Indian Railway at a Glance

1831-33 : A thought to create railway development for the transportation between Madras and Bangalore cropped up.

1844 : R. S. Stephenson thought of creating East India Railway.

1845-46  : Survey work for new rail line for Calcutta–Delhi.

1848-49  : Construction of Howrah and Raniganj rail line.

1850 : Construction of Indian Peninsular Railway company for rail line between Bombay thane and Calcutta–Mirzapur rail line began.

1853 : Inauguration of Indian Railway on 16 April, 1853 by running train between Boribundar (Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) and Thane.

1854 : 24 miles railway line EIR, between Howrah Hoogely opened on 15 August.

1856 : Madras Railway company opened Madras Arkonam for passenger transportation.

1857 : Northern Railway began its first train between Allahabad and Kanpur on March.

1860 : Morse Telegraph Telecommunication started by Indian Railway.

1860-68 : Immediate Guarantee System began  East Indian Railway Great India Peninsula Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway and Madras states Railway participated in it.

1869-81 : Under new system state government were authorised to lay rail lines.

1890 : Indian Railway Act passed.

1905 : Formation of Railway Board.

1922 : Re organisation of Railway and more right were given.

1924 : Rail Budget was separated from General Budget.

1925 : E.I.R and GIPR were given separate place and right in railway management.

1925 : First rail electrification of Harbour branch of Bombay with 1500 volt DC.

1928 : Electrification of Bombay Suburban Section of  B.B. & C.I.R.

1931 : Electrification of Madras suburban section.

1937 : India got 3200 km long rail line on separation of Burma from India.

1939-42 : Security material for world war produced in railway workshops.

1942 : War transport established.

1947 : 11,200 km long rail line to Pakistan.

1950 : First steam engine manufactured by Chitranjan  locomotive.

1950 : Nationalization of Indian  Railway.

1953 : Railway centenary celebrated throughout the country.

1955 : First diesel locomotive plied on metre gauge in Neville and Gandhidham section.

1955 : Coach factory established in Perambur.

1957 : Bombay Madras rail line from 25 KVAC inaugurated, Railway security Force Act passed.

1958 : Electrification of Howrah–Vardhman section.

1961 : First electric engine Lokmanya was manufactured by Chitranjan Locomotive.

1962 : First electric train ran between Bombay and Pune.

1964 : Kunjaru Committee organised to bring reforms in Rail administration.

1964 : Production started in Diesel Locomotive works Varanasi.

1970 : First combined planning of Railway (1970-85) started.

1972 : Manufacturing of steam engines stopped in Chitranjan Rail Engine Factory from 5 February, Jammu appeared on Indian railway map.

1974 : Third class in railway banished.

1976 : IRCON established in April.

1977 : Railway Time Table ‘Train At a Glance’ launched.

1979 : Central organisation for modernisation of workshop established.

1978 : Double Decker train service ‘Panchvati Express’ began between Bombay–Pune on 12 April.

1982 : Palace on Wheel started.

1984 : Metro train inaugurated in Calcutta.

1985 : Nation's first computerised reservation center began in New Delhi on 15 November, 1985, second combined planning (1985–2000) began.

1986 : Indian Railway Finance Corporation established.

1987 : Center for Railway Information Service established in New Delhi.

1988 : Indian Rail Electricity Institute established in Nasik optical fiber Communication Service started between Churchgate–Virat in 1988. India’s first Shatabdi Express New Delhi–Jhansi) launched.

1989 : Formation of Railway Time Committee and Railway Dhaba Authority.

1990 : Goods passengers train service began between India and Bangladesh.

1991 : First train service in Mizoram from Bhai Rabi station began on 6 March ‘Palace on Wheels’ started with new decore.

1992 : RFFC established. ‘Apna Wagon’ scheme began. For the first time in the world first women special Train between Churchgate–Borivallie on 5 May started.

1993 : Sleeper class began on 1st April. Formation of Ojha Committee to solve the problems of Konkan railway

1994 : Rail passengers Insurance Scheme launched. First Rail Bus service began between Medata road and Medata city of Northern Railway.

1995 : Metro rail began between Tollyganj and Damdam on 27 September. 1995 was celebrated as ‘Rail Consumer year’.

1996 : 6 new regional rails formed in Hubali, Hajipur, Jaipur, Bhuvneshwar, Allahabad and Jabalpur. Formation of Delhi Metro Rail corporation Ltd. On 4 March, the name Mumbai VT changed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

1997 : Telephone service based on satellite started in August Kranti Express on 15 April.

1998 : Konkan railway fully in operation from 26 January. On 1 May Prime Minister dedicated to the nation. Walky–Talky communication between guards and drivers began. 3 phase Electric engines of 6000 HP began to be manufactured indigenously. ‘Fairy Queen’ got place in Guinness Book for having the oldest Steam engine in working condition.

1999 : At  Delhi railway station, worlds, biggest route relay interlinking began. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway declared world heritage by UNESCO. Nilgiri Mountain Railway celebrated its centenary.

2000 : Online rail information system started first time at the Church gate head office on 29 April. On 17 December at Kota station of western railway first time automatic charting system inaugurated.

2001 : 22-28 January. BNR Hotel, Puri celebrated its platinum jubilee. On 24 February, at Chennai station first time Internet Trade Center was opened. On 5 November, Western railway celebrated its golden jubilee

2002 : On the beginning of 150th year of Indian Railway on 15 April, in a special programme. Mascot Bholuguard and special monogram launched.

2003 : On 5 January Western Railway celebrated golden jubilee of its Electric Rail Service. On 15 February the name of ‘Wheel and Axil factory’ changed as Rail wheel factory. On 1 May for the first time RailTel began broadband in the moving train in the world.

2004 : UNESCO declared Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus as world heritage.

2005 : Nilgiri Mountain Rail was declared world heritage by UNESCO. E-ticketing began in all the trains.

2006 : ‘Anumati Yojna’ began to run passenger train from 26 January. A.C. facility for general public at lower prices began.

2007 : Throughout the country with 139 Telephones Extensive Railway Enquiry began.

2008 : First train service started in Kashmir Valley on 11, October.