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 not 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)

Zone

Headquarters

Divisions New zones that started in April 2003

East Coast Railway South Western Railway West Central Railway

Bhubaneshwar

Khurda Road, Waltair, and Sambalpur divisions of SER Bangalore and Mysore divisions of SR, reorganized Hubli division of SCR, including Hospet-Toranagal. (Earlier constituted to have Guntakal division of SCR as well.) Jabalpur and Bhopal divisions of CR, reorganized Kota division of WR

Hubli

Jabalpur

North Central Railway South East Central Railway

Allahabad Bilaspur

Reorganized divisions: Allahabad of NR, Jhansi of CR, and new Agra division Nagpur division and reorganized Bilaspur division of SER, new Raipur division New zones that were created in 2002

North Western Railway East Central Railway

Jaipur

Jodhpur division and reorganized Bikaner division of NR, reorganized Jaipur and Ajmer divisions of WR Sonpur and Samastipur divisions of NER, Danapur, Mughalsarai, and Dhanbad divisions of ER. (Was earlier constituted to have Katihar division of NFR as well.) Old zones as they are after April 2003

Hajipur

Western Railway Central Railway Eastern Railway

Mumbai Mumbai Kolkata

Bhavnagar and Mumbai divisions, reorganized Ratlam, Rajkot and Vadodara divisions, new Ahmedabad division Bhusawal and Nagpur divisions, reorganized Mumbai CST and Solapur divisions, new Pune division (including Pune-Kolhapur) Howrah, Malda, Sealdah, and Asansol divisions Chennai, Palghat, Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvananthapuram, and Madurai divisions (a Salem division has been proposed [7/06]) Ferozpur, Ambala, Lucknow and Moradabad divisions, reorganized Delhi division Lucknow and Varanasi divisions, reorganized Izzatnagar division Reorganized Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Guntakal (including BellaryGuntakal (MG) and Bellary-Rayadurg), and Vijayawada divisions, new Guntur and Nanded divisions. Kharagpur division, reorganized Adra and Chakradharpur divisions, new Ranchi division Katihar, Lumding, Tinsukia divisions, reorganized Alipurduar division, new Rangiya division

Southern Railway Chennai Northern Railway Delhi North Eastern Railway South Central Railway South Eastern Railway Northeast Frontier Railway Gorakhpur

Secunderabad

Kolkata Guwahati

Loco, coach, and wagon manufacturers whose products have been used in India ABB ALCO ASEA Brown-Boveri, Switzerland American Locomotive Co., Schenectady, NY, USA

BBUNL Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam, Ltd. BEML BHEL BLW BP BSCL BTH BWEL CLW also DLW Bharat Earth Movers Limited Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited Baldwin Locomotive Works, USA Beyer Peacock, Manchester Burn Standard Co., Ltd. British Thomson Houston Bharat Wagon and Engineering Co., Ltd. Chittaranjan Loco Works, Canadian Locomotive Works (now Bombardier) Diesel Loco Works, Varanasi

EBW EE EMD GEC GM GMD HL ICF ISW KS LHB MLW MV NBL NW O&K RCF RS SFAC SIG SLM

E. B. Wilson English Electric General Motors' Electro-Motive Division, USA General Electric Corporation, UK General Motors, USA General Motors Diesel, Canada Hawthorn-Leslie, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK Integral Coach Factory, Perambur Indian Standard Wagon Works, Satna Kerr Stuart, Stoke-on-Trent, UK Linke Hoffman Busch GmbH, Germany Montreal Locomotive Works Metropolitan Vickers North British Locomotive Co., Glasgow Nasmyth Wilson, Manchester Orenstein & Koppel, Berlin Railway Coach Factory, Kapurthala Robert Stephenson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK Societe des Forges et Ateliers, Creusot Schweirische Industrie Gesselschaft Schweizerische Lokomotiv- und Maschinenfabrik, Winterthur, Switz.

