Howrah–Ranchi Shatabdi Express

The 12019 / 20 Howrah–Ranchi Junction Shatabdi Express is a Superfast Express train of the Shatabdi Express category belonging to Indian Railways – Eastern Railway zone that runs between Howrah Junction and Ranchi Junction in India.

Howrah–Ranchi
Shatabdi Express
Overview
Service typeSuperfast Express, Shatabdi Express
First service4 July 1995 between Howrah and Bokaro Steel City . Howrah–Bokaro Steel City Shatabdi Express was extended to Ranchi on 28 Oct 2001[1]
Current operator(s)Eastern Railways
Route
TerminiHowrah Junction
Ranchi Junction
Stops7
Distance travelled425.724 km (265 mi) towards Ranchi, 420.800 km (261 mi) towards Howrah (Chargeable distance may be different at least one direction)
Service frequency6 days a week [lower-alpha 1]
Train number(s)12019 / 12020
On-board services
Class(es)Executive Class, AC Chair Car
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Catering facilitiesNo pantry car attached but available
Observation facilitiesLHB coach
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Technical
Rolling stockStandard Indian Railways LHB Shatabdi coaches
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speedThe maximum permisible speed is 130 km/h (81 mph) between Howrah and Dhanbad and the overall average speed taking both directions is 56.75 km/h (35 mph)

It operates as train number 12019 from Howrah Junction to Ranchi Junction and as train number 12020 in the reverse direction, serving the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand.

It was revamped to upgrade to "Swarn (Gold)" standard under Indian Railways' ‘Swarn’ project and CCTVs, improved toilets are some of the features of the revamped coaches.

Coaches

The 12019 / 20 Howrah–Ranchi Junction Shatabdi Express presently has two Executive Class, seven AC Chair Car and two End-on Generator coaches. It does not carry a pantry car but being a Shatabdi category train, catering is arranged on board the train;.[2]

As is customary with most train services in India, coach composition may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways depending on demand.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
12019 EOG C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 E1 E2 EOG
12020 EOG E2 E1 C7 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 EOG

Service, Routing

The 12019 Howrah–Ranchi Junction Shatabdi Express covers the distance in 07 hours 10 mins (different in opposite direction) averaging 59.40 km/h (37 mph) and in 07 hours 45 mins, 12020 Ranchi–Howrah Shatabdi Express averaging 54.30 km/h (34 mph) covers 420.800 kilometres (Opposite direction 425.724 km, time is different, as per Ranchi Division Map on South Eastern Railway website, the difference of distance between two directions is in Kita to Gangaghat hill area between Muri and Ranchi) [3] (Chargeable distance may be different). The distance of some stations from Howrah via its route are (Chargeable distance may be different): Durgapur 157.725 Km (Being via Howrah Bardhaman Chord - HBC, 12.325 Km less than via Howrah Bardhaman Main as it is the average of according to Howrah Division Map on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah – Bardhaman is 12.33 km less and as per both Howrah Division Map and Asansol Division Map, both on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah - Shaktigarh is 12.32 km less), Raniganj 181.605 km (Being via Howrah Bardhaman Chord - HBC, 12.325 Km less than via Howrah Bardhaman Main as it is the average of according to Howrah Division Map on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah – Bardhaman is 12.33 km less and as per both Howrah Division Map and Asansol Division Map, both on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah - Shaktigarh is 12.32 km less), Asansol Junction 199.795 Km (Being via Howrah Bardhaman Chord - HBC, 12.325 Km less than via Howrah Bardhaman Main as it is the average of according to Howrah Division Map on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah – Bardhaman is 12.33 km less and as per both Howrah Division Map and Asansol Division Map, both on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah - Shaktigarh is 12.32 km less), Dhanbad Junction 258.555 Km (Being via Howrah Bardhaman Chord - HBC, 12.325 Km less than via Howrah Bardhaman Main as it is the average of according to Howrah Division Map on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah – Bardhaman is 12.33 km less and as per both Howrah Division Map and Asansol Division Map, both on Eastern Railway Website, Howrah - Shaktigarh is 12.32 km less), Chandrapura Junction 292.675 Km (view Dhanbad Division Map on East Central Railway Website for Dhanbad - Jamuniatand - Chandrapura distance is 34.12 km), Bokaro Steel City 308.270 Km (view Dhanbad Division Map on East Central Railway Website for Chandrapura to E.C. Railway Zone and S.E. Railway Zone junction after Rajabera distance is 4.8 km and view Adra Division Map on South Eastern Railway Website for that junction to Bokaro steel City distance is 10.615 km), Muri Junction 360.675 Km (don't be confused via other route on the map, view Adra Division Map and Muri Division Map both on South Eastern Railway Website for Bokaro Steel City to Muri distance is 52.425 km as distance from GMH is 52.425 km more to the first place than second as per the maps). View Ranchi Division Map on South Eastern Railway Website for Muri to Ranchi distance, it is different in two directions: 65.029 km towards Ranchi but 60.105 km towards Muri (Chargeable distance may be different in at least one direction).

When the Dhanbad-Chandrapura Section was closed in 2017 because of the problem of landslides due to coal mining, the train was diverted to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh (Dhanbad to NSC Bose Jn Gomoh is 29 Km and NSC Bose Jn Gomoh to Chandrapura is 16 Km) and then the train reverses its direction of travel here and continue its journey to Ranchi via Chandrapura. In 6th February 2019, the Dhanbad-Chandrapura section restarted and the train continued to its previous route after few days.

