Chapter-1

Introduction to Railway Engineering

1.1 Lecture Outline
 Importance of Transportation
 History of Indian Railways
 Zoning System
 Comparison of important characteristics of road transport and rail transport

1.2 Transportation System

It is an optimum combination of Fixed facilities, Flow entities, Operational plans,
Storage facilities and Control systems, that permit people and goods to overcome the
friction offered by geographical spaces in a most efficient, safe and convenient manner
in order to achieve time and place utility for the desired activity.

1.3 Importance of Transportation

 To derive benefits out of the system with respect to:
 Economic aspects
 Cultural and Social aspects
 Political aspects
 Environmental aspects

1.4 Types of Transportation Systems

 Public or Mass Transport systems
 Private Transport systems
 Intermediate Transport systems
 Coordination and Combinations

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1.5 Salient features
 Railways cover 63,140 route kms as on 31.3.2002
 Broad gauge - 45,099kms, Meter gauge - 14,776 kms and Narrow gauge -
3,265kms.
 Indian Railways own a fleet of 2,16,717 wagons (units), 39,236 coaches and
7,739 number of locomotives and manage to run 14,444 trains daily, including
about 8,702 passenger trains.
 They carry more than a million tonne of freight traffic and about 14 million
passengers covering 6,856 number of stations daily.
 Railways are five to six times more energy efficient, four times more efficient in
land use and significantly superior from the standpoints or environment impact
and safety.
 Research, Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) is the sole research
and development wing of Indian Railways, functioning as the technical adviser
and consultant to the Ministry, Zonal Railways and Production Units.
 The Indian Railway system is managed through zones and operating divisions.
There are sixteen zones, ten divisions and six production units engaged in
manufacturing rolling stock, wheels and axles and other ancillary components to
meet Railways’ requirements.

1.6 Comparison of Modes

 Cost --- Vehicle, facility, operation, maintenance
 Unit of transport
 Degree of freedom
 Dependability
 Flexibility and Adaptability
 Safety --- Accidents, Operational control
 Hauling Distances
 Speeds / travel time
 Type of traffic
 Employment Potential
 Gradient traversed
 Resistances
 Hauling capacity
 Ownership controls
 Fuel consumption
 Net tonne-kms per vehicle hour
 Noise Nuisance
 Problem of storage