TELCO Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co. USATC US Army Transportation Corps., USA WB WIL William G. Bagnall, Stafford, UK Wagon India Ltd. (an intermediary firm for wagon contracts)

Organizations & Corporations AIRF BMRTC BPT CMC All-India Railwaymen's Federation (union organization) Bangalore Metropolitan Rail Transit Corporation, Ltd. Bombay Port Trust (later MPT) Computer Maintenance Corporation, also Calcutta Metro Corporation

COFMOW Central Organization for the Modernization of Workshops CONCOR COOIS CORE COS CRIS Container Corporation of India Central Organization for Operations Information Systems Central Organization for Railway Electrification Central Office of Standards (predecessor of RDSO) Centre for Railway Information Systems

CTC DCW DMRC ELRTS FNRM FROA IPWE IRAS IRC IRCA IRCON IRCOT IRCTC IREB IRFC IRIATT IRICEN IRIEEN IRIMEE IRISET IRMS IRPHA IRPS IRRA IRSE IRSEE IRSME IRSS IRSSE IRSTE IRTS ISRS ITB KRCL KRDC K-RIDE KRIST

Calcutta Tramways Corporation Diesel Component Works, Patiala Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Elevated Light Rail Transit System (proposed, Bangalore) Friends of the National Rail Museum Federation of Officer's Associations (umbrella organization for railway officers' groups) Institution of Permanent Way Engineers Indian Railway Accounts Services (financial management) Indian Railways Corporation (proposed) Indian Railway Conference Association (body that issues inspection guidelines, allots wagon codes, inspects workshops) Indian Railways Construction Company, now IRCON International Ltd., which takes on contract work to build railways in other countries (Iraq, Nepal, Indonesia...). Indian Railways Central Organization for Telecom Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Indian Railways Executive Board (proposed) Indian Railways Finance Corporation Indian Railways Institute of Advanced Track Technology Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering, Pune Indian Railways Institute of Electrical Engineering, Nasik Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Jamalpur Indian Railways Insitute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications, Secunderabad Indian Railway Medical Services Indian Railway Public Health Association indian Railway Personnel Services (human resources) Indian Railways Regulatory Authority (proposed) Indian Railway Service of Engineers Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers Indian Railway Stores Services (inventory control) Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers Indian Railway Signal and Telecom Engineering Indian Railway Traffic Services (management, marketing) Indian Steam Railway Society International Tourist Bureau (New Delhi) Konkan Railway Corporation, Ltd. Konkan Railway Development Corporation Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Ltd. Konkan Railway Institute for Staff Training

KMRT LRDSS LRTS MPT MRSP MRTS MRVC MTP MUTP NFIR NRM PRCL NRMU RB RBSS RCIL RDSO ROMA RPF RSC RITES RTRC RWWCO RVNL SGE WAP

Kolkata Mass Rapid Transit Long Range Decision Support System Light Rail Transit System (proposed, Kolkata) Mumbai Port Trust (see BPT) Model Railway Society of Pune Mass Rapid Transit System (Chennai) Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways), Bombay Mumbai Urban Transport Project (a World Bank project) National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (union organization) National Rail Museum, New Delhi Pipavav Railway Corporation Ltd. National Railway Mazdoor Union (railway employees' trade union) Railway Board Railway Board Secretariat Services (part of Railway Ministry) Railtel Corporation of India, Ltd. Research, Design and Standards Organization Railway Officers' Medical Association Railway Protection Force (also see below, Miscellaneous) Railway Staff College, Vadodara Rail India Technical and Economic Services, which takes on planning, design, and operational work in other countries (Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mexico, Zambia, Nepal, etc.). Railway Testing and Research Centre (a predecessor of RDSO) Railway Women's Welfare Central Organization Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. Siemens and General Electric Railway Signal Co., Ltd. Wheel and Axle Plant, Yelahanka (also a loco classification :-) )

Trains AP DQ GT JJ KK TN POW Andhra Pradesh Express The Deccan Queen Grand Trunk Express Jayanti Janata Express Karnataka-Kerala Express Tamil Nadu Express Palace on Wheels

Railways (former and current)

