Indian Railways is divided for administrative convenience into several regional railways. Until recently there were 9 zones, and this structure had not changed much for four decades. Recently, 7 new zones have been created, giving a total of 16. In 2010, Kolkata Metro was given the status of the 17th zone of Indian Railways. Additionally, Konkan Railway has the administrative status of a zone of IR, but is notnot normally considered a zone for operational purposes.
(For the administrative structure of Indian Railways, please see the miscellaneous section..))
The nine older railway zones are:
Northern Railway (NR)
North Eastern Railway (NER)
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR, sometimes NEFR)
Western Railway (WR)
Southern Railway (SR)
South Central Railway (SCR)
South Eastern Railway (SER)
Eastern Railway (ER)
Central Railway (CR)
The seven new zones are:
South Western Railway (SWR)
North Western Railway (NWR)
West Central Railway (WCR)
North Central Railway (NCR)
South East Central Railway (SECR)
East Coast Railway (ECoR)
East Central Railway (ECR)
Deemed zones:
Kolkata Metro (given zonal status Dec. 29, 2010)
Konkan Railway (deemed a zone for administrative purposes)
ZZoonnee HHeeaaddqquuaarrtteerrss DDiivviissiioonnss
New zones that started in April 2003
East Coast Bhubaneshwarr Khurda Road, Waltair, and Sambalpur divisions of SER Railway
Bangalore and Mysore divisions of SR, reorganized Hubli division of SCR, South Western Hubli including Hospet-Toranagal. Railway (Earlier constituted to have Guntakal division of SCR as well.)
West Central JaJababalplpurur JaJababalplpur anand Bhohopapal ddl ivivisisioions of CRCR, rr, eeororgaganinizezed Kotota dda ivivisisioion oon f WRR Railway
North Central AlAllalahahababadd ReReororgaganinizezed divivisisionons: Allallahahababad of NRNR, Jhanansi of CCf R, anand nnd ew Agrgra divivisisionon Railway
South East Nagpur division and reorganized Bilaspur division of SER, new Raipur Bilaspur Central Railway division
New zones that were created in 2002
North Western Jodhpur division and reorganized Bikaner division of NR, reorganized Jaipur Jaipur Railway and Ajmer divisions of WR
Sonpur and Samastipur divisions of NER, Danapur, Mughalsarai, and East Central Hajipur Dhanbad divisions of ER. Railway (Was earlier constituted to have Katihar division of NFR as well.)
Old zones as they are after April 2003
Bhavnagar and Mumbai divisions, reorganized Ratlam, Rajkot and Vadodara WeWeststerern RaRailwilwayay MuMumbaiai divisions, new Ahmedabad division
Bhusawal and Nagpur divisions, reorganized Mumbai CST and Solapur CCenentrtraal RRaaililwwaayy MMumbabaii divisions, new Pune division (including Pune-Kolhapur)
EEaasstteerrn RRaaiillwwaayy KKololkkaattaa HHoowwrraahh, MMaallddaa, SSeeaallddaahh, aannd AAssaannssool ddiivviissiioonnss
Chennai, Palghat, Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvananthapuram, and Madurai Southern Railwilwayay ChChennaiai divisions (a Salem division has been proposed [7/06])
Ferozpur, Ambala, Lucknow and Moradabad divisions, reorganized Delhi NoNortrthehern Railwlwayay DeDelhlhii division
North Eastern GoGorarakhkhpupurr LuLuckcknonow and VaVararananasi divivisisioionsns, rr, eoeorgrgananizized IzIzzazatntnagagar divivisisioionn Railway
Reorganized Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Guntakal (including Bellary- South Central Secunderabad Guntakal (MG) and Bellary-Rayadurg), and Vijayawada divisions, new Railway Guntur and Nanded divisions.
South Eastern Kharagpur division, reorganized Adra and Chakradharpur divisions, new Kolkata Railway Ranchi division
Northeast Katihar, Lumding, Tinsukia divisions, reorganized Alipurduar division, new Guwahati Frontier Railway Rangiya division
Loco, coach, and wagon manufacturers whose products have been used in India
ABABBB ASASEA Brorownwn-B-Bovovereri, Swiwitztzererlalandnd
ALCO American Locomotive Co., Schenectady, NY, USA
BBUNLL Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam, Ltd.
BEBEMLML BhBhararat EaEartrth Movoverers LLs imimititeded
BHBHELEL BhBhararat Heaeavy Elecectrtricicalals Limititeded
BLBLWW BaBaldldwiwin LLn ococomototivive Wororksks, UU, SASA
BBPP BBeeyyeer PPr eeaaccoocckk, MM, aanncchheesstteerr
BSBSCLCL BuBurn Statandndarard Co.o., Ltd.d.
BBTTHH BrBrititisish TThohommsoson HHououssttonon
BWELEL Bharat Wagon and Engingineneeriering Co., Ltd.d.
