Rail trail

Locomotives in steam-16
Similar to WGs on broad gauge line,the narrow gauge had 2-8-2 YGs that hauled freight trains. Similar to WPs on broad gauge line,the narrow gauge had 4-6-2 ZPs that hauled passenger trains. The steam era finally came to an end when WL 15005 hauled the last broad gauge steam train between Ferozepur and Jalandhar on December 6,1995. Production of steam locomotives had stopped much earlier than that. The last steam loco WG 10560,christened Antim Sitara,was commissioned at CLW in June,1970.
— VIKAS SINGH,RAIL ENTHUSIAST

Personalities in Indian Railways: L N Mishra
Lalit Narayan Mishra was born in January 1923 at Basupatti in Saharsa district,Bihar. He took to politics in his student days,organised the Bihar Provincial Student Congress in 1941,and was its secretary in 1945-48. He did his MA in Economics from Patna University in 1948.His rise as a leader of national stature began in 1950 when he became a member of All India Congress Committee. He was a member of the first and second Lok Sabha. He was unanimously elected as a member of the Congress working committee in 1972.He held various high posts in the government. He was the Parliamentary Secretary,Ministry of Planning,Labour and Employment (1957-60),Deputy Minister for Home affairs (1964-66),Deputy Finance Minister (1966-67),Minister of State for Defence Production (1967-70). From 1970 till February 4,1973,he was the Minister of foreign trade. On February 5 ,1973 he was appointed the Minister of Railways with a cabinet rank. As the Minister of Railways,he visited Samastipur on January 2,1975,to declare the opening of the Samastipur-Muzaffarpur broad gauge railway line. A bomb explosion on the dais seriously injured him. He was rushed to the railway hospital at Danapur where he succumbed to his injuries on January 3,1975.

Know Your Exhibits: BEYER GARRATT
Weighing a mammoth 235 tonnes,the Broad Gauge Beyer Garratt locomotive is the heaviest and the largest locomotive ever that has run on the Indian Railways. Used primarily to haul heavy mineral and iron ore on the Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) and later the South Eastern Railway,this locomotive was an engineering marvel. This single locomotive could haul 2,400 tonnes on a 1:100 gradient,its 24 wheels ensured low axle load and articulated logic design ensured excellent maneuverability on curves. Designed to run in both directions,a complete novelty for steam engines,this engine did away with a need for a turn table. Built by Beyer Peacock of Manchester,U.K. in 1930,16 such N-class locomotives were delivered to India. Engine No 811 has been made operational once again and is located in Kharagpur Workshops,while the 815 can be seen at the National Rail Museum,New Delhi.
— Om Prakash Tyagi,Library & Information Officer,NRM

Courtesy National Rail Museum