Indian trains to have 5-digit numbering system

With Indian Railways running over 10000 trains everyday, the four digit numbering scheme for the trains had to be changed. The five digit train numbering scheme has been finally announced. So the train numbers will now have a prefix (number 1). This will be applicable to all scheduled, express, mail and superfast trains.

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Mumbai railway stations map for local trains

While travelling by local trains, it makes a lot of sense to know which station would come before your destination station. So here's the map of the Mumbai local train network. Know the sequence of stations and the various routes in the Western, Central and Harbour lines.

Please Note: This map is not as per scale.

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Harbour line completed a century

We can’t stop praising it, we can’t stop complaining about it. But Mumbai local trains’ harbour line that completed a century on December 12 has come a long way and has improved a lot over the years.

The first trains ran between Kurla and Reay Road stations in the year 1910. And 100 years on, we have the extended harbour and trans-harbour routes with 38 trains (and counting) on the harbour line! The 9-coach trains are gradually advancing to 12 coach. Of course, we are still adjusting to figure out which compartment will halt where at the platforms... but it appears that a year from now we would have more convenience.

Number of passengers travelling daily on the harbour line – Over ten lakh!

There’s so much to the impressive history of the origin and development of the harbour line. Mr Rajendra Aklekar’s article tells us more about it.

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When the train did not stop for Roma

She lost her balance on the train when her head hit hard on the tracks. Commuters did pull the chain, but the train never stopped. Poor Roma Talreja, all of 21, lied in an unconscious state on the tracks between Ghansoli and Rabale stations on Friday, 10th December 2010.

But she is not all that unlucky. Fortunately, Baleshwar Mishra saw her fall from an train passing on a Vashi-bound train. The brave-heart jumped off from his train hoping he might be able to save someone's life. He did save her!

But what if it was not for him? Why was the train not stopped after the chain being pulled? All right, the train slowed down and the guard did look around. But what was his calculation? Shouldn't someone have approached the compartment to figure out why was the chain pulled in the first case?

Now while the authorities are continuously warning us to use the FOBs instead of crossing tracks and losing our life, what about the warning (chain-pulling) we give to them when a life is in danger? God bless Baleshwar and make life easier for Mumbai's local train commuters.

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12-coach trains on Thane-Vashi-Nerul-Panvel route

Convenience for trans-harbour commuters is touching new highs month after month! From today, 18 local train services on the Thane-Vashi-Nerul-Panvel route will be converted into 12-coach services!

How I had to walk a bit ahead at Vashi and Koparkhairane stations on Thursday as the trains halted a bit farther than their regular place (reaching the extended part of the platforms). It was an indication for the new times to come. And we get the news of the 12-coach trains starting from today. Here is the timetable of the trans-harbour services which will be 12-coach:

Click here for Thane-Nerul-Belapur-Panvel timetable

Click here for Panvel- Nerul - Thane timetable

Click here for Thane-Vashi Time Table

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Andheri to CST train timetable

Andheri starting local trains to CST station leave from platform numbers 6/7 on the west side of Andheri station. The frequency ranges from 20-30 minutes. It takes the train 42 minutes to reach CST from Andheri! The time taken by the train to reach Wadala is 24 minutes.

Here's the Andheri-CST local trains' timetable:

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Afternoon magic - CST to Vashi

Sipping some coffee by the window, listening to music and watching cute kids playing around - welcome to Mumbai local trains during afternoons!

I took a Panvel train from CST station around 3 pm today and the long journey was a true stress-buster! I picked up a cup of coffee from one of those Cafe Coffee Day stalls at CST station (just for Rs 7), calmly walked towards the CST-starting train and was pleased to get a window seat.... aaraam se. No dhakka-mukki, no tu-tu-main-main... the train was heavenly. Slowly the train started getting occupied and before I knew there were 2 toddlers around me.

Watching them as they wanted to stand by the window and the way they were excited about traveling by the train was wonderful. A little girl, I suppose she was around 3, was elated as I asked her to sit at the window seat. She was the elder one, elegantly holding her tiny purse and calling out her little sister who was not even 2 years old. This cutie had all eyes on her with her cute expressions and all the masti. Soon someone besides me had to alight. She got to sit next to me and she held my hand as if I was known to her. Playing with the paper bag I was holding was great fun for her. The elder one by now was dozing off... the way we have our falling-asleep-head-jerk in trains! Their mom and grandmother, who wore a traditional navvari saree, were all very cool too!

And so I thoroughly enjoyed my local train trip to Vashi... after all 2 little smiling angels gave me such a sweet company!

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History: WR discovers 12th century stone inscription!

A fellow blogger Mr Rajendra Aklekar has been fascinated by the relics lying around the Central / Western Railways since long. He has been providing interesting information and insights on his blog. He is working towards documenting and archiving those silent structures that so vividly tell the tale of the glorious past and is working towards it.

Check out his latest article on Western Railway discovering a 12th century stone inscription at Mahalaxmi scrapyard. The inscription originally unearthed at Nallasopara has been lying at the scrapyard for over 25 years! Check out the interesting details about the stone here.

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