ADCR BAR BB&CI / BB&CIR (BBCIR) BCR BDR BESR BLR BMR BNR BNWR BPR BR BRC CBR CGR CR CSER DHR DMSR DRLR DSR EBR ECR EIR EPR ER GBSR GIPR GLR GSR GSIR IGR IMR IR ISR IVSR JDR

Agra-Delhi Chord Railway Bengal Assam Railway (in 1947, renamed East Bengal Rly., and in 1961, renamed Pakistan Eastern Rly.) Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Bengal Central Railway Bengal Dooars Railway, also Bankura Damodar Railway Bilaspur - Etawah State Railway Barsi Light Railway Burma Mines Railway Bengal Nagpur Railway Bengal North-Western Railway Bengal Provincial Railway Burma Railway Burma Railways Corporation Cooch Behar Railway Ceylon Government Railway Central Railway Calcutta and South-Eastern Railway Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Dhond-Manmad State Railway (Dhond = Daund) Dehri Rohtas Light Railway Drangdhara State Railway East Bengal State Railway East Coast Railway East Indian Railway Eastern Punjab Railway Eastern Railway Gaekwar's Baroda State Railway Great Indian Peninsular Railway Gwalior Light Railway (later Scindia State Railway) Gondal State Railway Great Southern of India Railway Indian Government Railways Indian Midland Railway Indian Railways Indian State Railway Indus Valley State Railway Jamnagar and Dwarka Railway

JR JSR KHR KKTR KR KSR KVR LJR MLR MR MSMR MSR NER NEFR, NFR NMR NR NGSR NSR NWR O&RR, ORR OTR PDB PLR PNSR PR PSMT RDR RKR RMR SCR SER SLR SIR SMR SPDR SR SSLR SSR

Jodhpur Railway Jaipur State Railway Khanai-Hindubagh Railway Kushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway Konkan Railway Kalka Simla Railway Kangra Valley Railway Larkana-Jacobabad Railway Matheran Light Railway Madras Railway Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Mysore State Railway North-eastern Railway North-East Frontier Railway Nilgiri Mountain Railway Northern Railway Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway Nizam's State Railway North Western Railway (in 1961, renamed Pakistan Western Rly.) Oudh and Rohilkhund Railway Oudh and Tirhut Railway Piplod Devgad Baria Railway Parlakimedi Light Railway Punjab Northern State Railway Pakistan Railways Patiala State Monorail Trainways Raipur Dhamtari Railway Rohilkhund Kumaon Railway Rajputana Malwa Railway South-central Railway South-eastern Railway Sri Lanka Railways South Indian Railway Southern Mahratta Railway Scinde, Punjab, and Delhi Railway Southern Railway Shahdara Saharanpur Light Railway Scindia State Railway, also Sangli State Railway

TBLR WCSR WIPR WR

Tezpore-Balipara Light Railway Wardha Coal State Railway West of India Portuguese Railway Western Railway

Technical acronyms (loosely defined see the miscellaneous section also.) ABS ACD ADAM AE AFTC ATC ATP ATS AVB ATS BPC BS BSL BSP CDO CLS COCR COFC CTC CTR CWR DAC DBFO DJ DLBI DEMU DETC DHMU DMH DMU Automatic Block Signalling Anti-Collision Device ARTS Data Manager (system for managing EPROMs and station configuration cartridges for ARTS) Automatic Emergency or Auto-Emergency (type of brake system) Audio Frequency Track Circuiting Automated Train Control Automatic Train Protection Automatic Train Stop Automatic Vacuum Brake Automatic Train Stop Brake Power Certificate (issued before train departure) Braking in Series configuration Block Section Limit Braking in Series-Parallel configuration Coaching Depot Colour-light signalling Confirmatory Oscillograph Car Run Container on flat car Centralised Traffic Control Complete Track Renewal Continuous Welded Rail (0.5km and longer sections of welded rail) Digital Axle Counter Design-Build-Finance-Operate (a scheme for private parties to build and run railway lines with IR's help) From the French disjoncteur, the main circuit breaker of an electric loco (usually pneumatically operated, roof-mounted) Double Line Block Instrument Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit Diesel-Electric Tower Car Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Unit (hydraulic transmission DMU) Dead Man's Handle (on EMUs) Diesel Multiple Unit

