Deccan Queen

Deccan Queen
Overview
Service type Superfast Express Train
Locale Maharashtra
First service 1 June 1930 (1930-06-01)
Current operator(s) Central Railway
Route
Start Mumbai CST
Stops

3 (Mumbai CST - Pune)

2 (Pune - Mumbai CST)
End Pune
Distance travelled 192.2 km (119.4 mi)
Average journey time 3 hours, 15 minutes
Service frequency Daily
Train number(s) 12123 / 12124
On-board services
Class(es) AC Chair Car, Chair Car, General
Seating arrangements Yes
Sleeping arrangements No
Catering facilities Yes, paid service
Other facilities Dining Car (Restaurant On Wheels)
Technical
Rolling stock Kalyan WCAM-2P/3 locomotive
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed 105 km/h (65 mph) top speed
58 km/h (36 mph) average with halts
Route map
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Queen
 Mumbai CST
 Dadar (Towards Mumbai CST)
 Thane Viaduct (Thane Creek)
 Parsik tunnel
 Karjat (Towards Pune Junction)
 Bhor Ghat Begins
 Monkey Hill(Technical Halt towards Mumbai CST)
 Khandala Tunnel
 Bhor Ghat Ends
 Khandala(Technical Halt towards Mumbai CST)
 Lonavla
 Shivajinagar (Towards Pune Junction)
 Pune

The Deccan Queen or Deccan Queen Express, is an Indian passenger train that connects the two largest cities of the Indian state of Maharashtra, i.e. Mumbai and Pune. The service was named as Deccan Queen after the nickname for Pune: Queen of the Deccan.

Deccan Queen is currently the fastest train service linking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Pune Station. It has an average operating speed of 58 km/h (36 mph) including stops, and a top speed of 105 km/h (65 mph), making it among the fastest trains in India.

Deccan Queen at Mumbai CST
The Deccan Queen during its 80th anniversary celebrations on 1 June 2009

History

Deccan Queen service was introduced on 1 June 1930[1] as a weekend train during the days of the British raj to ferry rich patrons -fans from Bombay (now Mumbai) to Poona (now Pune) to attend horse racing at Pune Race Course.The first service of the train was conducted from Calyan (now Kalyan) and Pune. It was converted to a daily service soon after, starting from Bombay Victoria Terminus (renamed Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus CSMTM). It is one of the longest running train service on the Indian Railways to have never run on steam power. From the beginning, the Deccan Queen has been run using electric locomotives. Occasionally, it was given diesel locomotives in case of original locomotive failure.

The color of its rake has seen a lot of changes, from red colour to yellow to white and then to blue.[1]

The Deccan Queen has several firsts or 'among the firsts' to her credit: she was India's first superfast train, she was the first long distance electric hauled passenger train, she was one of India's first vestibuled trains. The Deccan Queen was the first to have a Ladies Only car, and amongst the first to feature a diner. The train has an exciting and chequered history. The Deccan Queen got a brand new rake in 1966, consisting of Indian Railways standard integral anti telescopic cars. For the first time since the history of the train, third class (now second class) passengers were allowed to travel by this train. It had only reserved first class since inception until 1966.

Deccan Queen is the second train in India having ISO 9000 certification and a dining car after the India's first ISO Certified train Shaan - E - Bhopal Express running between Bhopal Habibganj (Bhopal) - Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi).[1] It has sixteen coaches including the engine.

The Deccan Queen is also one of the most favourite trains among railfans. Every year on 1 June, its regular pass-holders, railfans and railway authorities celebrate the train's birthday. Deccan Queen entered its 89th year of service on 1 June 2018.[2]

Schedule

The Pune Mumbai Deccan Queen Express Express is the 2nd of 6 dedicated trains to leave Pune Junction for Mumbai CST & is the last train to return.

12124 Pune Mumbai Deccan Queen Express leaves Pune Junction every day at 07:15 hrs IST and reaches Mumbai CSMT at 10:25 hrs IST. The train travels non stop till Lonavala after leaving Pune junction. On its way the train overtakes Sahyadri Express at Shivajinagar / Khadki. Then it crosses the Bhor ghat and skips Karjat. The train then stop at Dadar (Central) station after traveling 120 km (75 mi) from Lonavala and finally terminates at Mumbai CSMT.

