Barkakana–Son Nagar line
{{Short description|Railway line in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = 28em
| name = Barkakana–Son Nagar line (including Ranchi–Tori line and Garhwa Road–Billi line)
| color = 800000
| logo =
| logo_width = 100 px
| image = Sonnagarjunction 21July.jpeg
| image_width =
| caption = Son Nagar Junction the starting point of Barkakana–Son Nagar line
| type =
| system = Electrified
| status = Operational
| start = {{stnlnk|Barkakana}}
| end = {{stnlnk|Son Nagar}}
| stations = 41
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| website =
| open = 1907
| close =
| owner = Indian Railways
| operator = East Central Railway
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength = {{convert|313|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
| tracklength =
| tracks = 2
| gauge = {{RailGauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} broad gauge
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| electrification = electrified in 1962
| speed = up to {{convert|110|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation =
| racksystem =
| map = {{Barkakana-Son Nagar line|inline=1}}
| map_state = collapsed
}}
The Barkakana–Son Nagar line is an Indian railway line connecting Barkakana and Son Nagar on the Gaya–Mughalsarai section of the Grand Chord. This {{convert|313|km||adj=on|abbr=}} track is under the jurisdiction of East Central Railway.
History
In 1902, a branch line of EIR was opened from Sone East Bank (later renamed Son Nagar) to Daltonganj. With the development of South Karanpura Coalfield, the Central India Coalfields Railway opened a line from Gomoh to Barkakana in 1927 and from Barkakana to Daltonganj in 1929. These lines were subsequently taken over by EIR.{{cite web|url=http://irse.bravehost.com/IRHTML.htm|title=Indian Railway History Time line|last=Saxena|first=R.P.|work=Irse.bravehost.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229092028/http://irse.bravehost.com/IRHTML.htm|archive-date=29 February 2012|access-date=15 March 2017}}
Bridging the Soane/Son
The total length of the Upper Soane Bridge across the Soane, as the river was then called, over abutments is {{convert|3064|m}}.{{cite book|author=L. S. S. O'Malley|title=Bihar and Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iftaR6DVxIAC&pg=PA166|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7268-122-7|page=166}} It was opened for traffic on 27 February 1900. When it was built, it was the longest bridge in India and was believed to be the second-longest bridge in the world, short of the Tay Bridge near Dundee.{{cite web|url=http://eastrailindia.tripod.com/grandchord.html|title=As the traffic continued to grow even beyond the capacity of the|publisher=Tripod|access-date=2011-11-20}} Subsequently, longer road bridges were built but it remained the longest rail bridge in India for many years.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecolorsofindia.com/interesting-facts/infrastructure/longest-railway-bridge-in-india.html|title=Longest Railway Bridge in India|publisher=Colours of India|access-date=25 June 2011}} The opening of the 4.62 km Vembanad Rail Bridge, connecting the Container Transshipment Terminal on Vallarpadam Island to Edappally, in February 2011, pushed it to the second position.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/article512225.ece|title=A bridge over Vembanad Lake|work=The Hindu|access-date=25 June 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://irse.forumco.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1888|title=Longest railway bridge in Kochi|publisher=ForumCo.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323063453/http://irse.forumco.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1888|archive-date=23 March 2012|access-date=25 June 2011}}
Freight corridor
Son Nagar is expected to be connected with Ludhiana as part of the Eastern Corridor. The primary feeder routes for this will be from Sonnagar to Durgapur via Gomoh, Sonnagar to Tatanagar via Garhwa Road, and Barkakana to Bokaro via Chandrapura.{{cite web|url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-freight.html|title=Freight Trains|work=What is dedicated freight corridor?|publisher=IRFCA|access-date=2011-11-20}}
Railway reorganisation
In 1952, Eastern Railway, Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway were formed. Eastern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, east of Mughalsarai and Bengal Nagpur Railway. Northern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company west of Mughalsarai, Jodhpur Railway, Bikaner Railway and Eastern Punjab Railway. North Eastern Railway was formed with Oudh and Tirhut Railway, Assam Railway and a portion of Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.{{cite web|url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-geog.html#newzone|title=Geography – Railway Zones|publisher=IRFCA|access-date=28 March 2014}} East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.{{cite web|url=http://www.ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/|title=East Central Railway|publisher=ECR|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112090715/http://www.ecr.indianrailways.gov.in/|archive-date=12 January 2014|access-date=28 March 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Railways in Eastern India}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barkakana-Son Nagar line}}
Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in India
Category:Railway lines in Bihar
Category:Railway lines in Uttar Pradesh
Category:Railway lines opened in 1907