DPC DS DSC DTC DW EA ELCM EMU EOG ETCS EY FEDL FM FMVFT FOR FP GTO HEP HFTC HOBC HOG HHPDMU HPDMU HSCB HT HTCBC HTS IGBT JRI LOB LTPDS LVC LWR MACL, MACLS MCB MCI MEMU

Driving Power Car Disconnecting Switch (to switch off OHE power to loco circuits, usually manual) Dual-Stacked Container service (or Double-Stacked Container) Driving Trailer Car (unpowered driving car in EMU rake) Double wire (of semaphore signals) Extra (time) Allowed (make-up time noted in working time-tables) Electronic Load Control Module (governor for DEMUs and other diesels). Electric Multiple Unit End-On Generator Car European Train Control System Empty (notation for empty rake in real-time train information systems) Fully Electrified Double Line Fouling Mark Frequency-modulated Voice-frequency Telegraph (used for control communications by signals / electric traction / traffic control staff) Forward motion (position of master controller in loco) Fouling Point; also Feed Pipe (at couplings of vehicles) Gate Turn-Off thyristor Head-end Power (power from the loco for the coaches) High-Frequency Track Circuit High-Output Ballast Cleaner Head-On Generator High-Horsepower Diesel Electric Multiple Unit High-powered Diesel Multiple Unit High-speed Circuit Breaker High Tension High Tensile-strength Centre-Buffer Coupler High Tensile-strength Steel Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor Junction Route Indicator Lube Oil Balance Live Train Position Display System Last Vehicle Check (automated detection of rake integrity) Long Welded Rail (5-15 rails welded together in a section) Multiple-Aspect Colour-Light signalling Master Circuit Breaker (in locos) Malleable Cast Iron Main-line Electric Multiple Unit

MLRI MNI MOG MOT NBT NI NTES NX OCV OFC OHE OMS PCS PCV PI POET RCC REV ROSHAN RPC SCADA SE S/L SLBI SOD SPAD SPTM SSDAC SSI STR STRI SW SWR TAB TALQ

Multi-Lamp Route Indicator Modified Non-Interlocked (in working timetables) Mid-On Generator Car Motoring (position of master controller in loco) Neale's Ball Token Non-Interlocked (in working timetables) National Train Enquiry System eNtrance-eXit (interlocking panels) Other Coaching Vehicle - non-passenger coaches, e.g., pantry cars. Optical Fibre Cable Overhead Equipment (or foreman for same) Oscillation Monitoring System Pneumatic Control System (loco shut-off/idling control which takes effect on application of emergency brakes) Passenger Carrying Vehicle (regular passenger coaches, as distinct from OCV restaurant cars, mail cars, etc.) Panel Interlocking Passenger Operated Enquiry Terminal Remote Control Centre (for electric traction) Also, Reinforced Cement Concrete (Also see below in Miscellaneous) Reverse motion (position of master controller in loco), Reverser Rolling Stock Health Analyst (accelerometers and other equipment that monitor coach movement and report deviations from normal behaviour). Resistance Power Control (or Compartment) (in EMU power cars) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (monitoring and control system for remote control of electric traction systems) Superelevation (of curved track) Shunting Limit Single Line Block Instrument Schedule of Dimensions Signal Passed At Danger Self-Printing Ticket Machine Solid State Digital Axle Counter Solid State Interlocking Schedule of Technical Requirements Stencil type Route Indicator Single wire (of semaphore signals) Short Welded Rail (2-4 rails welded together in a section) Also: Station Working Rules Train Air Brake Two-Aspect Lower Quadrant

