However, iconic Mumbai-Pune express forced to run without much-publicised and unique dining car on its birthday; Ironically, the Deccan Queen train ran without its much-publicised unique dining car on its birthday and had to be operated with a pantry car from the Rajdhani Express, as the dining car had been sent for maintenance
Rail enthusiasts and passengers celebrate in front of the Deccan Queen at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble
Railway enthusiasts and passengers celebrated the service anniversary of two iconic trains — the Punjab Mail and the Deccan Queen — at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station on Sunday. Ironically, the Deccan Queen train ran without its much-publicised unique dining car on its birthday and had to be operated with a pantry car from the Rajdhani Express, as the dining car had been sent for maintenance.
The Deccan Queen has been the only running passenger train with the facility of a dining car inside, which offers table service and has modern pantry facilities such as a microwave oven, a deep freezer and toaster. The dining car is also tastefully furnished with cushioned chairs and a carpet.
The regular Deccan Queen dining car was replaced by a pantry car
However, the dining car faced issues with its stove and hot water system, so it had to be sent for repair. Due to this and a few other missing regular coaches, the entire train’s unique green colour-coded (Restrained Imperium shade) coaches lost sheen and were mismatched with other coloured coaches on Sunday. While the Punjab Mail completed 113 years of service, the Deccan Queen completed 95 years of service. Both trains had been launched on June 1.
“The Punjab Mail had first steamed out on June 1, 1912, from the Ballard Pier Mole station, which at the time was a hub for GIPR (Great Indian Peninsula Railway) services. The train used to run on fixed mail days from Bombay's Ballard Pier Mole station all the way to Peshawar, covering a distance of 2496 km in approximately 47 hours. The train’s route ran predominantly over the GIPR track and passed through major cities like Itarsi, Agra, Delhi, and Lahore before terminating at Peshawar Cantonment. Today, the Punjab Mail covers a distance of 1928 km between Mumbai and Firozpur Cantonment in 33 hours and 35 minutes, halting at 52 stations en route,” the Central Railway spokesperson said.
“The Deccan Queen, one of Central Railway’s most prestigious and popular trains, was introduced between Mumbai and Pune, the two premier cities of Maharashtra on June 1, 1930, and is a major landmark in the history of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway — the forerunner of the Central Railway. This was the first deluxe train introduced on the railway to serve two important cities of the region and was aptly named Deccan Queen or ‘Dakkan ki Rani’. The train has had the distinction of having many firsts to its credit, including introduction of first and second-class chair cars, and the first self-generating coaches with 110 volts system,” he added.
Over the years…
The Punjab Mail first steamed out on June 1, 1912
Punjab Mail
The train originally consisted of six coaches: three for passengers and three for postal goods and mail. The three passenger coaches carried approximately 288 passengers.
mid-1930s: Third-class coaches introduced
1945: Air-conditioned coaches introduced
1968: Train dieselised up to Jhansi
1976: train dieselised up to New Delhi and later Firozpur
Late 1970s/early ’80s: Dual-current locomotives (WCAM/1) used to run train on electric traction up to Igatpuri
Dec. 1, 2020: Conventional coaches replaced with LHB coaches
The Punjab Mail is now electric-hauled, and its restaurant car has been replaced by a pantry car. Currently, it runs with an occupancy of more than 250 per cent and includes: one AC First Class cum AC-2 Tier, two AC-2 Tier, six AC-3 Tier, six Sleeper Class, four General second class coaches, one Generator Van and one SLR (Second Luggage/Guard Van)
Deccan Queen
The Deccan Queen with its original look
Initially introduced with two rakes of seven coaches each, one painted in silver with scarlet mouldings and the other having royal blue with gold lines. Original coach underframes were built in England, while bodies were built at Matunga Workshop of the GIP Railway.
1966: Original rakes replaced by anti-telescopic steel bodied coaches built by Integral Coach Factory, Perambur; number of coaches increased to 12
1995: Rakes replaced again with new air brake rakes
Aug. 15, 2021: Vistadome coach attached
Deccan Queen now runs with 16 coaches — three AC Chair Cars, nine Second Class Chair Cars, one Vistadome coach, a dining car, and one General Second class-cum Guard Brake Van/Generator Van.
Railfan voices
Himanshu Mukherjee
"It was a Joyful birthday this year, though the entire Uniform rake was missing, The main attraction of the train Dining car was missing due to Maintenance Cycles, and a couple of non AC and AC chair cars were replaced. Though overall amidst the rising tensions and restrictions around It was a good celebration and meet and greet of Railfans and other like-minded people," railfan Himanshu Mukherjee said.
Akhilesh Ramakrishnan
"Hailing from CR, Deccan Queen has most often been the first train that’s introduced to any budding railfan from CR due to its rich legacy and aura over the decades or rather generations. Being the fastest amongst the other 5 sisters that ferry passengers from Mumbai and Pune and vice versa, Deccan Queen has always had the precedence due to its convenient timings from both of its terminals.. And the very famous and loved Dining Car concept which to date, no other train has introduced, makes it so convenient for the passengers who don’t need to carry food during their journey. Talking about today’s journey from Pune to Mumbai, it has been a surreal experience right from the moments leading up to this hour, starting with the decorations where i was fortunate enough to contribute and do my part in getting the coaches decorated and the kind of reception the train got with the Dhol Tasha was truly a spectacle. Only one thing that I felt was missing today overall was the lack of Dining car, they had a regular Pantry car attached to the coach, although the meal was good, but still, missed out on having a meal in the dining car alongside the Bhor ghats in a rather overcast day," said another railfan Akhilesh Ramakrishnan.
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