Project Unigauge

Project Unigauge is an ongoing exercise by Indian Railways to standardise most of the rail gauges in India at 1676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.

India currently has significant lengths of four different gauges: the 1,676mm broad gauge which is wider than the 1,435mm standard gauge; the 1,000mm metre gauge; and two narrow gauge 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) and 610 mm (2 ft) . The total length of track used by Indian Railways was about 111,600 km (69,300 mi) while the total route length of the network was 63,273 km (39,316 mi) on 31 March 2008.^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Current Status of the Project 3 Project Unigauge 3.1 Effects on loading gauge and rolling stock 4 Maps 5 Routes remaining 5.1 2010 6 Remaining 6.1 North 6.2 Eastern 6.3 East Central Railway 6.4 North Central 6.5 Southern Railway 6.6 Western 6.7 West Central 7 Completed 7.1 2010 7.2 2009 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] History

It was observed for a long time that towns and cities on the metre (MG) and narrow gauge (NG) lines had a poorer service than equivalent towns on the broad gauge system, the speed of trains was slower and the freight traffic (ton per kilometre) on metre gauge tracks was only a small fraction of the freight traffic on broad gauge tracks. It was decided that conversion of metre and narrow gauge railway lines to broad gauge would make Indian Railways more efficient, avoid the current break of gauges, increase the freight-carrying capacity and shorten the routes with many regauged links.

Some sporadic conversion of metre gauge railway tracks to broad gauge such as Bangalore-Gooty and Pune-Miraj had taken place in the years 1971-90 but metre gauge railway tracks (such as Mangalore-Hassan through Western Ghats for Kudremukh iron ore project) continued to be laid in that period on cost considerations.

Project Unigauge started in 1990-91 in earnest. The first routes taken for conversion of gauge were Jaipur-Sawai Madhopur, Delhi-Rewari, Mahesana-Viramgam and Chhapra-Aunrihar.

[edit] Current Status of the Project

On 31 March 2008, 96,851 km of track length (86.8% of entire track length of all the gauges) and 51,082 km of route-kilometre (80.7% of entire route-kilometre of all the gauges) was broad gauge; 11,676 km of track length (10.5% of entire track length of all the gauges) and 9,442 km of route-kilometre (14.9% of entire route-kilometre of all the gauges) was metre gauge and 2,749 route-kilometre was narrow gauge.

As a result of Project Unigauge, the share of broad gauge in the total route-kilometre has been steadily rising, increasing from 47% (25,258 route-km) in 1951 to more than 83% (more than 52,500 route-km) in 2010 whereas the share of metre gauge has declined from 45% (24,185 route-km) to less than 13% (less than 9,000 route-km) in the same period and the share of narrow gauges has decreased from 8% to 3% (less than 2,500 route-km) in 2010.

Some narrow gauge tracks on which heritage trains run in hilly regions will not be converted. These are Simla Kalka-Shimla Railway, Darjeeling Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Ooty Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Kangra Kangra Valley Railway and Matheran Hill Railway.

[edit] Project Unigauge

[edit] Effects on loading gauge and rolling stock

Undertaking project Unigauge requires more than just changing the spacing between the rails. Existing railway ties may be too short and have to be replaced, even though they may not be life expired. Bogies on rolling stock would have to be replaced to fit the new gauge. Since the width of the previous passenger carriages are narrower than broad gauge ones, the gap between the platform and carriage may cause problems. Either the gap may be too large and thus unsafe, or broad gauge rolling stock is likely to hit the old platforms. Narrow tunnels and bridge of the old metre gauge may need to be widened and raised for broad gauge.

However, eliminating breaks of gauge improves rolling stock utilisation and therefore saves on the quantity of rolling stock required. Excess metre gauge rolling stock, much of it modern and in good condition, has a ready second-hand market in many other metre gauge railways around the World. Second-hand stock may also be cascaded to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) lines such as in Mozambique.^[2] On the downside, vacuum brakes may need to be converted to air brakes.

[edit] Maps

• Railway Gazette International Supplement December 2007 p7.
• IN Network Map

[edit] Routes remaining

[edit] 2010

[edit] Remaining

[edit] North

• Alipurduar (93 m)
• Dhubri (23 m)

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• Alipurduar (93 m)
• Bamanhat, Bangladesh

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• New Mal
• Chagrabandha, Bangladesh

[edit] Eastern

• Sainthia (52 m) - terminus; break-of-gauge
• Katwa (21m) - break-of-gauge
• Barddhaman (30 m) - terminus; break-of-gauge

[edit] East Central Railway

• Raipur (283 m) - break-of-gauge
• (junction)
• Rajim (281) - terminus
• (junction)
• Dhamtari (316 m) - terminus

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• Naupada - junction
• Gunupur - branch terminus

[edit] North Central

• Pulgaon (284 m) - break-of-gauge
• Arvi, Wardha (827 m) - terminus

[edit] Southern Railway

• Bodinavakkanur - Terminus
• Madurai- break-of-gauge
• Dindigul- break-of-gauge
• Palghat- break-of-gauge
• Podanur - break-of-gauge

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• Mayiladutharai - break-of-gauge
• Agasthiampalli - Terminus
• Karaikudi (81 m) - break-of-gauge
• Manamadurai (69 m) - break-of-gauge
• Virudunagar - break-of-gauge

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• Tirunelveli - break-of-gauge
• Sengottai - break-of-gauge
• Punalur - break-of-gauge

[edit] Western

• Surat (12 m) - large town
• Bilimora (3 m) break-of-gauge
• Waghai (110 m) - terminus

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• Gandhidam - junction
• New Bhuj (109 m) break-of-gauge
• Naliya (20m ) - branch terminus (may be closed)

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• Mahesana - (80 m) - break-of-gauge
• Taranga Hill - branch terminus

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[edit] West Central

• Gwalior (196 m) - break-of-gauge
• (610 mm (2 ft) )
• Sheopur (228 m) - terminus

[edit] Completed

[edit] 2010

1. Kanpur Central - Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh
2. Degana - Ratangarh in Rajasthan
3. Ratangarh - Sadulpur in Rajasthan
4. Bhildi - Samdari in Rajasthan

[edit] 2009

• Guntakal-Kalluru MG has been converted and shortened from 80 km to 60 km.^[3]

• Mathura-Kasganj MG has been converted into BG. Services started on 1 May 2009.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Unigauge sorely needed in Southern Railway
• http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/25/stories/2006122521080100.htm
• - Does privatisation provide the answer?

v • d • e Rail gauge General Break-of-gauge • Dual gauge • Gauge conversion • List of rail gauges • Rail gauge by country Broad gauge Indian 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) • Iberian 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3 in) • Irish 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) • Russian 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 5⁄6 in) Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Narrow gauge Scotch 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) • Cape 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) • Metre 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)