TAWD TBTR TFR TLC TM TMS TOFC T/out TPC TRC TRO TRR TRT TSS TSR TTR TWR UPF USFD VCC VCB VRP WF WILD WSR

Train Actuated Warning Device Through Bridge Timber Renewal Through Fitting Renewal Traction Locomotive Controller Traction Motor Train Management System (train monitoring used in Bombay suburban sections) Trailer on flat car Turnout Traction Power Controller Track Recording Car Traction Rolling-stock Operations Through Rail Renewal Traffic Recovery Time (a kind of make-up time allotment in working timetable) Traction Sub-Station Through Sleeper Renewal Through Turnout Renewal Through Weld Renewal Unity Power Factor Ultrasonic Flaw Detection Vacuum Continuity Certificate (issued before train departure) Vacuum Circuit Breaker Voltage Regulating Panel Weak Field Wheel Impact Load Detector Wheel Slip Relay

Acronyms and Abbreviations Contd..

Miscellaneous acronyms AC ACC ACCC ACP ADE, ADEN ADEE ADME AE, AEN Air-Conditioned Air-Conditioned coach or class Air-Conditioned Chair Car Alarm Chain Pulling (!) Assistant Divisional Engineer Assistant Divisional Electrical Engineer Assistant Divisional Mechanical Engineer Assistant Engineer (see also Technical terms above)

AEC ALK ARMV ART ARTS ASM AW AWS BESA BG BIO-TOIL B/L BOLT BPS CA&FO CARS CBO CC CCS CCTV CEE CFTS CFS CHA CME COIS Conc. CARTRAC CONCERT CONTRACK COW CRS CT CTI CTR CTU

Accident Enquiry Committee Allowance in Lieu of Kilometrage (in calculating payments for drivers) Accident Relief Medical Van Accident Relief Train Advanced Railway Ticketing System Assistant Station Master Auxiliary Watering (in working timetables) Auxiliary Warning System British Engineering Standards Association Broad Gauge 'Biological Toilet' - eco-friendly toilet with bacterial decomposition facility developed by ICF for use on railway coaches. Branch Line Build-Own-Lease-Transfer: private ownership/operation scheme for various freight & passenger services and infrastructure. Blue Parcel Service Chief Accounting and Finance Officer Central Accounting and Reporting System (consolidated reports of ARTS ticketing during the day) City Booking Office Chair Car Chief Commercial Superintendent Closed-Circuit TV Chief Electrical Engineer Chief Freight Traffic Superintendent Container Freight Station Custom House Agent Chief Mechanical Engineer Coaching Operations Information System Concessional fare (annotation on ticket) (not really an acronym) CONCOR's automobile transport service COuntrywide Network of Computerised Enhanced Reservation and Ticketing (not really an acronym) CONCOR's container freight service Career On Wheels: informal classrooms for teaching English, etc., on board trains Chief Reservations Supervisor, Computerised Reservation System Commissioner of Rail Safety Control Tower Central Training Institute Combined Train Report Centralized Training Unit

CVM C&W CW DAL DCT DEE DF DFC DF DME DP DRF DRM DRUCC DSC E/A EC or ECC ECR EFC EQ ESCAP ESM ETA EY F FC FEDL FOB FOIS FRED FT G GAL GIT GM GR GRP GSA

Coupon Validating Machine (for ticketing with prepaid coupons) Carriage & Wagon (staff for plumbing, electricals, amenities) Carriage Watering facilities (in working timetables) Delhi Avoiding Line, a route for goods trains to avoid the central New Delhi area. Domestic Container Terminal (as opposed to the ones equipped for international freight) Divisional Electrical Engineer (Sr. DEE = Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer) Development Fund Dedicated Freight Corridor Defence quota Divisional Mechanical Engineer Duty Pass Depreciation Reserve Fund Divisional Railway Manager Divisional (or District) Rail Users Consultative Committee Dual-stacked (or double-stacked) containers Extra time Allowed (slack in train's schedule for a section) Executive Chair Car Empty Coaching Rake Eastern Freight Corridor Emergency Quota Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Electronic Signal Maintainer Estimated Time of Arrival Empty rake (on train monitoring systems) Forward journey (in train number annotations) First Class, also Financial Commissioner, also Freight Corridor Fully Electrified Double Line Foot Overbridge (a pedestrian overpass); Fuel Oil Balance Freight Operation Information System Flashing Rear End Device (a warning lamp at the rear of a train) Foreign Tourist (annotation on reservation charts) Goods Goods Avoiding Line Goods Intermodal Transshipment (e.g., "GIT yard") General Manager General Rules (railway regulations and operating procedures) Government Railway Police General Sales Agent (for bookings and Indrail passes sold abroad)

