pierce-arrow motor car company was an american automobile manufacturer based in buffalo , new york , which was active from 1901 to 1938 .

although best known for its expensive luxury cars , pierce-arrow also manufactured commercial trucks , fire trucks , camp trailers , motorcycles , and bicycles .

pierce - arrow motor car company

1927 pierce arrow pierce - arrow motor car co . buffalo , ny 1901 - 1938
the records of pierce - arrow motor car company consist of the company ' s legal papers between 1906 and 1936 .
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in 1907 , pierce sold all of his rights to the company and in 1908 , pierce motor company was renamed the pierce - arrow motor car company . pierce died in 1910 . herbert dawley joined pierce - arrow in 1912 and designed most of the new models until the company’s demise in 1938 .
the company from which the pierce - arrow motor car company developed was organized in buffalo in 1870 . it changed its name to the george n . pierce company in 1896 , and then again in 1909 to become the pierce - arrow motor car company . for several decades the company manufactured high quality luxury automobiles .
pierce - arrow motor car company , 1906 - 1936 ( bulk 1918 - 1934 ) , are open for research .
pierce - arrow motor car company legal records , 1906 - 1936 ( bulk 1918 - 1934 ) at the buffalo history museum . research library
the pierce - arrow motor car company represents a significant era of buffalo ' s growth , prosperity , innovation and ingenuity . the museum honors and preserves the company’s prestigious history .
after studebaker failed in an attempt to buy the white motor company in 1932 , they sold all their stock on pierce - arrow for one million dollars . they still went into receivership the next year and officers of white motor company were appointed to run studebaker in 1933 . pierce - arrow motor car company was sold at auction in 1938 .
it was in 1909 that george pierce added the arrow to the name and changed the company name to the pierce - arrow motor car company . the famous fender headlamp was added in 1913 and remained their most identifying feature .
the pierce - arrow motor car company was a symbol of one of buffalo’s most significant eras of growth , prosperity and of american innovation and ingenuity .
in 1957 , , the pierce - arrow society was founded to promote the preservation of pierce - arrow products . the pierce - arrow society sums up the legacy of the pierce - arrow this way :
in november 1932 , the company sold its truck business to the white motor company , a studebaker subsidiary . from that date forward pierce - arrow manufactured passenger automobiles exclusively .
1928 reo flying cloud reo motor car co . lansing , mi 1904 - 1936
in late 1906 , the pierce arrow motor car company moved into their new location at 1695 elmwood avenue at great arrow , on the northwest corner of the site of the pan - american exposition .
the george n . pierce company became the pierce - arrow motor car company in 1908 and began manufacturing larger luxurious automobiles for an affluent market . pierce - arrow’s luxury brand was featured in advertisements that were quietly artistic and sophisticated . pierce - arrows were marketed as much more than a car . they were symbols of wealth and status .
starting in 1936 pierce - arrow produced a line of camper - trailers , the pierce - arrow travelodge .
things were going well for the pierce - arrow motor car company . really well . but , as you know , nothing lasts forever . tune in as scott and ben discuss the eventual fate of this once - great american car company .
the buffalo transportation pierce - arrow museum honors and preserves the company’s long and prestigious history .
this early 20th century luxury - car manufacturer was at one time better known for producing common household items . join scott and ben as they explore the rich history of the pierce - arrow motor car company .
1927 peerless 6 - 72 peerless motor car co . cleveland , oh 1900 - 1931
1927 moon sedan moon motor car co . st . louis , mo 1905 - 1930
1927 jewett sedan paige - detroit motor car co . detroit , mi 1923 - 1927
the depression years took a toll on the luxury car manufacturers of the country , pierce - arrow included . as it became increasingly difficult for pierce - arrow to survive as an independent maker of luxury automobiles , the pierce - arrow motor car company was reorganized as the pierce - arrow corporation and made a final effort at staying alive with an all new line for 1936 . as the final pierce - arrow cars were being built , pierce - arrow also tried to enter the travel trailer market with the pierce travelodge .
- - the depression years took a hard toll on the luxury car manufacturers of the country , pierce - arrow included . as it became increasingly difficult for pierce - arrow to survive as an independent maker of luxury automobiles , the pierce - arrow motor car company was reorganized as the pierce - arrow corporation and made a final effort at staying alive with an all new line for 1936 . as the final pierce - arrow cars were being built , pierce - arrow also tried to enter the travel trailer market with the pierce travelodge .
in the court of the united states , the pierce - arrow motor car company versus the united states , no . b - 422 ; plaintiff ' s reply brief . page 461 .
1928 elcar coupe elkhart carriage & motor car co . elkhart , ind . 1915 - 1933
in the matter of the pierce - arrow motor car company , debtor . proceedings for the reorganization of a corporation , no . 22145 , rudder section 77 - b of the bankruptcy law .
in 1928 the company merged with studebaker , although pierce - arrow apparently operated as a separate entity .
the 1919 pierce - arrow model 48 - b 7 - passenger touring car is shown above .
an outgrowth of the former george n . pierce company of buffalo , new york - - one - time bicycle manufacturer and , earlier , bird cage maker - - the pierce - arrow motor car company had achieved a position of prominence by the mid - teens .
court of claims of the united states , no . b - 4223336 ( decided nov . 5 , 1923 ) , the pierce - arrow - motor car company versus the united states . 8 pp .
by 1934 , pierce - arrow was losing money and the company was reorganized with a loan from new york bankers . in 1936 , the company brought out its last all new model . pierce - arrow declared insolvency in 1938 . the company’s chief engineer , karl wise , assembled the final pierce - arrow a few months later from parts obtained from the company’s receivers .
1925 pierce arrow expermential sedan the george n . pierce co . buffalo , ny 1901 - 1938
in the court of claims of the united states , no . b - 422 ; the pierce - arrow motor car company , plaintiff , versus the united states of america , defendant . evidence . page 444 .
topics in this podcast : pierce - arrow motor car company , george n . pierce , percy pierce , american automobile manufacturing , new york , luxury cars , upscale cars , expensive cars , presidential cars , william howard taft , bicycles , motorcycles , trucks , fire trucks , studebaker
in the court of claims of the united states , no . b - 422 ; the pierce - arrow - motor car company , plaintiff , versus the united states of america , defendant . pp . 403 - 443 .
in 1903 , pierce brought out the arrow , a two - cylinder car . the following year , the company brought out the great arrow , a larger , more luxurious car for an upscale market . the four - cylinder car was successful and had a reputation for reliability .
[ description and dates ] , box / folder number , mss . c76 - 1 , pierce - arrow motor car company legal records , 1906 - 1936 ( bulk 1918 - 1934 ) , research library , buffalo history museum .
court of claims of the united states , no . b - 422 ; the pierce - arrow motor car company , plaintiff , versus the united states of america , defendant . evidence for the plaintiff . pp . 301 - 390
in the court of claims of the united states , no . b - 422 ; the pierce - arrow motor car company , plaintiff , versus the united states of america , defendant . evidence . pp . 391 - 401 .
