East Indian Railway: 1906 History of the EIR - Chapter XVIII
Note: This is a sub-section of the East Indian Railway
The History of the East Indian Railway by George Huddleston. Published 1906 by Tracker, Spins and Co
CHAPTER XVIII. TRAIN SERVICE AND WORKING FACILITIES - THE QUESTION OF WAGON SUPPLY.
WHEN General Strachey visited India in 1889 he found that the train service was exceedingly slow. What was described as the "fast train" took no less than 37.5 hours to cover the distance of 954 miles between Howrah and Delhi, that is to say, it trundled along at a through speed of little more than 25 miles an hour; while consignments of goods occupied weeks in transit where they should have taken days.
Everything in the way of progress seemed to have been neglected, nothing was up-to date. The stations were not interlocked; the out-door signals and the train signalling apparatus were of the most primitive kind; passenger carriages were illuminated with vegetable oil lamps, which only served to make darkness visible, and not a single engine or vehicle was fitted with a vacuum brake. In addition to this, the conditions of working were risky, if not dangerous, for over the greater portion of the line "following trains" were allowed, and it was only over a comparatively short section of double line that the "absolute block" system was in force. With such a state of affairs there was obviously a crying need for remedy.
General Strachey during his stay in India wrote, a note on the speed of the mail trains, in which he drew attention to the excessive number of stoppages on route, and suggested a revised time-table. This time-table was shortly afterwards adopted and reduced the run of the mail between Howrah and Delhi from 37.5 to 31.5 hours. At the same time he insisted upon an immediate revision of the goods train service, with the result that, early in 1890, a fast through goods train was run from Howrah to Cawnpore, and a very great saving effected in the time of transit of through booked goods; but even these improvements were not sufficient, and as soon as the Chairman returned to England, the Board wrote suggesting further accelerations. Ever since then the Chairman has continued to devote personal attention towards effecting improvements; he has closely watched the running of trains, commenting each half-year on the time actually taken over the different sections of the line, so that the staff know well that punctuality of the train service is considered all important; in addition to this there has been no measure towards improvement that has not had his cordial support.
At the present time the absolute block system is in force throughout the entire length of the line; all coaching vehicles are fitted with vacuum automatic brakes; goods vehicles are being so fitted and their carrying capacity has been materially increased; the majority of stations are either interlocked or are being interlocked; the signalling has been greatly improved and the train service has been very much accelerated. The mail train, with a load equal to eighteen heavy coaches, now runs from Howrah to Delhi in 28.5 hours, and lighter trains have been run over the same distance in very little more than 24 hours. Such speeds would have been impossible even five years ago, for it took a long time to carry out the many improvements required, to enable the staff in India to work up to such results.
In the meantime the difficulties to be contended with, whenever traffic was at all brisk, were enormous. Year after year the line below Asansol became blocked with trains, that could not be got through because the terminals were glutted with goods, and because there was an utter absence of proper facilities for dealing with the traffic that had grown with such rapidity. Progress seemed slow, but by the year 1902, such improvements had been effected that an exceptionally heavy traffic was carried, for the first time, without congestion. The General Traffic Manager in his report on the results of the working during the first half of that year remarked—
"Perhaps the most satisfactory feature of the half-year's traffic was that even when at its highest, we were able to put it through without any block at Howrah or on the line, and without a single complaint of short wagon supplies. This was due to a combination of causes, notably the increase in upwards coal traffic, giving our wagons going up country for grain, a load in both directions and so minimising delay for stock; the linseed traffic being dealt with at Kidderpore Docks, from the start, instead of only being dealt with there when Howrah got into difficulties; a comparatively small wheat traffic; an improved supply of brake-vans and engines, together with other favourable influences, unnecessary to detail, which rendered the movement of the traffic easier than it has been for several years."
These remarks almost read in the nature of an apology for the season's work being accomplished without any of the difficulties that had beset the staff in previous years, but the fact is that, facilities had improved, and their effect was for the first time showing itself; even under the most favourable circumstances the traffic could not have been properly dealt with unless this had been so. Since 1902 the line has never been blocked, although a still heavier traffic has been carried, and carried with greater expedition than was possible under the old method of working. This result has not, however, been altogether due to the better facilities provided but to the increased attention given to the improvement of train and wagon loads. During the past few years the average load of a goods train has been greatly increased. In the first half of 1902 it was 202.75 tons; in the first half of 1903, 226.97 tons; in the second half of 1903, it rose to 243 tons; in the first half of 1904 to 252.58 tons; and in the second half of the same year to 276 tons.
