India’s first deluxe train, the iconic Deccan Queen, completed 93 years of operations between Pune and Mumbai on Thursday. The train had its maiden run on June 1, 1930, which was a major mark in the history of the Great Indian Peninsula (GIP) Railway, the predecessor of Central Railways.
Deccan Queen was the first deluxe train that was introduced to serve the two important cities of Mumbai and Pune. The name of the train was a nod to Pune, which was also known as the Queen of Deccan.
The train was introduced with only two rakes of seven coaches each. One of these rakes was painted in silver with scarlet mouldings, and the other in royal blue with golden lines. The under frames of the coaches of the original rakes were built in England, and the coach bodies were built in Mumbai’s Matunga workshop of the GIP railway.
In the beginning, Deccan Queen only had a first and second class. The former was eventually discontinued on January 1, 1949, and the latter redesigned as the first class. The second class continued up to June 1955, which is when a third class was introduced for the first time.
The original coaches were replaced in 1966 by steel coaches built by the Perambur coach factory. These coaches had improved bogie designs that offered better riding comfort, as well as further improvements in the interior furnishings and fittings.
The number of coaches was increased from the initial seven to 12, which provided additional accommodation. At present, there are 16 coaches in the train.
In its 93 years of existence, the train has seen a series of changes, but continues to be loved by rail enthusiasts. The momentous occasion was celebrated by rail enthusiasts and authorities at the Pune railway station on Thursday morning before the train departed for Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. The train was decorated with garlands, and a rangoli was made at the entrance of the platform.
The Deccan Queen has been running with the new Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) rake since last year. These rakes are believed to be safer and more comfortable as compared to the conventional ones. These are lighter in weight, have a higher carrying capacity, speed potential and better safety features.
The Deccan Queen is the only train in entire India with a dining car that offers table service for 32 passengers. It also has modern pantry facilities such as a microwave, deep freezer and toaster. The dining car is also tastefully furnished with cushioned chairs and carpet, railway officials earlier said.
Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil who was present at the celebrations at the Pune railway station said that the Deccan Queen has grown from a mere medium of transportation to an institution binding a generation of loyal passengers.