1929 hupmobile sedan model m opera coupe hupp motor car corp . detroit , mi cleveland , oh 1908 - 1940
the pierce - arrow motor car company was officially launched in 1908 . prior to this year , the company had been known as the george n . pierce co . the great arrow cars were named pierce - arrow . this was also the year that the pierce family left the company . percy pierce remained active for a few years , concentrating his efforts in the old hanover street factory with the pierce cycle company . pierce continued to build bicycles and also one and four cylinder motorcycles until 1914 . the bicycles continued on , however , as the tooling was sold to the emblem mfg . co . , in angola , new york , that continued to build
pierce
bicycles for almost twenty years .
- - in addition to the passenger car line , the pierce - arrow motor car company had other product lines . the commercial line built heavy - duty trucks for commercial and military uses for twenty years . the bicycle business , headed by percy pierce , produced some of the finest bicycles and motorcycles of the time .
pierce - arrow sales did not do well and in 1933 studebaker sold pierce - arrow to a group of buffalo , new york businessmen for $ 1 million . studebaker had spent $ 5 . 7 million to acquire pierce - arrow .
by 1920 , pierce - arrow offered models in about 60 combinations of body styles and chassis . colonel george mixter , president of the pierce - arrow motor car company , trimmed the offerings back to one chassis with ten factory body styles . leon rubay and james way designed the bodies and the steering wheel was moved to the left side .
in 1934 , the pierce - arrow models featured more rounded bodies with less chrome . the tail lights were formed into the rear fenders , similar to the pierce - arrow headlights . pierce - arrow offered ten body styles with both eight and twelve cylinder engines . in 1934 , pierce - arrow made only 1 , 740 cars .
1925 rollin model g sedan rollin motor co . cleveland , oh 1923 - 1925
the george n . pierce company started toward the line that would make them famous in 1903 with the introduction of the arrow . a bigger car with the engine mounted in the front of the car rather than under the car , the arrow carried four adults and was powered by a 15 - hp dedion engine . a pierce made engine followed in 1904 . the arrow paved the path for the great arrow , which made its debut in 1904 . the great arrow used a 93 inch wheelbase and featured a four cylinder pierce engine . the great arrow also introduced the user of cast aluminum body panels . the great arrow also had a great price : $ 4000 ! the great arrow defined the basic car that pierce would produce , with refinements , for the next several years . it was the great arrow that helped gain pierce its great reputation by winning the first five glidden tours .
pierce company / pierce - arrow company - table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . automobile industry in buffalo
1926 rickenbacker boattail coupe rickenbacker motor co . , detroit , mi . 1922 - 1927
1926 model r rugby 1922 - 192durant motor co . of new jersey 1922 - 1928
during the late nineteenth century , a number of the fledgling automobile companies had been originally carriage manufacturers . the history of pierce - arrow , however , starts in 1865 with a company which was known for making delicate , gilded birdcages . in 1872 , george norman pierce bought out his partners in heinz , pierce and munshauer and changed the name of the company to george n . pierce company . in 1896 , the company expanded to bicycles . in 1900 , the company made its first venture into automobiles with a steam - powered car . the venture failed .
pierce - arrow , called
the american rolls royce
, is arguably the finest american car ever made , began at the turn of the century , but its founder , george norman pierce started a manufacturing company long before his car venture . by world war i , pierce - arrow quality and engineering was beyond reproach . its name alone evoked all that wealth could buy . but , resistant to change , the company died a slow death . pierce - arrow , reflecting on the premise that
the company would never compromise quality and make a cheap car
. pierce - arrow was the forerunner in aluminum bodies , dual - valve engines , power brakes and hydraulic tappets . about 85 , 000 pierce arrows were built , but fewer than 2 , 000 exist .
xiv . action : court of claims , pierce - arrow vs . the united state .
in the hatter of the pierce - arrow . motor car company , debtor . no . 22145 . first report of edward r . bosley , special master , second report of edward r . bosley , special master , and third and final report of edward r . bosley , special master .
1927 gardner 8 cylinder sedan gardner motor co . st louis , mo . 1919 - 1931
. it was a process unique to the pierce - arrow motor car co . the necessity for this innovation was the same as that which forced the simultaneous development of the conventional automobile body technology of the time : stresses brought on by the ope
pierce - arrow also supplied 8 and 12 cylinder engines to the seagrave corporation for use in fire engines . these engines continued to be made even after pierce - arrow ceased operation in 1938 . seagrave continued to deliver fire apparatus with the
pierce - arrow
v - 12 until 1970 .
the 1920 ' s ended for pierce - arrow with another overhaul of the product line and renewed optimism based on financial soundness . while rumors about mergers with companies such as general motors , lafayette and rolls - royce circulated in the 20 ' s , none came true until controlling interest of the pierce - arrow motor car company was purchased by the studebaker corporation in 1928 . while the two companies maintained independent engineering and manufacturing operations , pierce - arrow ' s future was influenced by its major stockholder , studebaker .
in august 1928 the controlling stock of the company was sold to the studebaker corporation , and many of the pierce - arrow executives were replaced by employees of studebaker .
“for 38 years , the pierce - arrow motor car company in buffalo , new york , produced some of the finest automobiles made . at the time , pierce - arrows could be found anywhere the rich and powerful worked and played . for over 20 years , pierce - arrow supplied cars to the white house for the use of the president . they also sold cars to the royal families of japan , persia , saudi arabia , greece , and belgium . ”
1929 ford model a coca cola truck ford motor co . detroit , mi . 1903 - date
boxes ( nos . 23 & 24 ) were donated by mr . william b . h . sawyer in june of 1977 , and are additions to the existing collection . they concern the creditors committee - davidson , wurster , and fisher . the papers are legal documents , correspondence concerning claims against the company and a suit brought against the united - states by the pierce - arrow motor car company .
during the late months of 1937 , pierce - arrow ' s creditors began to lose faith in the company ' s viability . on may 12 , 1938 at 11 : 36 a . m . , pierce - arrow ' s buildings and machinery were sold to william emblidge .
- - by the end of the first decade of the twentieth century , the pierce automobile was well on its way to becoming the large , expensive automobile pierce - arrow was famous for . the success of the pierce great arrow in the glidden tours made the pierce automobile famous for quality and reliability .
in 1933 , pierce - arrow unveiled the radically streamlined silver arrow in a final attempt to appeal to the wealthy at the new york auto show ; the car was well received by the public and the motoring press . the car was announced with the phrase
suddenly it ' s 1940 !
and pierce sold five examples of this car , but since it was priced at $ 10 , 000 during the worst of the depression , the rich were hesitant to spend so much on a car . the company subsequently issued a production model named
silver arrow
; however , it did not incorporate many of the features of the show car and failed to generate sufficient sales for the company .
pierce - arrow introduced larger , more powerful cars in 1915 and 1916 , that offered more luxury options . the company realized profits of $ 4 million per year . pierce - arrow’s success reached its peak during world war i , producing a great number of trucks to be used in the war in europe . the war ended and pierce - arrow’s success and popularity continued to grow .
in 1933 pierce - arrow introduced the silver arrow model at the chicago world’s fair century of progress exposition . the futuristic design was so well received that in 1934 a 12 - cylinder silver arrow model was made available to the public . this is one of the earliest production examples painted to match the original catalog car . all silver arrow production models were similar in design to the world’s fair car .
