Katihar Junction: A new dawn and era of speed and savings

The era and dominance of electric locomotives gradually building its base by invading Katihar Junction, one of the
Katihar Junction: A new dawn and era of speed and savings

GUWAHATI: Until the first quarter of 2017, the process of railway electrification was under the shell of lukewarm speed. The era and dominance of electric locomotives was gradually building its base by invading Katihar Junction, one of the prominent and busiest stations of Katihar Division under Northeast Frontier Railway. As a result, numerous North India, Northwestern India and Western India-bound coaching trains were undergoing change in traction (from diesel to electric) at Katihar Jn, along with freight trains.

After electrification of Katihar Railway Station (the entry point of Northeast Frontier Railway) in 2017, Railway Electrification work has seen a quantum jump in growth and efficiency and cometh 2020, within a gritty span of less than 3 years, the entire "trunk route" of Katihar Division (from Katihar Jn. to Raninagar Jalpaiguri Jn.) has been electrified.

The prominent rail-head of North Bengal, New Jalpaiguri Jn, was electrified by the end 0f 2019. As a result, 5 pairs of coaching trains were taken on electric traction up to New Jalpaiguri. Besides 2 to 3 goods train were also run up to New Jalpaiguri Jn. After electrification of UP Receipt and Despatch yard of New Jalpaiguri Goods Yard by February, 2020 end, a number of Goods train substantially increased, but non-electrification of DN R&D Goods Yard created hindrance in further increasing electric goods trains operation. It was highly desirable to operate all of freight trains with electric locomotive from New Jalpaiguri Jn, thereby mounting up the scale of fuel savings and enhanced speed.

In this unprecedented lockdown session due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jalpaiguri Goods Down Yard (Receipt & Despatch) has been completely electrified. This became the 2nd prominent electrification of the railway yard after Katihar Jn. Now, almost 95% of the total freight trains playing through the "trunk route" can be operated with electric traction from New Jalpaiguri Jn.

The railway goods yard (R & D) of New Jalpaiguri Jn was comprehensively electrified by utilizing the lockdown period, where the movement of freight trains have been unstoppable. As a result, most of the freight trains can be operated with electric traction from New Jalpaiguri to Eastern Railway and East Central Railway without undergoing any further change in traction anywhere en-route, thereby saving the consumption of diesel fuel drastically and subsequently, enhancing the speed of trains and saving valuable travel time, a press release said.

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