CCLWLW ChChitittatararanjnjan LoLoco Workrks,s,
alalsoso CaCananadidian Lococomomototivive Workrks (now Bomombabardrdieier)r)
DLDLWW DiDiesesel LoLoco Workrks, VaVararananasisi
EBW E. B. Wilson
EE English Electric
EMD General Motors' Electro-Motive Division, USA
GEC General Electric Corporation, UK
GM General Motors, USA
GMD General Motors Diesel, Canada
HL Hawthorn-Leslie, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
ICF Integral Coach Factory, Perambur
ISW Indian Standard Wagon Works, Satna
KS Kerr Stuart, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
LHB Linke Hoffman Busch GmbH, Germany
MLW Montreal Locomotive Works
MV Metropolitan Vickers
NBL North British Locomotive Co., Glasgow
NW Nasmyth Wilson, Manchester
O&K Orenstein & Koppel, Berlin
RCF Railway Coach Factory, Kapurthala
RS Robert Stephenson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
SFAC Societe des Forges et Ateliers, Creusot
SIG Schweirische Industrie Gesselschaft
Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik, SLM Winterthur, Switz.
TELCO Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co.
USATC US Army Transportation Corps., USA
WB William G. Bagnall, Stafford, UK
Wagon India Ltd. (an intermediary firm for wagon WIL contracts)
Organizations & Corporations
AIRF All-India Railwaymen's Federation (union organization)
BMRTC Bangalore Metropolitan Rail Transit Corporation, Ltd.
BPT Bombay Port Trust (later MPT)
CMC Computer Maintenance Corporation, also Calcutta Metro Corporation
COFMOW Central Organization for the Modernization of Workshops
CONCOR Container Corporation of India
COOIS Central Organization for Operations Information Systems
CORE Central Organization for Railway Electrification
COS Central Office of Standards (predecessor of RDSO)
CRIS Centre for Railway Information Systems
CTC Calcutta Tramways Corporation
DCW Diesel Component Works, Patiala
DMRC Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
ELRTS Elevated Light Rail Transit System (proposed, Bangalore)
FNRM Friends of the National Rail Museum
FROA Federation of Officer's Associations (umbrella organization for railway officers' groups)
IPWE Institution of Permanent Way Engineers
IRAS Indian Railway Accounts Services (financial management)
IRC Indian Railways Corporation (proposed)
Indian Railway Conference Association (body that issues inspection guidelines, allots wagon IRCA codes, inspects workshops)
Indian Railways Construction Company, now IRCON International Ltd., which takes on contract IRCON work to build railways in other countries (Iraq, Nepal, Indonesia...).
IRCOT Indian Railways Central Organization for Telecom
IRCTC Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation
IREB Indian Railways Executive Board (proposed)
IRFC Indian Railways Finance Corporation
IRIATT Indian Railways Institute of Advanced Track Technology
IRICEN Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering, Pune
IRIEEN Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering, Nasik
IRIMEE Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jamalpur
IRISET Indian Railways Insitute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications, Secunderabad
IRMS Indian Railway Medical Services
IRPHA Indian Railway Public Health Association
IRPS indian Railway Personnel Services (human resources)
IRRA Indian Railways Regulatory Authority (proposed)
IRSE Indian Railway Service of Engineers
IRSEE Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers
IRSME Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers
IRSS Indian Railway Stores Services (inventory control)
IRSSE Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers
IRSTE Indian Railway Signal and Telecom Engineering
IRTS Indian Railway Traffic Services (management, marketing)
ISRS Indian Steam Railway Society
ITB International Tourist Bureau (New Delhi)
KRCL Konkan Railway Corporation, Ltd.
KRDC Konkan Railway Development Corporation
K-RIDE Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd.
KRIST Konkan Railway Institute for Staff Training
KMRT Kolkata Mass Rapid Transit
LRDSS Long Range Decision Support System
LRTS Light Rail Transit System (proposed, Kolkata)
MPT Mumbai Port Trust (see BPT)
MRSP Model Railway Society of Pune
MRTS Mass Rapid Transit System (Chennai)
MRVC Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation
MTP Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways), Bombay
MUTP Mumbai Urban Transport Project (a World Bank project)
NFIR National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (union organization)
NRM National Rail Museum, New Delhi
PRCL Pipavav Railway Corporation Ltd.
NRMU National Railway Mazdoor Union (railway employees' trade union)
RB Railway Board
RBSS Railway Board Secretariat Services (part of Railway Ministry)
RCIL Railtel Corporation of India, Ltd.
RDSO Research, Design and Standards Organization
ROMA Railway Officers' Medical Association
RPF Railway Protection Force (also see below, Miscellaneous)
RSC Railway Staff College, Vadodara
Rail India Technical and Economic Services, which takes on planning, design, and operational RITES work in other countries (Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mexico, Zambia, Nepal, etc.).