GTKM HDR HDN HO HP HSRL IBP IC ICD ICTT I-ASK IMPRESS IOH IOW IRMP IRP IRS IRVS JOH JUSBRL LB LC LHF LHL LI L/L LQ LRT LV MB MCO M/E MG MGC M/L MOW MRT

Gross Tonne KM High-Density Route High-Density Network ('Golden quadrilateral' and others) Head Office (a type of quota for tickets) Handicapped Persons quota High Speed Rail Line (or Link) Intermediate Block Post Inspection Carriage (Saloon) Inland Container Depot International Container Transshipment Terminal Inter-Active Status Kiosk (to check reservation / train status) Integrated Multi-train Passenger REServation System Intermediate Overhaul Inspector of Works Integrated Railway Modernization Plan Indrail Pass Indian Railway Standard (pre-Independence railway standards body) Interactive Voice Response System Junction of Head - point where the tongue rail approaches the main rail in a switch Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link (Kashmir Valley railway project) Lower Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation) Level Crossing Long Hood Forward Long Hood Leading Loco Inspector Local Line Ladies Quota Light Rail Transit Last Vehicle Middle Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation) Military Control Office (coordinates ticketing and accommodation for military personnel at some railway stations) Mail/Express (on tickets) Meter Gauge, also Motor Generator Mekong Ganga Cooperation group, an association of India and south-east Asian countries, which among other things aim to build a rail link from India to Vietnam. Main Line Maintenance of Way Medical Relief Train (self-propelled medical van for accidents)

MRTC MSL MTP NETRA NG NLT NMG NOSTRAC NP NR NRC NTES NTKM NV NVOCC OA OCV OIGS Ordy. OSD OYWS PAR PCV PF PH PNR POH POL PQ PQWL PRS PS PSCT PU PWI R RA RAC

Mobile Radio Train Communication Mean Sea Level Metropolitan Transport Project (body studying Calcutta's transit problems in the 1960's) Network of Electrification -- Testing and Recording Apparatus Narrow Gauge Not Losing Time New Maruti Goods / New Modified Goods (wagons) North-South Transport Corridor (proposed Central Asia - Iran - India link) Non-pooled (referring to freight stock) '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 CLW, DLW, etc.) National Train Enquiry System (phone-based train/reservation status) Net Tonne-Kilometer Non-Vegetarian (meal or restaurant) Non-Vehicle Owning/Operating Common Carrier Out-Agency Other Coaching Vehicle On India Government Service (for mail, etc.) Ordinary = Stopping passenger (on tickets) Officer on Special Duty Own Your Wagon Scheme Parcel Service (in indicating kinds of bookings available at ticket agency) Passenger Coaching Vehicle Platform (sometimes P/F) Parliamentary Quota Passenger Name Record (Passenger Numeric Record?) (identifying number for ticket) Periodic Overhaul Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (designation for oil cargo) Pooled Quota Pooled Quota Waiting List Passenger Reservation System Passenger Service (in indicating kinds of bookings available at ticket agency) Port-side Container Terminal Production Unit Permanent Way Inspector Return journey (in train number annotations) Running Allowance (in calculating drivers' pay) Reservation Against Cancellation

RCC R Fee, Res Fee RJQ RLWL RMS ROB ROH RO-RO (RORO) ROW RPF RR RRF RTR RTSA RUB SATIS S Ch, SF Ch SCRA SEB Sh. CC SHF SHL SIL SLB SM SPART SPURT SR SRUCC SS SSD SSE S&T STA SUB