1927 essex super 6 aluminum sedan deluxe hudson motor co . , detroit , mi . 1908 - 1932
the collection of historic automobiles , bicycles , pierce - arrow memorabilia and much more is unlike any other .
the president of the pierce - arrow society said george pierce was always dedicated to the finest materials and workmanship .
in the decade before 1900 , his bicycles had a reputation which justified prices well above the market average . the same standards were applied when motor car production began in 1901 ,
said arnold romberg .
headlights on typical american cars were placed on either side of the radiator . in 1914 , pierce - arrow moved the headlights into flared housings molded into the front fenders . this gave the pierce - arrow a distinctive look and at night the car appeared to have a wider stance .
this collection documents the legal activities of pierce - arrow motor company legal records such as correspondence ; minutes ; organization papers ; contracts ; legal documents concerning lawsuits regarding trademarks , compensation claims , and patents ; and other legal records kept by buffalo law firm of dudley , stowe and sawyer .
n 1907 , the pierce cycle company was formed , separating the bicycle business from the automobile business . percy pierce , son of george pierce , was the company ' s president . in 1909 , the first pierce motorcycle was introduced . at $ 325 , the 4 - cylinder motorcycle was a costly alternative to the other motorcycles of the time . a one - cylinder version was added in 1910 . production continued through 1913 . the pierce cycle company went bankrupt in 1914 .
as the great depression loomed , pierce - arrow drastically changed its approach and released a new line of automobiles .
- - as the great depression started , pierce - arrow entered a new era in its own history . the new straight - eight models of 1929 set record sales for pierce - arrow . a few years later , ab jenkins would shatter existing speed records by driving a twelve - cylinder pierce - arrow on the salt flats of utah .
in 1928 , the studebaker corporation gained control of pierce - arrow . the acquisition of pierce - arrow made studebaker the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the united states . however , the engineering departments of the two automakers continued to function independently . with studebaker control , pierce - arrow gained a dealer network as their cars could be sold through studebaker dealerships .
as was true for most automobile firms in those early days , pierce - arrow had no foundry of any kind .
when the company split in 1906 , the pierce cycle company was formed and the nameplate changed accordingly . these models were continued with little change until the company dissolution in 1918 . bicycle production diminished during the period due to automobile popularity and focus on motorcycle production . in 1918 , the emblem manufacturing company purchased the pierce assets and again revised the nameplate to reflect the change from buffalo , new york to angola , new york and produced bikes under the pierce name until 1940 .
this 1929 model 133 victoria coupe is part of a collection of original pierce publicity photos . see more classic car pictures .
by dennis adler © car collector magazine , llc . ( click for more car collector magazine articles ) originally appeared in the february 2004 issue
as the company grew , pierce demanded an emphasis on quality be maintained . he continually surrounded himself with executives , engineers and a work force who believed the same . in his book ,
pierce - arrow
, author marc ralston has written that executives of the george n . pierce company ( incorporated in 1896 with pierce as president ) were
gentlemen of integrity , wealth and culture , and the quality of their product reflected their character .
the company continued the quality approach until the end in 1938 . it has been written that pierce - arrow , which survived financial crisis in 1913 , 1919 , 1928 and finally in 1937 , because of quality , but higher prices finally got the best of the company because officials refused to introduced lower - priced car , even if it meant closing up shop .
pierce - arrow advertisements were artistic and understated . unusually for automobile advertising , the image of the car was in the background rather than the foreground of the picture . usually only a portion of the automobile was visible . the pierce - arrow was typically depicted in elegant and fashionable settings . some advertisements featured the car in places an automobile would not normally go , such as the west and other rural settings , a testament to car ' s ruggedness and quality .
hile the pierce - arrow became one of the most prestigious automobiles made , the beginnings of pierce - arrow were humble . at the time of the civil war , george pierce began his career in manufacturing household items , including ice - boxes , birdcages , and bathtubs . after being associated with several companies , he formed his own company , the george n . pierce company , in 1878 . at first , the new company followed the product line of earlier companies . as the bicycle craze hit the country in the late nineteenth century , pierce found that the experience gained making wire products , like their bird cages , easily transferred to the manufacture of bicycles . high quality standards and an attractive price made pierce cycles highly desired .
packard motor car company bought studebaker corporation in 1954 and formed studebaker - packard corporation . the resulting company had a hard time competing with general motors , ford and chrysler , and from 1954 to 1958 , studebaker - packard didn’t turn a profit . the 1957 and 1958 packards were actually studebakers with special interiors and trim , and packards were discontinued in 1958 .
an example of the lavish décor in pierce - arrow cars was a 1930 parade car built for the shah of persia . the car cost $ 30 , 000 and featured silk upholstery , gold hardware , siberian wolfhound fur rugs and the royal crest in jewels . with inflation , that car would cost $ 318 , 000 to build today .
after over a year without any truck production , a new line of pierce - arrow trucks were introduced in late 1930 . the four models ranged from the 70 - horsepower , 2 - ton model pt to to the 130 - horsepower , 8 - ton model pz . all trucks used a six - cylinder engine specifically produced for the trucks . in late 1932 , all truck production at pierce - arrow was ceased . the studebaker corporation , who owned controlling interest in pierce - arrow , shifted all truck production to the white motor corporation . trucks with the pierce - arrow name continued to be available from white until 1935 .
pierce was the only luxury brand that did not field a lower price car ( e . g . packard 110 ) to provide cash flow , and without sales or funds for development , the company declared insolvency in 1938 and closed its doors . the final pierce - arrow assembled was built by karl wise , the firm ' s chief engineer , from parts secured from the company ' s receivers . pierce ' s holdings were sold at auction on friday , may 13 , 1938 .
the forerunner of pierce - arrow was established in 1865 as heinz , pierce and munschauer . the company was best known for its household items , and especially its delicate , gilded birdcages . in 1872 , george n . pierce bought out the other two , switching the name to george n . pierce company and in 1896 , bicycles were added to the product range . a failed attempt to build a steam - powered car was made in 1900 with license from overman , but by 1901 pierce built its first single - cylinder two - speed ( no reverse ) moterette with the engine licensed from de dion . in 1904 , a two cylinder was made named the arrow .
pierce - arrow had arrived at the forefront of social preference by 1918 . its most impressive offering that year was the model 66a , a car of such staggering proportions that it literally dwarfed all others .