RTRC Railway Testing and Research Centre (a predecessor of RDSO)
RWWCO Railway Women's Welfare Central Organization
RVNL Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd.
SGE Siemens and General Electric Railway Signal Co., Ltd.
WAP Wheel and Axle Plant, Yelahanka (also a loco classification :-) )
Trains
AP AndhraP radeshE xpress
DQ TheD eccanQ ueen
GT GrandT runkE xpress
JJ JayantiJ anataE xpress
KK Karnataka-KeralaE xpress
TN TamilN aduE xpress
POW Palaceo nW heels
Railways (former and current)
ADCR Agra-DelhiC hordR ailway
Bengal Assam Railway (in 1947, renamed East Bengal BAR Rly., and in 1961, renamed Pakistan Eastern Rly.)
BB&CI / BB&CIR Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway (BBCIR)
BCR BengalC entralR ailway
BDR Bengal Dooars Railway, also Bankura Damodar Railway
BESR Bilaspur -E tawah StateR ailway
BLR BarsiL ightR ailway
BMR BurmaM inesR ailway
BNR BengalN agpurR ailway
BNWR Bengal North-Western Railway
BPR BengalP rovincialR ailway
BR BurmaR ailway
BRC BurmaR ailwaysC orporation
CBR CoochB eharR ailway
CGR CeylonG overnmentR ailway
CR CentralR ailway
CSER Calcutta and South-Eastern Railway
DHR DarjeelingH imalayanR ailway
DMSR Dhond-Manmad State Railway (Dhond = Daund)
DRLR DehriR ohtasL ightR ailway
DSR DrangdharaS tateR ailway
EBR EastB engalS tateR ailway
ECR EastC oastR ailway
EIR EastI ndianR ailway
EPR EasternP unjabR ailway
ER EasternR ailway
GBSR Gaekwar's Baroda StateR ailway
GIPR GreatI ndianP eninsularR ailway
GLR Gwalior Light Railway (later Scindia State Railway)
GSR GondalS tateR ailway
GSIR GreatS outherno f IndiaR ailway
IGR IndianG overnmentR ailways
IMR IndianM idlandR ailway
IR IndianR ailways
ISR IndianS tateR ailway
IVSR IndusV alleyS tateR ailway
JDR Jamnagara ndD warkaR ailway
JR JodhpurR ailway
JSR JaipurS tateR ailway
KHR Khanai-HindubaghR ailway
KKTR Kushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway
KR KonkanR ailway
KSR KalkaS imlaR ailway
KVR KangraV alleyR ailway
LJR Larkana-JacobabadR ailway
MLR MatheranL ightR ailway
MR MadrasR ailway
MSMR Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway
MSR MysoreS tateR ailway
NER North-easternR ailway
NEFR, NFR North-East Frontier Railway
NMR NilgiriM ountainR ailway
NR NorthernR ailway
NGSR Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway
NSR Nizam'sS tateR ailway
North Western Railway (in 1961, renamed Pakistan NWR Western Rly.)
O&RR, ORR Oudh and Rohilkhund Railway
OTR Oudha ndT irhutR ailway
PDB PiplodD evgadB ariaR ailway
PLR ParlakimediL ightR ailway
PNSR PunjabN orthernS tateR ailway
PR PakistanR ailways
PSMT Patiala State Monorail Trainways
RDR RaipurD hamtariR ailway
RKR RohilkhundK umaonR ailway
RMR RajputanaM alwaR ailway
SCR South-centralR ailway
SER South-easternR ailway
SLR SriL ankaR ailways
SIR SouthI ndianR ailway
SMR SouthernM ahrattaR ailway
SPDR Scinde, Punjab, and Delhi Railway
SR SouthernR ailway
SSLR Shahdara Saharanpur Light Railway
SSR Scindia State Railway, also Sangli State Railway
TBLR Tezpore-Balipara Light Railway
WCSR WardhaC oalS tateR ailway
WIPR West of India Portuguese Railway
WR WesternR ailway
Technical acronyms (loosely defined — see the miscellaneous section also.)