As the average speed of the train is not less than 55 km/h (34 mph), as per Indian Railways rules, its fare includes a Superfast surcharge.

Like most of the Shatabdi class trains, it returns to its originating station Howrah Junction at the end of the day.

  1. Except Sundays

Schedule

The schedule of this 12019/12020 Howrah - Ranchi Shatabdi Express is given below:-

HWH - RNC - HWH Shatabdi Express
12019 Stations 12020
Arrival Departure Arrival Departure
-NIL- 06:05 Howrah Junction 21:30 -NIL-
07:48 07:50 Durgapur 19:14 19:16
08:06 08:07 Raniganj 18:56 18:58
08:22 08:24 Asansol Junction 18:40 18:42
09:23 09:28 Dhanbad Junction 17:35 17:40
10:24 10:26 Chandrapura Junction 16:31 16:33
10:55 11:00 Bokaro Steel City 15:55 16:00
11:45 11:47 Muri Junction 14:50 14:52
13:15 -NIL- Ranchi Junction -NIL- 13:45

Speed

All coaches of Howrah Ranchi-Shatabdi Express are of air conditioned LHB coach type which is capable of reaching 160 kmph but it does not touch. Sometimes people become confused because according to Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual (IRPWM) on Indian Railways website or Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering website, the BG (Broad Gauge) lines have been classified into six groups ‘A’ to ‘E’ on the basis of the future maximum permissible speeds but it may not be same as present speed.

The maximum permissible speed of the train is 130 km/h in Howrah Junction (HWH) – Pradhan Khunta (PKA) – Dhanbad Junction 258.56 km (though distance as per Dhanbad Division Map on East Central Railway Website is 12.32 km higher being via Bardhaman Main Line but as per Howrah Division Map on Eastern Railway Website this train's route via HBC is 12.32 Km shorter than via Main. See Asansol Division Map on Eastern Railway Website to view the distance between end of Howrah Division and beginning of Dhanbad Division) long route which is a part of Howrah–New Delhi route[4][5] and after leaving common part with Howrah–New Delhi route, maximum permissible speed is lower in the rest part as the rest part is not fit for 130 km/h speed and the maximum permissible speed of this train equals to maximum sectional speed. After Dhanbad, the train runs at a low maximum permissible speed through Dhanbad–Chandrapura line of coal-bearing areas. According to East Central Railway System Map (25 May 2021) [6] about 31.775 km Dhanbad (DHN) – Jamuniatand (JNN) – Chandrapura (CRP) (D/L) of 34.12 km (34.12 km distance as per Dhanbad Division Map on East Central Railway website) long Dhanbad (DHN) – Jamuniatand (JNN) – Chandrapura (CRP) and about 4.782 km-long Chandrapura (CRP) to 0.782 Km after Rajabera (RJB) (that is 4.782 from Chandrapura - CRP) routes have Group E track. So, speed is not more than 100 km/h in these two routes but actual speed can't be told because,[7] the BG lines have been classified into six groups ‘A’ to ‘E’ on the basis of the future maximum permissible speeds and Group ’E’ lines have speed up to 100 km/h (presently, earlier below). The speed is unknown in next 0.198 Km which is 0.782 km after Rajabera to a junction of E. C. Railway Zone and S. E. Railway Zone. According to a Facebook post of South Eastern Railway on 20 March 2018, the raising of speed in some important sections are Kotshila–Rajabera is 110 km/h (may be the mentioned railway junction after Rajabera towards Ranchi that is before Rajabera towards Howrah but not exactly Rajabera), Muri to Kotshila is 110 km/h – there is another source in support of 110 km/h sectional speed of Kotshila–Bokaro–Rajabera (may be the mentioned railway junction after Rajabera towards Ranchi that is before Rajabera towards Howrah but not exactly Rajabera) section but not of Muri to Kotshila section.[8] As per Adra Division Map and Ranchi Division Map taking together and both on South Eastern Railway Website distance between that rail zones junction after Rajabera to Muri is 63.04 Km. As per Ranchi Division Map on South Eastern Railway Map on their Website the distance between Muri to Ranchi 65.029 km but 60.105 Km on opposite direction Maximum permissible sectional speed is 105 km/h between Muri and Ranchi having Kita to Gangaghat hill area (Ranchi is on the Hatia – Muri section having 105 km/h sectional speed) [9] but as per another source, maximum permissible speed of Muri Ranchi route is 80 kmph which may be in hilly part only and not in rest parts of Muri - Ranchi route.

As the route is fully electrified, a Howrah-based WAP-5 / WAP-7 powers the train for its entire journey.

Achievements

Howrah–Ranchi Shatabdi Express was the second cleanest train in the year of 2018 preceded by Pune–Secunderabad Shatabdi Express among 77 premium trains that were surveyed in the year of 2018 by railways.

References
  1. "South Eastern Railway".
  2. "LHB rake being introduced for Howrah-Ranchi Shatabdi Express".
  3. https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1622016945735-RNC.jpg
  4. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/civil_engg/CE_II/2019/Raising%20of%20sectionl%20speed%20to%20130%20kmph%20%20(dated%2017_12_2019).pdf
  5. https://rdso.indianrailways.gov.in/works/uploads/File/MT-1318.pdf
  6. INDIAN RAILWAYS PERMANENT WAY MANUAL, 2019
  7. INDIAN RAILWAYS PERMANENT WAY MANUAL 2019
  8. https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/cris//uploads/files/1525948673804-ACHIEVEMENTS-2017-18.pdf
  9. "South Eastern Railway".
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