was once one of the most recognized and respected names in the automobile industry . for 38 years , the pierce - arrow motor car company in buffalo , new york , produced some of the finest automobiles made . at the time , pierce - arrows could be found anywhere the rich and powerful worked and played . for over 20 years , pierce - arrow supplied cars to the white house for the use of the president . they also sold cars to the royal families of japan , persia , saudi arabia , greece , and belgium . scores of congressmen , ambassadors , governors , businessmen , and entertainers chose pierce - arrows for their transportation . a list of some
while world war i was raging in europe , the pierce - arrow line matured into a lineup of three models that would define the pierce - arrow line for a decade . the top of the line was the enormous model 66 with an 825 cubic inch engine . pierce - arrow was also involved in the war effort , sending hundreds of trucks from its commercial line to england and france .
in 1914 , pierce - arrow adopted its most enduring styling hallmark when the headlights of the vehicle were moved from the traditional placement to either side of the radiator into flared housings molded into the front fenders of the car . this gave the car an immediate visual identification from the side ; at night it gave the car the appearance of a wider stance . pierce trademarked this placement and it remained in place until the final model in 1938 . hence it is only beginning with the 1939 model year that other american car manufacturers put the headlights in the fenders . through 1914 pierce - arrow also produced a line of motorcycles .
in the 1870’s , the george n . pierce company produced common household items such as ice chests and birdcages . pierce used his expertise in metal cage work to transition into the transportation field by manufacturing bicycles .
pierce - arrow was known for many automotive innovations . the most notable and distinctive was the fender light designed by herbert dawley in 1914 . he also designed the hood ornament known as the “helmeted archer , ” which was used on the 1928 pierce - arrow . more stylized archers were used on pierce - arrows through 1938 .
the original company was founded in 1865 as heinz , pierce and munschauer . their products were household items such as iceboxes and birdcages . in 1872 pierce bought out the other two and named the firm the george n . pierce company . bicycles were added to the line in 1896 . in 1900 an attempt was made to build a steam car . that effort failed , but in 1901 they came out with the single cylinder motorette . they made a two - cylinder car named arrow in 1904 . their four - cylinder model was named great arrow . they entered the newly formed glidden tours and won it for the first five years in a row .
by 1909 , pierce ' s health was failing and george k . birge , a wealthy man , who had invested a tidy sum into pierce - arrow , became president in 1910 , a post he held for six years . pierce died in 1910 .
in 1928 , the company was put up for sale as a result of weak sales in the 1920s . the south bend , indiana automobile company studebaker acquired a controlling interest in pierce - arrow . studebaker president alfred r . erskine had hoped that adding the prestigious product to its lineup would allow studebaker to compete with the likes of packard and cadillac for a portion of the luxury car market . under studebaker’s ownership , pierce maintained virtual autonomy over its product and product development . approaching bankruptcy in 1933 , studebaker sold out their interest in pierce - arrow to a group of buffalo businessmen .
- - while world war i was raging in europe , the pierce - arrow line matured into a lineup of three models that would define the pierce - arrow line for a decade . the top of the line was the enormous model 66 with an 825 cubic inch engine . pierce - arrow was also involved in the war effort , sending hundreds of trucks from its commercial line to england and france .
engineering was always a pierce - arrow characteristic . for example , george pierce introduced the first production four - cylinder motorcycle in 1909 and the first automatic power - assisted brakes on an american car in 1933 . the company also introduced the first practical self - adjusting hydraulic valve lifters , also in 1933 , and have been widely used since in almost all automobile engines .
shown above is a 1931 pierce arrow model 41 limousine on display at the western antique aeroplane and automobile museum in hood river , oregon .
my wife was driving and spotted a car she didn’t recognize that was going to the show . she asked me , “what kind of car is that ? ”
this article originally appeared in the january , 2005 issue of hemmings classic car .
originally published in the january , 2005 issue of hemmings classic car . order backissues
pierce - arrow ' s final attempt at the commercial market was in 1935 when they made some 9 and 15 passenger sight - seeing buses .
pierce - arrow continued to manufacture automobiles . prices were dropped considerably in an attempt to appeal to a larger market . toward the end of production , pierce - arrow manufactured its own line of travelodge trailers , complete with gas stoves , ice chests , water tanks and dining areas . 450 travelodge trailers were produced , but the company continued to falter and filed for bankruptcy in 1938 .
ten years later , while speaking to a dealer conference at the factory , herbert m . dawley , one of the important influences on the pierce - arrow cast aluminum body , remarked that
the cast aluminum body is a thing that is distinct and unique in the pierce - arrow factory . it is the one thing that has been developed that you will not find in other cars .
at the time he spoke these words dawley knew the pierce - arrow car occupied the very summit of prestige in the luxury car market , seen in enclaves of social prominence and the loci of great financial and governmental power that included the white house itself . the company�s earlier decision seemed quite justified .
underestimating the impact of the great depression , studebaker president albert erskine inadvertently led the corporation into receivership in 1933 . paul hoffman and harold vance ultimately rescued the company , but much of studebaker’s momentum had been lost . studebaker introduced another small car , the rockne , in 1932 , but dropped it again in 1933 . for the 1934 model year , studebaker launched several advanced body designs , including the fastback land cruiser , a car styled after the famous pierce - arrow silver arrow showcars .
kenneth r . kingsbury , president , standard oil company of california ( now chevron corp . )
these x - 1 was replaced by the r - 5 in 1915 . the quality of the pierce - arrow truck was recognized by the the military powers of world war i . pierce - arrow delivered over 14 , 000 trucks to the french and british governments by the end of the war .
under studebaker , pierce - arrow dropped their six - cylinder engine and introduced a straight - eight engine . the 1929 pierce - arrows were long , low , and very successful : nearly 10 , 000 cars were sold .
the completed body was then mounted on the chassis of the car . this so - called
composite
body was the standard method used to construct car bodies for the next thirty years . pierce rejected this solution for more than a decade .
in 1928 , pierce - arrow was bought by studebaker . this resulted in a number of engineering and design alterations . studebaker invested money in research and new developments at the buffalo factory , but investments did not result in sales . studebaker went bankrupt in 1933 , and sold pierce - arrow to buffalo management .
with studebaker ' s south bend complex working around the clock , erskine also saw the production of trucks as one way to better utilize pierce - arrow ' s underused facilities , and get the company into the heavy truck market , a segment that studebaker was not involved with . to accomplished this spa truck company ( studebaker - pirece - arrow ) was formed to build high - quality trucks , which began rolling off the assembly line in 1929 . erskine also moved to start talks with white motor company of cleveland , ohio , which he hoped would complement spa ' s product . talks with white failed in early 1933 , and the spa venture was terminated when studebaker filed for receivership in march , 1933 .
