Are there continuous rail connections from India to Central Asia or Europe?

19-07-2019

Ignoring political and practical problems in actually using such connections for passenger services, as of 2009 or so the answer is Yes!! There are continuous physical railway connections from easternmost India all the way to the UK. Read on... From Quetta in Pakistan, the Nushki Extension Railway runs through Mirjaveh (Mirjawa) on the border to Zahidan (Zahedan, also known as Duzdap) in Iran on 5'6" gauge. (It passes close by the live Kuh-i-Taftan (Koh-i-Taftan) volcano.) This line was constructed started from Spezand Jn. near Quetta to Nushki in 1905. Extension work continued from 1917, reaching Zahidan by 1922 (1918?), covering 704km (440 miles). Trains have been running intermittently

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How do the drivers in the leading loco(s) and the banker(s) communicate?
July 17, 2019

These days, it is more common for crew to be issued walkie-talkies, so communication is a bit less of a problem, but without them, coordinating the banking efforts with the leading loco always called for great skill and ingenuity. The drivers made use of horn signals, brakes, and also closely observed the load on the locomotives (by monitoring the

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What are bankers? Why are bankers used?
July 17, 2019

A banker is a locomotive that assists in hauling a train up a steep gradient. A banker is attached to the rear of the train and pushes the train from the rear while the normal locomotive of the train pulls it as usual from the front. Bankers are used for two reasons. One is that, of course, the leading loco may need assistance on a steep

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What are catch and slip sidings? How are runaway trains managed?
July 17, 2019

Catch sidings are sidings provided to divert runaway trains off the main line on approach to a station, or on steep downward slopes. Points are normally set to route all trains to the siding, which may end in a sand trap to slow down and halt any train that is moving too fast and out of control. This prevents runaways from entering station or yard

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What happens when the Alarm Chain (Emergency Chain) is pulled in a coach? (ACP, Alarm Chain Pulling)
July 17, 2019

The alarm chain in a passenger coach is designed to create a break in the continuity of the brake pipes (whether vacuum or air brakes), immediately resulting in a loss of brake pressure (or vacuum) and thereby cause the train brakes to be applied. With vacuum brakes, a clappet valve is provided that is released by the pulling of the alarm chain,

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How is train parting dealt with?
July 17, 2019

If a train parts en route with a coupler failure, the guard uses his brakes to attempt to slow down his portion of the train to a safe halt. (If the train is being banked, the banker brings the train to a halt on seeing the guard's signal, and also sounds a danger signal to attract the attention of the driver in front.) If the front portion of the

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How are runaway vehicles and out-of-control trains dealt with?
July 17, 2019

In case of trains passing signals at danger or running through a station out of control, or moving on block sections without authority to proceed, the station master must inform the next station ahead of this occurrence (and on controlled sections must inform traffic control). The station master of that station then sets its departure and

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