b) Secundrabad (c) Chennai (d) Vadodara
Answer: D

10. Where is the Research, Design and Standard Organisation situated?
(a) Lucknow (b) Bangalore (c) Pune (d) New Delhi
Answer: A

11. Which is the following pairs of regional Railways and their headquarters not true?
(a) South-Central Railway – Secunderabad
(b) Central railway – Bhopal
(c) South Railway – Chennai
(d) North Railway – New Delhi
Answer: B

12. Between which of the destinations the first Indian train was started?
(a) From Calcutta to Delhi (b) From Mumbai to Thane
(c) From Mumbai to Surat (d) From Mumbai to Madras
Answer: B

13. When was the first train in Indian started?
(a) 1851 (b) 1852 (c) 1853 (d) 1854
Answer: C

14. In which Governor-General’s reign railway lines in India were established?
(a) Lord William Bentick (b) Lord Cornwallis
(c) Lord Kenning (d) Lord Dalhousie
Answer: D

15. A station where the rail lines end, is called
(a) junction station (b) way-side-station
(c) block station (d) terminal station
Answer: D