World’s First Broad-Gauge Heritage Train Launched By Indian Railways; Commercial Weekly Services Open To Public 

A weekly steam train service has been started between Garhi Harsaru and Farukhnagar of Northern Railway Zone. This is the first time that a time-tabled weekly commercial train service has been launched between the two stations after steam engine services came to a permanent halt about 25 years ago.

In order to boost the tourism in the region, the Chairman of Railway Board Ashwani Lohani announced the train service on the occasion of ‘Swachhta Hi Sewa’ (Mission Clean India) on 15 September 2018.

The steam train is currently being powered by WP7200 AZAD, a broad gauge from 1947 manufactured under the title of ‘M/s. Baldwin Locomotive Works U.S.A.’ The locomotive has been revived by Heritage Steam Shed, Rewari of Northern Railways, reported Financial Express. As it was brought to India in 1947, the year of independence, it was named AZAD.

“The locomotive has been restored to its pristine beauty and mechanical engineering perfections. Its revival has been carried out at Heritage Steam Shed in Rewari in keeping with the insistence of the minister for Railways, Piyush Goyal, in reviving tourism and preserving railway heritage,” said Arun Arora, the principal chief mechanical engineer of Northern Railway.

Garhi Harsaru- Farrukhnagar Steam Special train service, which uses train number 04445, departs at 9:30am and reaches the destination at 10:15am. Train number 04446 departs from Farrukh Nagar at 11:15 AM to reach Garhi Harsaru at 12 PM. The train halts at Sultanpur Kaliawas on both sides of the journey.

This is being done in order to preserve the heritage of Indian Railways. The ride is open to public and the charges are nominal at Rs 10.