What are the usual neutral temperatures for continuously welded rail? What equipment does IR use for track destressing?

18-07-2019

IR divides the country into five zones based on the normal temperature variation expected in each region. The maximum rail temperature difference is about 70C (ranging from a minimum of -5C to a maximum of 60C or so -- the rail temperature can be several degrees higher than the ambient temperature. The neutral temperature or stress-free temperature for CWR is usually fairly high, 40C or even higher in some locations depending on expected summer temperatures -- it is usually 5 to 10C higher than the expected mean temperature for the zone's range. Track destressing is carried out when the ambient temperature is high, not much below the maximum that is normally attained in the area. Switch

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How do the new 3-phase AC locos (WAP-5, etc.) work, and how do they compare with the earlier locos?
June 22, 2019

Three-phase AC locos such as WAP-5 use some fairly new technology as compared to the earlier generations of diesel-electrics and electrics. In most of the earlier locos, the traction motors driving the axles are DC motors. DC motors were used because they afforded (in those days) far superior speed and torque control compared to AC motors — the

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What’s the history of electric traction in India?
June 22, 2019

The first electric train ran between Bombay's Victoria Terminus and Kurla along the Harbour Line of CR, on February 3, 1925, a distance of 9.5 miles. In 1926, Thana and Mahim were connected. In 1927, electrification was complete up to Kalyan. In 1928, Borivili in the north was connected (Colaba-Borivili of WR being inaugurated on May 1). In 1929,

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What are the voltages used for electric traction in India?
June 22, 2019

The 1.5kV DC overhead system (negative earth, positive catenary) is used around Bombay (This includes Mumbai CST - Kalyan, Kalyan - Pune, Kalyan - Igatpuri, Mumbai CST - Belapur - Panvel, and Churchgate - Virar). There are plans to change this to 25kV AC by 2010. In preparation for this, BHEL has been retrofitting some Alstom EMUs with AC drives

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Who uses saloons on IR today?
June 22, 2019

Saloon cars, commonly used for luxury travel by the nobility and high-ranking officials in the past, are now far less common. A few air-conditioned saloon cars are kept for the exclusive use of General Managers of zonal railways and members of the Railway Board. Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) have exclusive use of a non-air-conditioned saloon

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What’s the history behind air-conditioning in IR?
June 22, 2019

Prior to the 1930's, various arrangements for cooling the interiors of passenger coaches existed, mostly for the first-class coaches. From the 1860's onwards, it was quite common to hang moistened mats of khas to cool the air by evaporation. In 1872, the Saunders system was introduced, which consisted of a long duct running along the length of

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When was air-conditioning introduced in IR?
June 22, 2019

The North-Western Railway introduced air-conditioned stock in the late 1930's (the earliest was probably the Frontier Mail in 1936 or 1937). BBCI Railways also experimented with air-conditioning at about the same time. By the early 1950's, air-conditioning was available on several long-distance trains. For example, in 1952-53 there were

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