in 1928 , another chassis was added to the truck line . the fleet arrow wagon , model fa , used a modified series 81 passenger car engine . mounted on a 140 , 160 , or 180 inch wheelbase , the fleet arrow was primarily intended for inner - city delivery service . the fleet arrow could be ordered with either single or dual rear wheels equipped with pneumatic tires . the brakes applied to all four wheels plus the drive shaft . houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers were supplied on the front axle . pierce - arrow advertised a top speed of 49 miles per hour using 34 inch tires and a 5 2 / 7 : 1 rear axle ratio . unlike earlier pierce - arrow trucks , the fleet arrow did not use a worm - drive rear axle . production of the fleet - arrow ceased in 1929 after slightly over 500 were made .
the pierce - arrow was a status symbol , owned by many hollywood stars , corporate tycoons ; royalty of many foreign nations had at least one pierce - arrow in their collections . in american luxury cars it was rivaled only by the peerless and packard , which collectively received the accolade three p ' s of motordom . industrial efficiency expert frank bunker gilbreth ( cheaper by the dozen ) extolled the virtues of pierce - arrow , in both quality and in its ability to safely transport his large family .
the company abandoned the six cylinder engine in favor of a straight eight cylinder used by its competitors . the new pierce - arrows sat lower to the ground and were considerably longer than the previous models . the new roadsters , touring cars and sedans proved to be a success in the years leading up to the depression . however , when the economy collapsed , the auto industry was hit especially hard , specifically luxury lines like pierce - arrow . this led to drastic price drops and pierce - arrow struggled to sell vehicles .
of all the great american marques - - stutz , lincoln , duesenberg , packard , and the rest - - none was more synonymous with meticulous craftsmanship and refined luxury than the noble pierce - arrow , one of the fabled
three ps
of u . s . automotive royalty . here is the history of pierce - arrow .
to publicize the new twelve , pierce - arrow arranged for the race driver , ab jenkins , to drive a pierce - arrow on the bonneville salt flats . an unofficial , 24 - hour run was done in 1932 , with an average speed of 112 . 91 miles per hour . in 1933 , pierce - arrow repeated the run , this time with aaa observing and conducting the run . this time , jenkins drove 3000 miles in 25 1 / 2 hours , averaging 117 mph . this trial broke 66 official aaa speed records . in 1934 , another run set a new worlds speed record of 127 mph for 24 hours . the virtues of the pierce - arrow twelve continued long after pierce - arrow ceased production . the basic engine , with some modifications , was made well into the 1970 ' s for use in seagrave fire trucks .
the mechanical virtues of the pierce - arrow in the early thirties would be enough to secure pierce - arrow a page in automotive history . however , just as impressive as the eight and twelve cylinder engines was the pierce silver arrow . original built for the 1933 new york automobile show , the cars were also a hit at the 1933 century of progress exposition in chicago . the cars features streamlined styling that included an all - steel top , and side mounted spare tires concealed in compartments in the front fenders .
as demand for improved bicycles grew , pierce met high demands and industry innovation with the introduction of bicycle advancements such as the cushion frame and coaster brake . the george n . pierce company built a 75 , 000 square foot factory on hanover and prime streets on buffalo’s waterfront at canalside . in 1901 , the company produced its first , one single - cylinder automobile and also had a bicycle display at the pan - american exposition . the company continued manufacturing bicycles and motorcycles at this location until 1915 .
during the first half of 1934 , the company ' s working capital was depleted by losses resulting chiefly from a tool and die maker ' s strike which made it impossible for the company to complete its 1934 models until after the peak selling season had passed . working capital was also depleted as a result of the disruption of the company ' s selling organization brought about by the dissolution of corporate relations with studebaker , and also by a generally unfavorable public reception of pierce - arrow ' s new lower - priced model .
the pierce - arrow was a luxury automobile and as such it was a status symbol that tended to be owned by presidents , royalty , business tycoons , and hollywood stars . the pierce - arrow became one of the first official cars at the white house when president william howard taft ordered two of them in 1909 to be used for state occasions .
braun cadillac showroom ( 1995 ) : art deco showcase of the fabulous pierce - arrow painting by dr . roger lalli ; text by david m . rote ( online july 2015 )
studebakers of the late teens and early 1920s used names like big six , special six , light six and standard six , but for the 1927 model year , these generic names gave way to the president , commander and dictator series . also introduced in 1927 was a new quality small car called the erskine . in 1928 , studebaker took over the ailing pierce - arrow motor co . of buffalo , new york , and nursed it along for five years .
pierce brought out their first six cylinder car in 1907 . the model 65 - q great arrow had a 135 inch wheelbase and weighed over 4000 pounds . prices ranged from $ 6 , 500 to $ 7 , 750 . there was little doubt that pierce was aimed at a very wealthy market . these were good years at pierce . the reputation earned on the glidden tours , as well as other trophies and awards , put pierce in the very enviable position of being able to sell an entire year ' s production before the year began !
in 1933 , pierce - arrow unveiled the radically streamlined silver arrow in a final attempt to appeal to the wealthy at the new york auto show . the car was well received by the public and the motoring press , being announced with the slogan
suddenly it ' s 1940 !
the bodies were built at studebaker , which subsequently assisted in rolling out a lower - priced production model . this , however , lacked many luxury features of the show car and still failed to generate enough sales .
on august 18 , 1934 , pierce - arrow filed a petition in bankruptcy court under section 77 - b of the bankruptcy act . under these provisions the company continued to operate by the same management without the appointment of trustees . it continued to produce a limited number of automobiles under the bankruptcy provisions until 1937 .
in 1909 , u . s . president william howard taft ordered two pierce - arrows to be used for state occasions , the first official automobiles of the white house . an open - bodied pierce - arrow carried woodrow wilson and warren g . harding to harding’s 1921 inauguration .
in august 1933 , a syndicate composed of certain investment banking firms and individuals from buffalo , new york city and boston purchased pierce - arrow stock from the studebaker corporation , including a $ 2 , 000 , 000 note owed by pierce - arrow for advances . subsequently the capital structure was reorganized , providing for the exchange of the $ 2 , 000 , 000 note for common stock . however , this reorganization did not provide adequate working capital , and the company had to borrow funds for this purpose .
in the early years , company advertising promoted the image of the pierce - arrow owner as one not only of considerable means but discriminating taste and astute judgment . leading artists and illustrators such as frank leyendecker , adolph treidler , and myron perley vied for commissions , and their efforts were among the finest in this medium .
in 1933 , pierce - arrow introduced a new design , the silver arrow . the car was featured at the 1933 chicago world ' s fair and caused quite a stir by those who saw it . it was streamlined , had a steel top , fastback styling , enclosed running boards , rear wheel skirts , recessed door handles and faired - in head and tail lamps . more than 70 years after its introduction , the silver arrow is recognized as one of the 10 most influential automotive designs of all time .
the silver arrow , a radically streamlined automobile was unveiled at the 1933 new york auto show . intended for the ultra - wealthy , the silver arrow carried a price tag of $ 10 , 000 . it was the height of the great depression and while the car got rave reviews , only five were initially sold .
in 1931 pierce - arrow introduced the 12 - cylinder car . they entered it in the bonneville races and broke 14 international records with it . as the story goes , in the final hour of a 24 - hour race , at the speed of 125 mph . , the driver , a . b . jenkins , took out a safety razor and after winning the race , exited the car clean - shaven .
