Steam locomotive to run in Mumbai

Requesting anonymity,a senior railway official said,“WR plans to run a steam engine to mark the historic year. Since no other railway has a steam engine,there are plans to ask Rewari Steam Loco Shed to provide a steam engine that can be run to Mumbai Central early next year.”

While an exact plan is yet to be finalized,the officer said a steam engine along with three coaches is likely to have a ceremonial run in Mumbai.

Follwoing a huge demand of cotton in Britain,BB & CI Railway was set up to establish a second line in Mumbai to connect the west coast to cotton producing states like Gujarat. The first train,comprising of 30 carriages,hauled by a steam locomotive ran from Uttran in Gujarat to Grant Road station in Mumbai,then Bombay on November 28 1864.

As a part of its celebrations,WR is organizing a two day exhibition at Churchgate station on November 28 and 29 for public. General Manager Hemant Kumar will be releasing a suburban information brochure at Churchgate station Thursday morning. The exhibition will showcase rare black and white photographs of BB & CI and also highlight growth of WR,especially the Mumbai suburban system.

As a part of its celebration railways,for the first time,is releasing a information booklet for Re.1,which contains essential information about ticketing facilities on suburban,security helpline numbers,location of reserved coaches and station wise map of WR. Interative models of the growth of suburban railways will also be put up at the exhibition.

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Fun fact  –

While WR is planning a grand show through the exhibition and the planned ceremonial  run of the steam locomotive,it is to be recalled that the first train of WR was inaugurated with railway officials smashing a bottle of wine on the locomotive.