Home > Future of Steam> Railway Board's Directive The Railway Board issued a directive in the year 2001 to all zonal railways to have at least one section earmarked for running steam locomotives on it. The Eastern, NorthEast Frontier, Central, Western & Northern Railways were the first to make an effort in this direction. The following is the activity carried out on each railway: Eastern Railway's Howrah Division steamed up a retired HGS class BG steam locomotive and started running steam specials from Howrah to Bandel. Northeast Frontier Railway's New Guwahati shed staff revived an old MAWD class Metre Gauge steam locomotive and this loco successfuly hauled a tourist special train from Guwahati station to Pandu. Such Steam Specials were run as a package tour for tourists in collaboration with Assam Tourism and included a trip down the Bhramaputra River. The steam special would haul its load of passengers to Pandu from where the river cruise would begin. The tour was received well by Indian as well as foreign guests. In another effort, a YG class MG steam loco was steamed up for a special run by the Badarpur shed staff and was run on the Barak Valley Line. Central Railway's Parel workshop and Neral Shed successfuly steamed up and ran a DHR 'B' class loco on the Neral Matheran hill section. This loco was specialy brought in from NFR and is now stationed at Neral loco shed. CR now plans to run steam special on a regular basis. Western Railway's Pratapnagar workshop revived an old ZB class NG steam loco and got it steamed up to work a special train from Pratapnagar station in Baroda to Dabhoi. The loco was later transferred to Northern Railway's Amritsar workshop for possible working on the Kalka Simla Railway. Northern Railway's Amritsar workshop recently overhauled and put into service an old 'KC' class steam loco, no 520 on the Kalka Simla Railway and successful trial runs were held in Sept 2001. NR plans to run steam specials through the year. Home | About us | Join us | Contact us | History of Steam | Current Steam | Future of Steam | Newsletter | Meetings | FNRM | Darjeeling Rly | Nilgiri Rly | Links