- - before becoming one of the foremost prestige automobiles , the george n . pierce company made a variety of household items , including ice boxes and birdcages . the early ventures into motorcars included the dedion powered motorette .
fter years of discussion and planning , the first pierce - arrow truck was shown in january , 1911 . the five - ton stake - bed truck featured a worm - drive rear axle and hard rubber tires . the pierce - arrow worm - drive trucks were quieter and more reliable than the chain - drive mechanism used by most trucks of the time . the first pierce - arrow truck , the x - 1 , had a four - cylinder t - head engine with 4 7 / 8
bore and 6
stroke . the truck had three forward speeds and sold for $ 4500 . the pierce - arrow truck set a new standard for trucks made in america . the x - 1 was augmented by a two - ton model , the x - 2 in 1913 .
rare automotive collectible and very desirable item . awesome certificate with a vignette of a classical male figure seated above the company logo . pierce - arrow logo is repeated in the bottom seal . issued and cancelled . piece missing out of lower left edge that just touches the border as shown ( would mat out when framed ) .
in 1901 , pierce brought out the motorette , powered by a single - cylinder , two speed engine licensed from de dion , a french automobile manufacturer . the car did not have a reverse gear .
over 1 , 500 , 000 square feet was built with buildings arranged to permit additions when necessary . in 1915 , the company boasted that it was the greatest user of aluminum in the world . during wwi pierce - arrow employed almost 10 , 000 men and women . the factory stands today and is occupied by several businesses .
- - as the country entered a new age , so did pierce - arrow . starting with the series 32 and progressing to the series 36 , the dual - valve six , with its embroidered upholstery and gold trimmed interiors , defined elegance for the top - of - the - line pierce - arrow through the twenties . meanwhile , the series 80 & 81 were targeted toward a larger market .
by the turn of the century , the pierce company began experimenting with automobiles . while early efforts involved a steam - powered unit , the first production pierce automobile of 1901 used a single cylinder , 2 3 / 4 hp dedion engine . in 1903 , pierce replaced the dedion engine in the motorette with one of their own manufacture . about 170 pierce motorettes were made between 1901 and 1903 . in mid 1903 , the pierce stanhope was introduced . similar the the motorette , the stanhope used a pierce made engine mounted beneath the driver ' s seat . an additional fold - out seat was added in front of the driver . the stanhope had two forward speeds , plus reverse .
at this point george k . birge and some friends bought into pierce ' s business , which in 1899 birge reorganized and brought in scottish engineer david fergusson . reliance on steam power was abandoned , and in 1900 a gas - powered motorette was placed on the market . two years later the company was making its own engines and a year after that was selling the fifteen horsepower arrow and the twenty - four horsepower great arrow . pan - american exposition g eorge n . pierce & company built two cars early in 1901 , and they exhibited them to the public at the pan - american exposition along with their bicycle line when the exposition opened in may . pierce introduced his
motorette
at the pan - american exposition in 1901 in a novel way :
i told her “just a 58 year old car that could probably outrun everyone of the cars in that show . ”
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as demand for improved bicycles grew , pierce met high demands and industry innovation with the introduction of bicycle advancements such as the cushion frame and coaster brake . in 1901 , the company produced its first , one single - cylinder automobile and also had a bicycle display at the pan - american exposition . the company continued manufacturing bicycles and motorcycles at this location until 1915 .
history tells us that more automakers fail than succeed , and the fields of cars at any collector car show contain ample evidence . part of the fascination is that a company on the brink is often moved to stretch its creative resources in the search for one
the company had built trucks before , but it launched a line of cab - overs in 1936 for urban and long - distance hauling .
for 1910 , the pierce - arrow line was established in a form that would continue for the next decade . three basic chassis were offered , the 36 , 48 , and 66 . all cars now had six cylinder engines . prices ranged from $ 3850 for the 36hp runabout to $ 7200 for the 66hp landau . this triple line of cars would continue to propel the pierce - arrow reputation of quality and luxury .
the series 81 was introduced in 1928 as a refinement of the series 80 . the series 81 maintained the basic 130 inch wheelbase chassis of the series 80 with minor changes to the engine . james way designed all new sheet metal for the series 81 which continues to be controversial . although pierce - arrow president myron forbes was enthusiastic about the new cars , the dealers and public were a little more reserved . the traditional pierce - arrow radiator design had been changed as had the curve of the fender headlamps , which now sported an
eyebrow
. the famous archer mascot made its debut on the series 81 as did a badge on the radiator shell showing the pierce family crest . the badge was removed for 1929 , however , when mrs . percy pierce informed the company that it was the coat - of - arms for the wrong pierce family .


it received no guarantee but was offered a 20-year subsidy .

in 1863 , it built the 4 ft ( 1,219 mm ) wide narrow gauge railway line between azimganj and nalhati .

the azimgan – nalhati line was taken over by the government in 1872 , as nalhati state railway .

in 1867 , it opened the 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 ³ ⁄ ₈ in ) wide metre gauge kanpur – lucknow branch line .

around 1872 , it was merged into oudh and rohilkhand railway .

oudh and rohilkhand railway was subsequently merged with east indian railway company in 1925 .

indian branch railway company

intuitively , branch lines are feeders . in 1862 , the indian branch railway company was formed to construct branch and feeder lines .
1872 company formed with the assets of the indian branch railway company and the government guarantee and had its headquarters at lucknow .
east indian railway company taken over by the state on january 1 ; great indian peninsular railway taken over on june 30 .
indian railway standards renamed indian government railway standards . locomotive classification codes updated to include diesels and electrics .
nalhati - azimganj 4 ' gauge line built by the indian branch railway co .
indian branch rly . co . begins construction of lucknow - kanpur light mg line .
the indian branch railway company was formed in 1862 to build short branch and feeder lines . it received no guarantee but was offered a 20 - year subsidy . in the 1850s , it secured a guaranteed return .
the oudh and rohilkhand railway built the dufferin brige in 1883 with frederick thomas granville walton as chief engineer , and its line was connected to east indian railway company’s line at mughalsarai .
jolarpettai - bangalore cantt . branch added by madras railway ; bangalore mail begins running .
the indian branch railway co . formed to construct short branches and feeder lines in northern india , with a 20 - year subsidy but no guarantee .
alambagh workshops set up by the oudh and rohilkhand rly . ( formerly the indian branch rly . co . ) .
hms goodwin carrying railway carriages for east indian railway co . sinks . another ship carrying a locomotive is mis - routed to australia .