ABS Automatic Block Signalling
ACD Anti-Collision Device
ARTS Data Manager (system for managing EPROMs and station configuration ADAM cartridges for ARTS)
AE Automatic Emergency or Auto-Emergency (type of brake system)
AFTC Audio Frequency Track Circuiting
ATC Automated Train Control
ATP Automatic Train Protection
ATS Automatic Train Stop
AVB Automatic Vacuum Brake
ATS Automatic Train Stop
BPC Brake Power Certificate (issued before train departure)
BS Braking in Series configuration
BSL Block Section Limit
BSP Braking in Series-Parallel configuration
CDO Coaching Depot
CLS Colour-light signalling
COCR Confirmatory Oscillograph Car Run
COFC Container on flat car
CTC Centralised Traffic Control
CTR Complete Track Renewal
CWR Continuous Welded Rail (0.5km and longer sections of welded rail)
DAC Digital Axle Counter
Design-Build-Finance-Operate (a scheme for private parties to build and run railway DBFO lines with IR's help)
From the French disjoncteur , the main circuit breaker of an electric loco (usually DJ pneumatically operated, roof-mounted)
DLBI Double Line Block Instrument
DEMU Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit
DETC Diesel-Electric Tower Car
DHMU Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Unit (hydraulic transmission DMU)
DMH Dead Man's Handle (on EMUs)
DMU Diesel Multiple Unit
DPC Driving Power Car
DS Disconnecting Switch (to switch off OHE power to loco circuits, usually manual)
DSC Dual-Stacked Container service (or Double-Stacked Container)
DTC Driving Trailer Car (unpowered driving car in EMU rake)
DW Double wire (of semaphore signals)
EA Extra (time) Allowed (make-up time noted in working time-tables)
ELCM Electronic Load Control Module (governor for DEMUs and other diesels).
EMU Electric Multiple Unit
EOG End-On Generator Car
ETCS European Train Control System
EY Empty (notation for empty rake in real-time train information systems)
FEDL Fully Electrified Double Line
FM FoulingM ark
Frequency-modulated Voice-frequency Telegraph (used for control communications FMVFT by signals / electric traction / traffic control staff)
FOR Forward motion (position of master controller in loco)
FP Fouling Point; also Feed Pipe (at couplings of vehicles)
GTO Gate Turn-Off thyristor
HEP Head-end Power (power from the loco for the coaches)
HFTC High-Frequency Track Circuit
HOBC High-Output Ballast Cleaner
HOG Head-On Generator
HHPDMU High-Horsepower Diesel Electric Multiple Unit
HPDMU High-powered Diesel Multiple Unit
HSCB High-speed Circuit Breaker
HT HighT ension
HTCBC High Tensile-strength Centre-Buffer Coupler
HTS High Tensile-strength Steel
IGBT Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
JRI Junction Route Indicator
LOB Lube Oil Balance
LTPDS Live Train Position Display System
LVC Last Vehicle Check (automated detection of rake integrity)
LWR Long Welded Rail (5-15 rails welded together in a section)
MACL, Multiple-Aspect Colour-Light signalling MACLS
MCB Master Circuit Breaker (in locos)
MCI Malleable Cast Iron
MEMU Main-line Electric Multiple Unit
MLRI Multi-Lamp Route Indicator
MNI Modified Non-Interlocked (in working timetables)
MOG Mid-On Generator Car
MOT Motoring (position of master controller in loco)
NBT Neale's Ball Token
NI Non-Interlocked (in working timetables)
NTES National Train Enquiry System
NX eNtrance-eXit (interlocking panels)
OCV Other Coaching Vehicle - non-passenger coaches, e.g., pantry cars.
OFC Optical Fibre Cable
OHE Overhead Equipment (or foreman for same)
OMS Oscillation Monitoring System
Pneumatic Control System (loco shut-off/idling control which takes effect on PCS application of emergency brakes)
Passenger Carrying Vehicle (regular passenger coaches, as distinct from OCV - PCV restaurant cars, mail cars, etc.)
PI Panel Interlocking
POET Passenger Operated Enquiry Terminal
Remote Control Centre (for electric traction) Also, Reinforced Cement Concrete (Also RCC see below in Miscellaneous)
REV Reverse motion (position of master controller in loco), Reverser
Rolling Stock Health Analyst (accelerometers and other equipment that monitor ROSHAN coach movement and report deviations from normal behaviour).
RPC Resistance Power Control (or Compartment) (in EMU power cars)
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (monitoring and control system for remote SCADA control of electric traction systems)
SE Superelevation (of curved track)
S/L Shunting Limit
SLBI Single Line Block Instrument
SOD Schedule of Dimensions
SPAD Signal Passed At Danger
SPTM Self-Printing Ticket Machine
SSDAC Solid State Digital Axle Counter
SSI Solid State Interlocking
STR Schedule of Technical Requirements
STRI Stencil type Route Indicator
SW Single wire (of semaphore signals)
Short Welded Rail (2-4 rails welded together in a section) SWR Also: Station Working Rules
TAB TrainA ir Brake
TALQ Two-Aspect Lower Quadrant
TAWD Train Actuated Warning Device
TBTR Through Bridge Timber Renewal
TFR Through Fitting Renewal
TLC Traction Locomotive Controller
TM TractionM otor
TMS Train Management System (train monitoring used in Bombay suburban sections)
TOFC Trailer on flat car
T/out Turnout
TPC Traction Power Controller
TRC Track Recording Car
TRO Traction Rolling-stock Operations
TRR Through Rail Renewal
TRT Traffic Recovery Time (a kind of make-up time allotment in working timetable)
TSS Traction Sub-Station
TSR Through Sleeper Renewal
TTR Through Turnout Renewal
TWR Through Weld Renewal
UPF Unity Power Factor
USFD Ultrasonic Flaw Detection
VCC Vacuum Continuity Certificate (issued before train departure)
VCB Vacuum Circuit Breaker
VRP Voltage Regulating Panel
WF WeakF ield
WILD Wheel Impact Load Detector
WSR Wheel Slip Relay
Acronyms and Abbreviations Contd..
