Where did the first train run in the country? 20+ such mind boggling questions of Railways

Indian Railways is the fourth largest rail network in the world and is considered the lifeline of India. Questions related to Indian Railways are compulsorily asked in competitive examinations related to the country’s history, geography and general knowledge such as UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) and state level civil services examinations. If you are also preparing for a government job or are fond of increasing General Knowledge (GK), then some such complex and interesting questions related to Railways can prove to be very important for you which often leaves even the best veterans in their minds. Let us know more than 20 such important and competitive exam questions related to Railways and their accurate answers, which will make your preparation even stronger.

There are many facts related to the beginning of Indian Railways which every Indian should know. The examination often begins with these questions recorded in the pages of history:

1. When and where did the first train run in the country? Answer: The country’s first train was run on 16 April 1853 from Bori Bunder in Bombay (now Mumbai) to Thane.

2. What was the total distance covered by the first train? Answer: This train covered a total distance of 34 kilometers (21 mi).

3. What was the name of India’s first train and how many compartments were there in it? Answer: This historic train was named ‘Black Beauty’ and had 14 coaches, pulled by three engines (Sahib, Sindh and Sultan).

4. In which year was Indian Railways nationalized? Answer: Indian Railways was nationalized in the year 1951.

5. When was the Indian Railway Board established? Answer: Railway Board was established in March 1905 during the tenure of Lord Curzon.

Questions related to the modern technology of railways, structure of tracks and speed of trains are often asked in interviews and written examinations:

1. Which is the fastest train in India? Answer: Currently, ‘Vande Bharat Express’ is among the fastest and modern semi-high-speed trains of India, with a maximum tested speed of up to 180 km per hour.

2. Which is the longest platform of Indian Railways? Answer: Hubli Junction (Shri Siddharudha Swamiji Hubli Junction) of Karnataka is the longest railway platform in the world and India, with a length of about 1,507 meters.

3. Where is the headquarters of Indian Railways located? Answer: The headquarters of Indian Railways is located at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.

4. Where and when did the country’s first underground metro train run? Answer: India’s first metro train started on 24 October 1984 in Kolkata.

5. Indian Railways is divided into how many zones? Answer: Presently there are total 19 zones of Indian Railways (including the newest South Coast Railway zone).

To strengthen your grip on technical terminology and budget related matters of Railways, it is important to know these questions:

1. What is the standard distance between two broad gauge tracks in Indian Railways? Answer: In broad gauge the distance between the tracks is 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in).

2. When was the first electric train (Vidyut Train) run in India? Answer: India’s first electric train ran between Bombay VT and Kurla on 3 February 1925, also known as ‘Deccan Queen’.

3. Who presented the first railway budget of independent India? Answer: John Mathai, the first Railway Minister of independent India, presented the first Railway Budget in the year 1947.

4. In which year was the Railway Budget separated from the General Budget? Answer: In the year 1924, on the recommendation of the Ekaval Committee, the Railway Budget was separated from the General Budget, which was merged again in the year 2017.

5. Where is the largest railway yard of Indian Railways located? Answer: Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Junction (formerly Mughalsarai) in Uttar Pradesh is the largest railway marshalling yard in Asia.

Let us look at some unique facts related to Railways which are very interesting from the point of view of general knowledge:

1. Which is the shortest named railway station of Indian Railways? Answer: ‘Ib’ railway station located in the state of Odisha is the shortest named station in India.

2. Which is the train that covers the longest train route? Answer: ‘Vivek Express’ covers the longest distance (about 4,273 km) from Dibrugarh (Assam) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu).

3. Who was the first female train driver of India? Answer: Surekha Yadav is the first female train driver of Asia and India, who has also recently operated the Vande Bharat train.

4. What is the mascot of Indian Railways? Answer: The official mascot of Indian Railways is ‘Bholu the Guard Elephant’ i.e. an elephant holding a green signal in its hand.

5. Where and in which year was the first train run in the world? Answer: The world’s first passenger train was run between Stockton and Darlington in England on 27 September 1825.