1925 july 1st . the oudh and rohilkhand railway was merged into the east indian railway but the section of the cawnpore - burhwal railway was worked by the bengal and north western railway and was transferred to the oudh and tirhut railway on 1 january 1943 .
a petrol - driven 0 - 4 - 0 loco from kerr stuart is in use by the morvi railway and tramways company .
the railway reforms committee that recommended closure of 40 branch lines is one that goes back to 1983 .
the indian tramway co . is formed for building short lines around madras , also with a 20 - year subsidy . this suffered losses later , was reorganized to become the carnatic railway and finally was taken over by the south indian railway .
arakkonam - conjeevaram 3 ' 6
line built by the indian tramways co .
line was laid by indian railways from sasaram to arrah in 2006 - 07 .
they pandered to the ego . after independence , in 1969 , there was a railway committee on uneconomic branch lines and we had some kind of definition of
branch line
.
gipr network becomes state property on july 1 , but the company is allowed to continue operating the services .
april : msmr merged with the lines worked by the sir company , and taken over by the state .
pay point india has been authorized by indian railway catering & tourism corporation ( irctc - indian railway ) as a principle agent to appoint irctc agents across india . through pay point india ' s platform these agents will be able to make online reservation . . .
while the east indian railway operated on the southern side of the ganges , the oudh and rohilkhand railway operated in the plains of northern india , mostly north of the river .
sind ( later sind , punjab and delhi ) railway is formed , a guaranteed railway .
this is what the most recent ( 2013 - 14 ) indian railways year book states .
1888 the government of india took over the oudh and rohilkhand railway making it a state railway .
ir continues to mechanically use the expression
branch line
and once upon a time , ir had classifications of routes as mainline , suburban and branch line .
the 2 miles long metre gauge line from benares cant . to benares city was opened between 15 march to 1 april 1899 as the benares city branch of the oudh and rohilkhand railway . the oudh and rohilkhand railway was absorbed by the east indian railway on 1 july 1925 but this line was worked by the bengal and north western railway and its successors from opening and was transferred to the north eastern railway on 27 february 1953 .
powers of the railway board are formalized under lord curzon . the board is under the department of commerce and industry , and has government railway official serving as chairman , and a railway manager from england and an agent of one of the company railways as the other two members .
madras railway extends its network ( with a new terminus at royapuram ) to salem , and also finishes the jolarpettai - bangalore cantonment branch .
jul 1 : the first train service in the south begins , from royapuram / veyasarapady ( madras ) to wallajah road ( arcot ) ( approx . 100km ) by the madras railway company .
madras railway ' s trunk route from madras extended to beypur / kadalundi ( near calicut ) . work begins on a north - western branch out of arakkonam .
stations are classified into 4 groups on some railways , according to traffic and the proportion of european and indian passengers .
w . newman & co . begins publishing the
newman ' s indian bradshaw
for train timetables in india .
it is a branch line of howrah - amta line , which is now closed . the stations are
two new branches of the darjeeling himalayan railway opened to traffic . the kalimpong road ( now gelkhola ) branch followed the teesta valley ( hence known as the teesta valley line ) and the kishanganj branch ( built in the preceding year , 1914 ) ran west - southwest of siliguri .
the 17 miles long burwhal - barabanki metre gauge line was opened 1 april 1872 as part of the bahramghat branch of the oudh and rohilkhand railway . upon conversion to mixed gauge , the metre gauge track formed part of the cawnpore - burhwal railway which was managed as part of the oudh and rohilkhand railway .
indian standard time ( ist ) comes into force for timekeeping in british india ( except for calcutta and some other regions ) .
indian railways ( ir ) will transfer existing assets at nominal values , invite bids and grant concessions for 10 - 15 years .
brahmaputra - sultanpur branch rly . opens mg line from santahar east ( with a ferry section ) to mymensingh .
the heritage value of the south branch house provincial historic site lies in its association with the hudson’s bay company and its late - eighteenth century inland expansion . after 100 years of operating from the shores of hudson bay , competitive pressure from montreal - based traders compelled the company to construct inland posts to be nearer the first nations that were supplying its furs . initial expansion efforts focused on the main and north branches of the saskatchewan river , with the first inland post built at cumberland house in 1774 . in 1786 , the company constructed south branch house , its first post on the south branch of the saskatchewan , a few kilometers upriver from two competitors’ posts built a year earlier . south branch house , located near a traditional first nations river ford later known as “gardepuy’s crossing , ” operated for six years , with its trade in bison products , used for provisioning company operations , at least as important as its fur trade . in 1794 , a group of gros ventres , disgruntled with the company for supplying firearms to their enemy , the cree , attacked the poorly defended post . one company servant escaped . however , the post’s other occupants , including three hudson’s bay company employees , five or six women , and an unspecified number of children were killed . the post was burned in the incident and was never rebuilt . heritage value also resides in the site’s association with two later - to - be - famous hudson’s bay company employees . during its first season of operation , the post’s journal was kept by a young david thompson who would later become one of north america’s foremost pioneering geographers . another prominent explorer and cartographer , peter fidler , also performed clerical duties at the post for a time ca . 1789 / 90 . source : province of saskatchewan , order in council 870 / 86 , august 21 , 1986 .
note : this site is not officially affiliated with indian railways ! the official web site of indian railways is : urltoken site contact : webmaster @ urltoken copyright © 2010 , irfca . org . about irfca contact us search this site site map links acknowledgements legal information & disclaimers
bnr takes over part of the east coast rly . lines ( cuttack - vizianagaram , branch line to puri ) .
that ' s how many branch lines were built . with flexibility in fares and innovative marketing , many branch lines can be turned around , if they are taken outside ir . however , it helps to know what is being opened up .
the south branch house provincial historic site comprises a one hectare parcel of land on the right ( east ) bank of the south saskatchewan river , approximately 30 kilometres south of the city of prince albert . the property features the archaeological remains of a late eighteenth - century hudson’s bay company trading post .
branch lines are narrow gauge lines and those broad and metre gauge lines that join the main network only at one end .
metre gauge routes are classified as q , r and s . a branch line can thus be interpreted as narrow gauge , metre gauge or d and e categories of broad gauge , and uneconomic branch lines will be sub - categories of these .
the 4 miles long broad gauge line from burhwal to bahramghat was opened on 1 april 1872 opened as part of the bahramghat branch of the oudh and rohilkhand railway the line got closed around 1943 .
bnr ' s satpura railway complete ' s gondia - nainpur - jabalpur link .
two bg diesel shunters from william beardmore in use on the north western railway .
eastern bengal railway and the great southern of india formed ( guaranteed railways ) .