On return, the 12123 Mumbai Pune Deccan Queen Express leaves Mumbai CSMT every day at 17:10 hrs IST and reaches Pune Junction at 20:25 hrs IST. On its way the train halt at Karjat after covering 100 km (62 mi) from Mumbai CSMT for bank locomotive attachment. Then it halts at Lonavala after crossing Bhor Ghat where bank locomotives are detached. Then the train halts at Shivajinagar a major suburb of Pune before terminating at Pune junction.

Deccan Queen is Central Railway's flagship train but is often late by 30 minutes when arriving in Mumbai due to suburban network local trains.[3] Deccan Queen, when it started in 1930 was one of the fastest trains in Asia. It used to cover the 192 km Mumbai-Pune distance in 3 hours 45 minutes and now takes 3 hours 15 minutes.[4]

Coaches

This train uses ICF coaches. This train has a dinning car and is ISO certified train. This train has 17 coached which include different classes like AC chair car, MST coaches (Monthly Season Ticket), Ladies special, Second class sitter reserved coaches and General Coaches. This train will be upgraded under project utkrist and will have LED lights, Bio tiolets and Braille Signage. GPS-tagged biometric attendance system will be also installed in this train. [5]

Rake

Initially this train use to run with two different rakes one colored silver with scarlet moldings and other royal blue, both built in England. Only First Class and Second Class were used in seven coach rake till June 1955 after which Third Class was also introduced. Initially there were seven coaches which were increased to 12 and then to 17 as of today. [6]. Now it has one dedicated rake colored white and blue with red strip on white color. The rake is ICF rake and is hauled by WCAM 3/2P. The rake is attached with bankers from Karjat to Lonavala while traveling from Mumbai CSMT to Pune Junction. to cross steep climbs of the Bhor Ghat.

Mumbai CSMT - Pune Junction
Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
HP/SLR

(Second MST)

(Second MST)

 GEN GEN D5 D4 D3 Dining cum Pantry Car C4 C3

(AC MST)

(AC MST)

 D2 D1

(LADIES)

 GEN SLR/HP
Pune Junction - Mumbai CSMT
17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Loco
HP/SLR

(Second MST)

(Second MST)

 GEN GEN D5 D4 D3 Dining cum Pantry Car C4 C3

(AC MST)

(AC MST)

 D2 D1

(LADIES)

 GEN SLR/HP

Traction

WCM 1 type engine initially was used to pull Deccan Queen

When it was introduced in 1930, the Deccan Queen was hauled by WCP 1/2 DC passenger locomotives. From 1954 till the 1990s, it was hauled by a WCM 1/2/4/5 DC mixed locomotive. From the 1990s till present, it has been hauled end to end by a WCAM 3 or WCAM 2/2P DC/AC locomotive of the Kalyan (KYN) shed. Starting 1st June 2018, it will be occasionally hauled by the WAP-7 of the Ajni shed or when the Kalyan Electric Loco Shed receives them.

At Karjat, it gets two or three WAG-5, WAG-7, WCAM-2 or WCAM 3 bankers of Kalyan shed to push the train on the ghat section between Karjat railway station and Lonavala railway station, where the gradient is of 1 in 40.

Incidents

The train derailed in 1990 at Khandala Ghat, but there were no casualties.

The train service was disturbed between late July to early August 2005 due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai (26 July 2005).

On 30 November 2006, a mob of around 6000 protestors set fire to some coaches of the train near Ulhasnagar after forcing the passengers to get down.[7] The arsonists were protesting against the vandalism of a statue of B. R. Ambedkar in far away Kanpur though the incident had nothing to do with the Deccan Queen.

Sister trains

Below are few other trains which originates and halts between the two cities:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Deccan Queen turns 75". 2004-06-01. Retrieved 2006-11-30.
  2. ↑ "Deccan Queen completes 88 years of service today: Interesting facts about India's first deluxe train". Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  3. ↑ Commuters claim Deccan Queen reaches Mumbai late
  4. ↑ Wish List for Pune – Mumbai Railway Corridor
  5. ↑ Reporter, Staff (2018-05-25). "Deccan Queen to get upgraded coaches". The Hindu.
  6. ↑ "Iconic Mumbai-Pune Deluxe train Deccan Queen celebrates 88th anniversary". June 2018.
  7. ↑ "Dalits go on a rampage". 2006-11-30. Retrieved 2006-11-30.
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