An increased train load meant fewer, but heavier trains, fewer engines, fewer brake-vans and a considerable saving in coal and staff; this question is only mentioned here as one of the causes that have facilitated the passing of a heavy traffic over the line, though this perhaps is the least important sequence of a measure that has resulted in most important economies.
Speaking to the shareholders in 1903, General Sir Richard Strachey referred to the improved conditions of working in these terms:—
"There is every reason to think that the improvements of various descriptions in the system of signalling and in providing for the more expeditious movement of the traffic, which have been in steady progress for some years past, have proved their value by increased freedom from obstructions, and facility in dealing with the traffic on the busiest parts of the line. Increased attention is being given to the great importance of improving the train loads, by which it is anticipated that large reductions in the train mileage may be secured and corresponding economies, both in the cost of running and of the rolling stock required for the traffic moved."
A word may here be said on the question of wagon stock. Following the rapid development of traffic and particularly of the coal traffic which has been the most marked feature, in recent years, of the Company's administration, there have been constant difficulties in regard to the supply of locomotives, wagons and brake-vans. Within the past few years the locomotive and brake-van difficulty has been overcome, the line is no longer congested, whenever traffic is brisk, and engine or brake-van shortage is hardly, if ever, heard of; but still the wagon supply continues inadequate. At the present time very bitter complaints are being made, more especially by those interested in the coal trade, that stock requirements are not net in the way they should be.
In the year 1900 the wagon stock of the East Indian Railway was under 14,000 wagons, in 1905 it was over 17,000 wagons; in other words, the wagon stock has been increased by about 24 per cent in five years. The weight of goods traffic, including coal, has increased during the same period by 21 per cent, yet during some period or another there has been shortage of stock.
There is, certainly, a reverse side to the picture; whenever traffic at all slackens hundreds of wagons lie idle in sidings, and it is a fact that the traffic of the East Indian Railway fluctuates very greatly. It is doubtful whether the railway could possibly provide a stock equal to all demands at periods of highest pressure; it is doubtful whether any railway in the world of like size has ever been able to do so. Certainly shortness of stock due to rushes of traffic, or to congestion of the line, or to block at the terminals or elsewhere, is not peculiar to the East Indian Railway. We have heard of the same sort of thing happening in America on some of the best equipped lines, and so long as railways exist, and have to be worked at a profit, as indeed all commercial enterprises must be, shortness of stock will occasionally be felt.
Could the traffic of the East Indian Railway be evenly distributed over every week of the year, we should never hear of shortness of stock, but this is clearly impossible, and admitting that there is even occasional shortage, the question arises, what surplus should be provided in order to meet requirements when traffic is above normal, for obviously there should be some surplus. As a general basis of regulating supply, it has been calculated that every wagon should carry 75,000 ton miles of traffic in half a year; this means a very full use of the available stock. Still it has been worked to, and sometimes exceeded in the past, and is, perhaps, a sufficiently liberal allowance for the future. There are times, however, when an excessive number of East Indian Railway wagons have to be sent away with loads to Foreign Railways, and when Foreign Railway wagons are not coming to any great extent on to the East Indian; at these times the margin of work required becomes too tight. There are other times when the nature of the traffic is such that the best advantage cannot be obtained from the stock employed; then also there is shortage. Moreover, it may be admitted that a railway should be, within limits, ahead of requirements rather than behind them, but up to the present, except when working conditions have been most favourable, it has been difficult to keep pace with the development and expansion of traffic. When we find shortage continuing, month after month, for long periods at a stretch, there is little doubt that the railway is short of requirements. This is the present position, and although additions are now being made to the stock, which should minimise difficulties, it is not likely that complaints of shortage will altogether cease. If the additions sanctioned were ready and on the line at the present moment there would not be one too many wagons. It is hoped that, in anticipation of continued growth of the traffic, regular additions to the wagon stock will continue to be sanctioned every year, until the railway finds itself ahead of requirements.
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