In today's world, Indian rail transport’s prestige and success are widely driven by names like the Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat trains, but to many rail fans, there's a train that holds a legacy that has been standing unmatched for nearly 6 decades.
Even today, once that train is announced at a station, the RPF personnel pays attention, the station staff ensures the train gets a priority departure, and other trains are typically put on a hold. We are referring to the one and only, the Rajdhani Express, which has arguably been the most prestigious train of India since 1969.
Rajdhani Express: A History
Post-independence, the various railway companies in India were gradually nationalised. By then, the names Frontier Mail and Deccan Queen were considered as super-fast luxury express services. These trains had enjoyed a luxury status since the British Raj.
In 1956, India’s first fully air-conditioned train was flagged off between Howrah and New Delhi, which was called the “Deluxe Express” (Successor: Poorva Express), with the aim to provide an air-conditioned, premium service for a comfortable travel among India's growing metropolitan cities. The start of the Deluxe Express gave more room to the idea of what was going to become the Rajdhani Express.
Rather than just luxury, speed was yet another concern. Those days, most trains did not have a top speed higher than 100 km/h (62 mph).
undertake a study to achieve increased speed for its trains, says an Eastern Railway
spokesperson. For the past 100 years, the maximum speed on broad gauge in
Indian Railways had been restricted to 96 km/hour. A target of 160 km/h for
passenger traffic and 100 km/h for goods traffic, with an intermediate stage of
120 km/h for passenger traffic was laid. Work started from 1962. And then, as
a Hindustan Times report in 1969 states, tests began in 1967... The diesel
locomotives and coaches were tested under all conditions including heavy rains.’ ”
By the mid 1960's, the diesel engines WDM-2 and WDM-4 were introduced to
service. These engines were capable of speeds of up to 120 km/h.
The Integral Coach Factory was established in Chennai in 1955.
A new, completely air-conditioned rake from the ICF was rolled out, and the
express train capable of operating at 120 km/h was announced in the 1969
railway budget.
On the 1st of March 1969, with nine coaches and a WDM-4 diesel locomotive,
the first Rajdhani Express of India was set to work between New Delhi and
Howrah. This train covered approximately 900 miles in 17 hours and 20 minutes,
and achieved an impressive top speed of 120 km/h, which made it the fastest train
in India back then.
The Rajdhani Express offered luxury facilities like a pantry car, dedicated
compartments for first-class passengers and so on.
More Rajdhanis on the Line
Following the Howrah Rajdhani’s success, India's second Rajdhani Express
was introduced in 1972, linking New Delhi with the nation’s financial capital,
Bombay. WDM-2 diesel locomotives used to haul this service, also at a top
speed of 120 km/h.
Many more Rajdhanis were introduced in the 1990s. The services primarily
linked New Delhi to various growing cities of India with luxury, speed and
high-priority.
The Rajdhani Express trains became one of the highest priority services in Indian
Railways. The lengths of the trains gradually increased, and the top speed was
raised from 120 km/h to 130 km/h.
How were the Rajdhani Express coaches different?
Normal ICF coaches used axle-driven alternators attached near the bogies that
would supply electricity for the coaches’ inner electrical equipment like A/Cs,
fans, and so on.
However, the ICF coaches used in Rajdhani Express utilised two diesel generator
cars usually positioned at each end. Normally, one of these two cars would be in
use at once. This reduced the weight of each coach and is one of the reasons why
the train could operate at 120-130 km/h.
Most Rajdhani Expresses were hauled by WDM-4 and WDM-2 diesel
locomotives. Though electric locomotives did exist, lack of electrification in
most areas gave more time for the diesel engines to stay.
Electric Engines Take Over
In the 1980s, the WAP-1 locomotives were introduced. These passenger
train-specific engines could operate at a top speed of 130 km/h, in contrast
with the previously introduced AC mixed-traffic electric locomotives. The WAP-1s
eventually replaced the WDM-4 and WDM-2s for hauling the Rajdhani Express.
For a few years, the WDM-2 engines continued with the Bombay-bound Rajdhanis
particularly for the DC electrified sections near Bombay. These Rajdhani Express
trains would go through a locomotive changeover at specific stations.
By the 1990s, the advanced WAP-4 and WAP-5 locomotives were introduced to
service. The WAP-5, a Swiss technology locomotive which had set a record speed
of 184 km/h, was set to work for some of the Rajdhani Express trains. Additionally,
some WAP-4s also hauled some of the Rajdhani Express trains.
Other Rajdhanis on unelectrified regions were hauled by newly introduced diesel
locomotives like the WDM-3A and WDP-3A.
These days, most of the Rajdhani Express trains are hauled by the WAP-7
locomotive. The locomotive offers impressive acceleration, and is capable to
operate at 130 km/h.
The New LHB Rakes for the Rajdhani
Many successful technical modifications introduced by Indian Railways were tried
and tested on the Rajdhani Express trains as a priority.
The ICF Coaches had been serving in the Rajdhani Express services for almost 3
decades, until the modern and highly advanced LHB Coaches were introduced to
service on the Shatabdi Express.
In late 2003, the Mumbai Rajdhani Express became the first Rajdhani Express to
receive LHB coaches. In contrast with ICF, the LHB Coaches were more stable,
safe and quieter.
These days, most of the Rajdhani Express trains operate with the red-grey LHB
rakes.
The Irony to Rail fans
For many old rail fans, the original red-orange colored ICF coaches with a creamish strip through the windows carried the actual distinctiveness of the Rajdhani Express from other trains.
Most other express trains of Indian Railways now run with the same color and coaches. Earlier, one could differentiate between an ordinary train and a Rajdhani Express. That distinctiveness seems to have faded away.
Rajdhani gets Automatic Doors
Following the success of the Vande Bharat Express with unique features like rotatable seats, reading lights, automated doors, 2021 onwards, the Agartala Rajdhani Express began operations with the highly advanced Tejas rake. This service then came to be known as “Agartala Tejas Rajdhani.”
The rake had a yellow livery with artwork (inspired by the original Tejas Express), automated doors, bio-toilets, Wi-Fi, fire alarms, CCTVs, and so on. Later, many other Rajdhanis like the Patna and Buvaneshwar Rajdhani Express trains received new Tejas rakes.
Conclusion
While Indian Railways’ other major achievements like the Vande Bharat, Tejas and Vande Sleeper are widely appreciated across the nation, it's worth considering that there was a time when Rajdhani Express’ success dominated the network.
By now, Indian Railways runs many premium express trains like the Shatabdi Express, the Duronto Express, the Humsafar Express and the Vande Bharat Express. But if you ask which was the first, or maybe which one laid the standard of these premium express trains, it was none other than the one and the only, the Rajdhani Express.
Comments
Post a Comment