Railway Convention Committee (also see above) Reservation fee (annotation on ticket) Return Journey Quota Running Line Waiting List Railway Mail Service Road Over-bridge (i.e., road goes over train tracks) Routine Overhaul Roll-on, roll-off service (auto transport) Right of Way Railway Pension Fund (also see above, organizations) Railway Receipt, Refreshment Room Railway Reserve Fund Ready-to-Run (modelling kits) Rail Travellers' Service Agents Road Under-bridge (i.e., road goes under train tracks) Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme Superfast Charges (annotation on ticket) Special Class Railway Apprentice State Electricity Board (any of the state bodies supplying electricity to IR) Shatabdi Chair Car Short Hood Forward Short Hood Leading Safety Integrity Level - statistical measure of reliability of a safety system such as an interlocking system Side Lower Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation) Station Master Self-Propelled Accident Relief Train - 3-coach accident relief rakes with two diesel power packs Self-Propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing cars Subsidiary Rules (for railway operation, see GR) Suburban Rail Users Consultative Committee (for Mumbai suburban services) Station Superintendent; Substation (electrification) Spring Setting Device - spring-loaded mechanism on some switches to ensure proper alignment of tongue and stock rails Senior Section Engineer Signalling & Telecommunications Suburban Traffic Avoiding line : the fifth line between Borivali and Bandra Marshalling Yard, and between Mahim Junction and Mumbai Central in the Mumbai system. Side Upper Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation)

TAAG TAR TBO TC TCF TDR TEU TGT TMS TRS TS TT TTE TQ TXR UB UEC V

Trains At A Glance (a timetable publication) Trans-Asian Railway (another proposed grand pan-Asian route) Town Booking Office Trailer Car (unpowered car in EMU rake), Ticket Checker / Ticket Collector Train Coming From (condition of block instrument) Ticket Deposit Receipt (when surrendering ticket for cancellation / refund) Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (for measuring container traffic; a standard 40-foot container is 2 TEUs) Train Going To (condition of block instrument) Train Management System Traction Rolling Stock Train Superintendent Timetable Travelling Ticket Examiner Tatkal Quota Train Examiner, the officer who issues the BPC and VCC (Train Inspector) Upper Berth (annotation on ticket for sleeping accommodation) Universal Emergency Communication (a system of on-board communication in some trains) Vegetarian (meal or restaurant)

V Ch, Vou Ch Voucher charges (annotation on ticket) VG VLRR VT WFC WL, W/L WM W/T ZDOT ZISTU ZTC 2T 3T Vegetarian (meal or restaurant), also Vehicle Guidance (the record of identifying numbers for coaches/wagons that make up a train) Vegetarian Light Refreshment Room Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) Western Freight Corridor Waiting List; Wait-Listed (ticket issued without confirmed accommodations) (Also as a sign: Whistle on approach to Level crossing!) Works Manager Without Ticket Zero Death On Tracks (campaign to reduce fatalities from pedestrian trespassers) Zonal Integrated S&T Units Zonal Training Centre Two-tier (as in "AC-2T" = airconditioned two-tier coach) Three-tier

Abbreviations for some states in India AP HP JK Andhra Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir

MP TN UP WB

Madhya Pradesh Tamilnadu Uttar Pradesh West Bengal

Other common abbreviations Exp. Jn. Pass., Pgr. Raj Rd. Cant., Cantt. Mxd. Tr. Ckt. Express Junction (in station names) Passenger (train) Rajdhani Express Road (in station names) Cantonment (in station names) Mixed (in train names) Track Circuit

Classes of Accommodation 1A 2A FC 3A First class Air-conditioned (also Executive Class) Air-conditioned 2-tier sleeper First Class Air-conditioned 3-tier sleeper

CC Air-conditioned chair car SL 2S Sleeper class Second-class Sitting

Ticket Quotas GN LD HO DF RC (RAC) OS RS PH FT DP HP General Ladies High Official / Headquarters Defence Reservation against Cancellation Out-station Road-side Parliament House Foreign Tourist Duty Pass 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 snowcovered 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.