Amarkantak Express: Holy for Railfans as holy as Amarkantak is for devotees. - Ayan G

--The Success story of RDSO( Research, Design and Standards Organisation of Indian Railways) through various difficulties behind the launch of First Rajdhani of IR in the year1969-
Four decades later, the story can be told. India's first ever Rajdhani was launched, not with the exuberance that will mark its 40th anniversary celebrations on Mar 1,2009 but with diffidence, trepidation and more than a little opposition. In the high noon of Indira Gandhi's socialist phase, railway bosses were worried that a fully airconditioned, well-appointed superfast train, would be perceived as an ameer rath. Lower down, there was consternation at the proposed leap from 100 kmph (the highest speed at which long-distance trains then ran) to 136 kmph, the designated maximum speed for...
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the Rajdhani trials. "Our team was not welcomed in many places," says A.K. Banerji, part of the select group at the Railways' Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), which conceived and operationalised the Rajdhani in the late '60s. Objection after objection was raised, he recalls, when it took its proposal to the zonal railways whose territories the new train would run through; an engineer-in-chief even chose to switch jobs than be part of such a 'risky' venture.
The running status of Rajdhani in 1969 i.e 45 years 11 months ago(From today)
Distance: 1,445 km from Howrah to New Delhi
Time: 17 hrs, 20 min
Stops: Three technical stops at Gomoh, Mughalsarai, Kanpur. No passenger pick-ups or drops.
Coaches: 9, built in Integral Coach Factory, Perambur—two power cars, 5 AC chair cars, 1 AC dining car, I AC first class coach Fully airconditioned
Loco: It ran on diesel engine
Maximum Speed: 120 kmph
Fare: Rs 90 for AC chaircar, Rs 280 for AC first class, including food
Menu: Morning tea and biscuits, breakfast with choice of eggs, seasonal fruits, three-course lunches and dinners, choice of European/Indian cuisine
For more details please refer: click here
This is an article published by a Jounalist ANJALI PURI in the magazine "Outlookindia. com" on March 09,2009(In the year of 40 th Anniversary of this Legendary Train) from which the above information shared in this blog.
Attached Images:
1 Old View of PF NO: 11 of Howrah Station
HWH NDLS Rajdhani on the platform in the picture with diesel loco
Source: click here
2 New Delhi Howrah Rajdhani Express first arrival at Howrah from New Delhi on March 2 1969
Source: click here
3 NDLS HWH Rajdhani Power Car on Mar 2 1969
Source: click here