Miscellaneous acronyms
AC Air-Conditioned
ACC Air-Conditioned coach or class
ACCC Air-Conditioned Chair Car
ACP Alarm Chain Pulling (!)
ADE, ADEN Assistant Divisional Engineer
ADEE Assistant Divisional Electrical Engineer
ADME Assistant Divisional Mechanical Engineer
AE, AEN Assistant Engineer (see also Technical terms above)
AEC Accident Enquiry Committee
ALK Allowance in Lieu of Kilometrage (in calculating payments for drivers)
ARMV Accident Relief Medical Van
ART Accident Relief Train
ARTS Advanced Railway Ticketing System
ASM Assistant Station Master
AW Auxiliary Watering (in working timetables)
AWS Auxiliary Warning System
BESA British Engineering Standards Association
BG BroadG auge
'Biological Toilet' - eco-friendly toilet with bacterial decomposition facility developed by BIO-TOIL ICF for use on railway coaches.
B/L BranchL ine
Build-Own-Lease-Transfer: private ownership/operation scheme for various freight & BOLT passenger services and infrastructure.
BPS Blue Parcel Service
CA&FO Chief Accounting and Finance Officer
Central Accounting and Reporting System (consolidated reports of ARTS ticketing during CARS the day)
CBO City Booking Office
CC ChairC ar
CCS Chief Commercial Superintendent
CCTV Closed-Circuit TV
CEE Chief Electrical Engineer
CFTS Chief Freight Traffic Superintendent
CFS Container Freight Station
CHA Custom House Agent
CME Chief Mechanical Engineer
COIS Coaching Operations Information System
Conc. Concessional fare (annotation on ticket)
CARTRAC (not really an acronym) CONCOR's automobile transport service
CONCERT COuntrywide Network of Computerised Enhanced Reservation and Ticketing
CONTRACK (not really an acronym) CONCOR's container freight service
COW Career On Wheels: informal classrooms for teaching English, etc., on board trains
Chief Reservations Supervisor, Computerised Reservation System Commissioner of Rail CRS Safety
CT ControlT ower
CTI Central Training Institute
CTR Combined Train Report
CTU Centralized Training Unit
CVM Coupon Validating Machine (for ticketing with prepaid coupons)
C&W Carriage & Wagon (staff for plumbing, electricals, amenities)
CW Carriage Watering facilities (in working timetables)
DAL Delhi Avoiding Line, a route for goods trains to avoid the central New Delhi area.
DCT Domestic Container Terminal (as opposed to the ones equipped for international freight)
DEE Divisional Electrical Engineer (Sr. DEE = Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer)
DF DevelopmentF und
DFC Dedicated Freight Corridor
DF Defenceq uota
DME Divisional Mechanical Engineer
DP DutyP ass
DRF Depreciation Reserve Fund
DRM Divisional Railway Manager
DRUCC Divisional (or District) Rail Users Consultative Committee
DSC Dual-stacked (or double-stacked) containers
E/A Extra time Allowed (slack in train's schedule for a section)
EC or ECC Executive Chair Car
ECR Empty Coaching Rake
EFC Eastern Freight Corridor
EQ EmergencyQ uota
ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESM Electronic Signal Maintainer
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
EY Empty rake (on train monitoring systems)
F Forward journey (in train number annotations)
FC First Class, also Financial Commissioner, also Freight Corridor
FEDL Fully Electrified Double Line
FOB Foot Overbridge (a pedestrian overpass); Fuel Oil Balance
FOIS Freight Operation Information System
FRED Flashing Rear End Device (a warning lamp at the rear of a train)
FT Foreign Tourist (annotation on reservation charts)
G Goods
GAL Goods Avoiding Line
GIT Goods Intermodal Transshipment (e.g., "GIT yard")
GM GeneralM anager
GR General Rules (railway regulations and operating procedures)
GRP Government Railway Police
GSA General Sales Agent (for bookings and Indrail passes sold abroad)
GTKM Gross Tonne KM
HDR High-Density Route
HDN High-Density Network ('Golden quadrilateral' and others)
HO Head Office (a type of quota for tickets)
HP Handicapped Persons quota
HSRL High Speed Rail Line (or Link)
IBP Intermediate Block Post
IC Inspection Carriage (Saloon)
ICD Inland Container Depot
ICTT International Container Transshipment Terminal
I-ASK Inter-Active Status Kiosk (to check reservation / train status)
IMPRESS Integrated Multi-train Passenger REServation System
IOH Intermediate Overhaul
IOW Inspector of Works
IRMP Integrated Railway Modernization Plan
IRP IndrailP ass
IRS Indian Railway Standard (pre-Independence railway standards body)
IRVS Interactive Voice Response System
JOH Junction of Head - point where the tongue rail approaches the main rail in a switch
JUSBRL Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (Kashmir Valley railway project)
LB Lower Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)
LC LevelC rossing
LHF Long Hood Forward
LHL Long Hood Leading
LI LocoI nspector
L/L LocalL ine
LQ LadiesQ uota
LRT Light Rail Transit
LV LastV ehicle
MB Middle Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)
Military Control Office (coordinates ticketing and accommodation for military personnel MCO at some railway stations)
M/E Mail/Express (on tickets)
MG Meter Gauge, also Motor Generator
Mekong Ganga Cooperation group, an association of India and south-east Asian MGC countries, which among other things aim to build a rail link from India to Vietnam.
M/L MainL ine
MOW Maintenance of Way
MRT Medical Relief Train (self-propelled medical van for accidents)
MRTC Mobile Radio Train Communication
MSL MeanS eaL evel
MTP Metropolitan Transport Project (body studying Calcutta's transit problems in the 1960's)
NETRA Network of Electrification -- Testing and Recording Apparatus
NG NarrowG auge
NLT NotL osingT ime
NMG New Maruti Goods / New Modified Goods (wagons)
NOSTRAC North-South Transport Corridor (proposed Central Asia - Iran - India link)
NP Non-pooled (referring to freight stock)
NR 'Not Received' (referring to freight consignments delayed or missing in transit)
Non-railway Customer (any customer other than the zonal railways, for the products of NRC CLW, DLW, etc.)
NTES National Train Enquiry System (phone-based train/reservation status)
NTKM Net Tonne-Kilometer
NV Non-Vegetarian (meal or restaurant)
NVOCC Non-Vehicle Owning/Operating Common Carrier
OA Out-Agency
OCV Other Coaching Vehicle
OIGS On India Government Service (for mail, etc.)
Ordy. Ordinary = Stopping passenger (on tickets)
OSD Officer on Special Duty
OYWS Own Your Wagon Scheme
PAR Parcel Service (in indicating kinds of bookings available at ticket agency)
PCV Passenger Coaching Vehicle
PF Platform (sometimes P/F)
PH Parliamentary Quota
PNR Passenger Name Record (Passenger Numeric Record?) (identifying number for ticket)
POH Periodic Overhaul
POL Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (designation for oil cargo)
PQ PooledQ uota
PQWL Pooled Quota Waiting List
PRS Passenger Reservation System
PS Passenger Service (in indicating kinds of bookings available at ticket agency)
PSCT Port-side Container Terminal
PU ProductionU nit
PWI Permanent Way Inspector
R Return journey (in train number annotations)
RA Running Allowance (in calculating drivers' pay)
RAC Reservation Against Cancellation
RCC Railway Convention Committee (also see above)
R Fee, Res Reservation fee (annotation on ticket) Fee
RJQ Return Journey Quota
RLWL Running Line Waiting List
RMS Railway Mail Service
ROB Road Over-bridge (i.e., road goes over train tracks)
ROH Routine Overhaul
RO-RO Roll-on, roll-off service (auto transport) (RORO)
ROW Righto fW ay
RPF Railway Pension Fund (also see above, organizations)
RR Railway Receipt, Refreshment Room
RRF Railway Reserve Fund
RTR Ready-to-Run (modelling kits)
RTSA Rail Travellers' Service Agents
RUB Road Under-bridge (i.e., road goes under train tracks)
SATIS Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme
S Ch, SF Ch Superfast Charges (annotation on ticket)
SCRA Special Class Railway Apprentice
SEB State Electricity Board (any of the state bodies supplying electricity to IR)
Sh. CC Shatabdi Chair Car
SHF Short Hood Forward
SHL Short Hood Leading
Safety Integrity Level - statistical measure of reliability of a safety system such as an SIL interlocking system
SLB Side Lower Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)
SM StationM aster
Self-Propelled Accident Relief Train - 3-coach accident relief rakes with two diesel power SPART packs
SPURT Self-Propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing cars
SR Subsidiary Rules (for railway operation, see GR)
SRUCC Suburban Rail Users Consultative Committee (for Mumbai suburban services)
SS Station Superintendent; Substation (electrification)
Spring Setting Device - spring-loaded mechanism on some switches to ensure proper SSD alignment of tongue and stock rails
SSE Senior Section Engineer
S&T Signalling & Telecommunications
Suburban Traffic Avoiding line : the fifth line between Borivali and Bandra Marshalling STA Yard, and between Mahim Junction and Mumbai Central in the Mumbai system.
SUB Side Upper Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)
TAAG Trains At A Glance (a timetable publication)
TAR Trans-Asian Railway (another proposed grand pan-Asian route)
TBO Town Booking Office
TC Trailer Car (unpowered car in EMU rake), Ticket Checker / Ticket Collector
TCF Train Coming From (condition of block instrument)
TDR Ticket Deposit Receipt (when surrendering ticket for cancellation / refund)
Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (for measuring container traffic; a standard 40-foot TEU container is 2 TEUs)
TGT Train Going To (condition of block instrument)
TMS Train Management System
TRS Traction Rolling Stock
TS Train Superintendent
TT Timetable
TTE Travelling Ticket Examiner
TQ TatkalQ uota
TXR Train Examiner, the officer who issues the BPC and VCC (Train Inspector)
UB Upper Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)
Universal Emergency Communication (a system of on-board communication in some UEC trains)
V Vegetarian (meal or restaurant)
V Ch, Vou Ch Voucher charges (annotation on ticket)
Vegetarian (meal or restaurant), also Vehicle Guidance (the record of identifying VG numbers for coaches/wagons that make up a train)
VLRR Vegetarian Light Refreshment Room
VT Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus)
WFC Western Freight Corridor
Waiting List; Wait-Listed (ticket issued without confirmed accommodations) WL, W/L (Also as a sign: Whistle on approach to Level crossing!)
WM WorksM anager
W/T WithoutT icket
ZDOT Zero Death On Tracks (campaign to reduce fatalities from pedestrian trespassers)
ZISTU Zonal Integrated S&T Units
ZTC Zonal Training Centre
2T Two-tier (as in "AC-2T" = airconditioned two-tier coach)
3T Three-tier
Abbreviations for some states in India
AP AndhraP radesh
HP HimachalP radesh
JK Jammu& K ashmir
MP MadhyaP radesh
TN Tamilnadu
UP UttarPr adesh
WB WestBe ngal
Other common abbreviations
Exp. Express
Jn. Junction (in station names)
Pass., Pgr. Passenger (train)
Raj RajdhaniE xpress
Rd. Road( ins tationn ames)
Cant., Cantt. Cantonment (in station names)
Mxd. Mixed (in train names)
Tr. Ckt. Track Circuit
Classes of Accommodation
1A First class Air-conditioned (also Executive Class)
2A Air-conditioned 2-tier sleeper
FC First Class
3A Air-conditioned 3-tier sleeper
CC Air-conditioned chair car
SL Sleeper class
2S Second-class Sitting
Ticket Quotas
GN General
LD Ladies
HO High Official / Headquarters
DF Defence
RC (RAC) Reservation against Cancellation
OS Out-station
RS Road-side
PH ParliamentH ouse
FT ForeignT ourist
DP DutyP ass
HP Handicapped
Pongal Festival Pongal is a Harvest Festival, mostly celebrated in south India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over." Traditionally celebrated at harvest time, it is a celebration of the prosperity associated with the harvest. Pongal is celebrated by the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as well as Tamils worldwide, including those in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore. The festival has been in practice for some 5,000 years. While Pongal is predominantly a Tamil festival, it is also celebrated in several other provinces with different names. In Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka, the harvest festival Sankranthi is celebrated and cows and bullocks are gaily decorated and fed on 'Pongal' ( a sweet preparation of rice). In the evening, the cattle are led out in procession to the beat of drums and music. In northern India, Pongal is called Makara Sankranti. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is celebrated on the date of the annual kite flying day, Uttarayan. It also coincides with the bonfire and harvest festival in Punjab and Haryana, known as Lohri. People of all religion celebrate Pongal festival in India.
Id-ul-Zuha
This Muslim festival of sacrifice, Id-ul-Zuha (Arabic) or Bakrid in India is celebrated all over the country. On this day Muslims sacrifice a goat or Bakr (Urdu) to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill his son at the behest of God. This festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca. Prayers are offered in the mosques and the sacrificial meat is then distributed after the Id prayers.
Muharram Festival
Commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the holy Prophet Mohammed, and observed by the Shi'ite Muslims, who take out processions of colourfully decorated 'Tazias', which are paper and bamboo replicas of the martyr's tomb at Karbala in Iraq. The processions are especially impressive at Lucknow. In parts of the South, tiger dancers--men painted over with stripes and wearing tiger masks--lead the procession.
Holi Festival
Holi or Phagwah (Bhojpuri) is an annual and popular Hindu spring festival. It takes place over two days in the later part of February or early March. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon). It is also called the Festival of Colours where men, women and children revel in throwing coloured powder and squirting coloured water on each other. Greetings and sweets are exchanged. In West Bengal, it is known as Dolyatra (Doljatra) or Boshonto Utshob ("spring festival").
Mahavir Jayanti Festival
The anniversary of the birth of Vardhamana Mahavira. The festival attracts pilgrims from all parts of the country to the ancient Jain shrines at Girnar and Palitana in Gujarat. Mahavira, also known as Vardhamana, is the last one in the galaxy of Twenty-four Teerthankaras (Jain Prophets). He was born in the year 599 B.C. and has been acclaimed as one of the greatest prophets of peace and social reformation that Bharat has ever produced. He was born to a pious couple, Siddhartha and Priyakarani or popularly Trishala Devi - who were deeply permeated with the philosophy of jainism preached by Parswanatha, the 23rd Teerthankara. Siddhartha was the king of Kaundinyapura on the outskirts of Vaishali (near Patna in Bihar).
Good Friday
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter or Pascha. It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary. Good Friday is a holy day observed by some Christians. Special prayer services are often held on this day with readings from the Gospel giving accounts of the events leading up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and vicarious act, and one by which, along with resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.
Easter
Easter, also known as Pascha , the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrection, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed between late March and late April (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity). It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which his followers believe occurred on the third day after his death by crucifixion some time in the period AD 27 to 33 (see Good Friday). In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter is actually an eight-day feast called the Octave of Easter.
Baisakhi
The Hindu Solar New Year Day. People bathe in rivers and go to temples to offer puja (worship). Baisakhi is of special significance to the Sikhs. On this day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh organised them into the 'Khalsa', brotherhood of man. In Punjab, farmers start harvesting on this day with great fanfare. Villagers perform the 'Bhangra' folk-dance.
Buddha Purnima Festival
Considered to be the ninth avatar of Vishnu. Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima is marked as the most important day, commemorating the three most significant events in the life of Gautama Buddha that occurred on the same day. His birth, enlightenment and death (nirvana), all happened in the month of Vaishak, on a full moon night in April/May. Thus, this makes the day - called Buddha Purnima Festival or Buddha Jayanti Festival- all the more sacred for Buddhists.
Khordad Sal Festival
Khordid Sal is the birth anniversary of Prohet Zoroaster. It falls on the sixth day of the Parsi month, Farvardin (sometime in August or September). On this day of Khordad Sal, the birthday of Prophet Spitaman Zarathusatra is celebrated symbolically by the Zoroastrians.
Janmashtami Festival
Janmashtami or Gokulashtami as it is popularly known in North India, is a festival full of joy and gaiety. It celebrates with great pomp and show, the birth of Lord Krishna who was born more than 5000 years ago in the 28th year of Dwapur Yug. It is one of the most celebrated festivals for Hindus not only in India but also, all over the world. Janmashtami is about the joy, people all over the world feel for their beloved Lord Krishna.
Onam Festival Onam Festival falls during the Malayali month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. Carnival of Onam lasts for ten days and brings out the best of Kerala culture and tradition. Intricately decorated Pookalam, ambrosial Onasadya, breathtaking Snake Boat Race and exotic Kaikottikali dance are some of the most remarkable features of Onam -
the harvest festival in Kerala.
Durga Puja Festival
Durgapuja, over the years, has outgrown its religious connotations to a large extent as people all over the India celebrate it with gusto. There are various ways in which Ma Durga is worshiped. The rituals and customs vary due to vast difference in the culture of Indian States.Durga Puja is the most important festival of Bengalis. Durga Puja means more to us than just a religious festival. It is a celebration of life, culture, popular customs and traditions... it is a time for coming together, of reunion and rejuvenation, of the rebirth of our piousness and last but not the least, the season to love, to share and to care.
Dussehra Festival
Among the most popular of all festivals, it symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Every region observes this 10-day festival in a special way. In the North, 'Ram Lila' recitations and music recall the life of the legendary hero, Rama. Large fire cracker--stuffed effigies of Ravana, symbolising evil, explode to the cheers of thousands of spectators. In Kulu against the backdrop of snow- covered mountains, villagers dressed in their colourful best assemble to take out processions of local deities accompanied by music on pipes and drums. In Karnataka, Dussehra is celebrated with magnificent pomp and pageantry.
Diwali Festival
The festival of lights is one of the most beautiful of Indian festivals. It comes 21 days after Dussehra and celebrates the return of Rama to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile. Countless flickering oil lamps and lights are lit in houses all over the country making it a night of enchantment. Worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and fireworks and festivities are an essential part of the occasion.
Guru Nanak Jayanti
Also known as 'Gurupurab', it is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak who founded the Sikh faith. For two days and nights preceding the festival, the 'Granth Sahib' (Holy Book) is read and on the day of the festival, taken out in a grand procession. The celebrations at Amritsar are especially impressive.
Id-ul-Fitr
Celebrates the end of Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting. It is an occasion of feasting and rejoicing. The faithful gather in mosques to pray; friends and relatives meet to exchange greetings.
Christmas
Celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike with special enthusiasm. The bigger cities like Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta wear a festive look as Christmas bazaars and festivities are organised.