) wide narrow gauge railway line between azimganj and nalhati . the azimganj - nalhati line was taken over by the government in 1872 , as nalhati state railway .
kaunia - dharlla mg line of east bengal railway extended to amingaon , where a ferry across the brahmaputra connected to the rail system of the assam bengal railway through guwahati .
bb & ci railway incorporated , and begins work on a surat - baroda line .
calcutta and south - eastern railway formed , with 5 % guarantee from the government .
port canning - mutlah line opened by the calcutta & south - eastern r railway .
it established a railway workshop at alambagh in 1865 and another at charbagh in 1867 .
the oudh and rohilkhand railway built an extensive railway network in the east - north direction , mostly north of the ganges , starting from varanasi and subsequently up to delhi .
engines to haul trains along trunk routes and horses to haul trains along branch routes ; the year was 1860 and this quote is from a monograph authored by charles burn on the construction of horse - railways . even then , it was recognised that branch lines might not be remunerative .
world war ii . railways under strain again . locomotives , wagons , and track material are taken from india to the middle east ; 28 branch lines were completely cannibalized for this . railway workshops are used to manufacture shells and other military equipment . the entire railway system is in poor shape by the end of the war .
world war i places heavy strain on the railways . railway production is diverted to meet the needs of british forces outside india . at the end of the war indian railways are in a total state of dilapidation and disrepair . all services are downgraded or restricted .
the peninsular locomotive company is founded at jamshedpur for the purpose of building locomotives ; this would have been the third loco manufacturing plant in india after ajmer and jamlpur , but unfortunately it failed even before it manufactured a single loco .
22 march : matheran light railway opens , with 4 articulated 0 - 6 - 0t locomotives .
bangalore - chikkaballapur light railway ( 2 ' 6
) opens the bangalore - yeshwantpur section .
railway finances separated from general finances in the general government budget after the first railway ' convention ' . railway board expanded to have a financial commissioner , a member in charge of ways , works , stores and projects , and a member in charge of administration , staff , and traffic .
first proposal for a railway in india , in madras . this remained a dream on paper .
calcutta and south - eastern railway ' s 45km line from calcutta to port canning is constructed .
[ the railway is ] a triumph , to which , in comparison , all our victories in the east seem tame and commonplace . the opening of the great indian peninsular railway will be remembered by the natives of india when the battlefields of plassey , assaye , meanee , and goojerat have become landmarks of history .
( the overland telegraph and courier , april 1853 )
bukhtiarpur - bihar line of martin ' s light railways was taken over by the local district board in 1950 . this line was later taken over by indian railways in 1961 and replaced by
in the 1840s , when the first proposals for railways in india were being debated in great britain , there was intense lobbying in support of these proposals by banks , traders , shipping companies , and others who had a strong interest in seeing railways be formed in india . these supporters prevailed upon the british parliament to create the guarantee system , whereby any company that constructed railways in india was guaranteed a certain rate of interest on its capital investment . this guarantee was honoured by the east india company which then controlled large parts of india . the railways that were formed with such agreements governing them were called guaranteed railways . typically , the guarantee was for a return of 5 % annually , and the right for the railway company to pull out of the venture and get compensation from the government at any time .
one hundred per cent private equity is permitted . the rolling stock will be owned and maintained by ir and private operators will have to pay track access charges to ir . at least for branch lines ( and hill railways ) , private operations are , therefore , already part of accepted government policy . but what are branch lines ?
the azimganj - nalhati line was taken over by the government in 1872 , as nalhati state railway .
the jamnagar and dwarka railway procures a single mg diesel loco for its saurashtra passenger service , from brookville .
as far as i can make out , at the turn of the century , there were 110 uneconomic branch lines - 44 broad gauge , 44 metre gauge and 22 narrow gauge .
despite the expression
branch line
being bandied around and even used in policy announcements , there is no longer a definition , unless one adheres to the 1983 classification of lines .
railway board decides that lavatories will be provided in all lower class carriages for trains running more than 50 miles .
commuters try cross railway tracks as trains wait at a suburban station in mumbai . photograph : danish siddiqui / reuters
there was also a double kind of definition of an uneconomic or unremunerative branch line - ( a ) it did not make profits ; ( b ) it did not make profits more than the rate of dividend paid to the union government . note that if there is gauge conversion and switch from narrow to broad gauge , the number of branch lines ( and uneconomic lines ) declines .
despite concerted efforts to enhance earnings on branch lines , most of these lines remain commercially unviable . the railway reforms committee recommended closure of 40 such lines but due to stiff public resistance and opposition by state governments towards withdrawal of such services , only 15 lines have been closed permanently by the railways .
the railway board is reorganized with a chief commissioner of railways having overriding powers on technical matters . ( 1921 ? )
the martin ' s light railway bridge over river kaushiki or kana - damodar at jagatballavpur , howrah . sep . 2014
the heritage value of the south branch house provincial historic site resides in the following character - defining elements : - elements associated with the hudson’s bay company occupation , including artifacts , an identified cellar depression with associated chimney mound , and any yet - to - be discovered structural remains , such as cellars and rubbish pits , remains of the palisade and other construction features ; - the property’s siting in a grove of trees on the riverbank with an unobstructed view of the south saskatchewan river .
it extended its main line from moradabad to saharanpur in 1881 - 86 and a branch line was opened from lakhsar to haridwar in 1883 . the lucknow - rae bareilly extension was completed in 1893 .
the first operational railway in india - the red hill railroad near madras , used for transporting granite stone . more here .
the spur from the north - west territories into afghanistan , the only railway line in afghanistan at this time , is dismantled .
khyber railway ' s last section from landi kotal to landi khana , 2km short of the frontier with afghanistan , is opened .
a short experimental railway line is constructed at chintadripet , near madras , which later became the red hill railroad . more here .
sind and punjab railway ' s multan - lahore - amritsar line is completed . works begins on line from delhi to amritsar .
bbci railway obtains permission to extend its lines southwards from surat , and opens its grant road terminus for its proposed line from surat .
calcutta and south - eastern railway , having suffered extensive losses on their sealdah - canning line because of floods and other problems , decide to transfer the line to the government in return for capital costs , becoming the first railway to be taken over by the state .
the main line of oudh and rohilkhand railway used to run from varanasi to saharanpur via lucknow , shahjahanpur , bareilly , chandausi and moradabad . with the opening of the bareilly - moradabad link via rampur in 1894 , the main line distance was shortened and the route via chandausi came to be known as chandausi chord . a branch line linked it to aligarh .
in november 2014 , the ministry of railways issued sectoral guidelines for domestic and foreign private investments in the railways , and this included renovation , operation and maintenance of stand - alone passenger corridors like branch lines and hill railways .
a railway is in operation near rajahmundry for conveying construction material and stone for irrigation works and a dam across the godavari . more here .
the new howrah - amta broad gauge line project , including the bargachia - champadanga branch line , was sanctioned in 1974 - 75 . the first 24 - km stretch of the section from howrah to bargachia was completed in 1984 by
total trackage at 37 , 000 miles ( about 15 % privately - held ) . the east india railway committee ( chaired by sir william acworth , hence also known as the acworth committee ) points out the need for unified management of the entire railway system . on the recommendations of this committee , the government takes over the actual management of all railways , and also separates railway finances from the general governmental finances ( the latter step led to the practice , followed to this day , of presenting the railway budget separately from the general budget every year ) .
nov . 9 : kalka - shimla railway line opened , built at 2 ' 0
gauge ( but relaid later , see below ) .
south india rly . is engaged in ultimately abandoned attempt to build a direct railway between india and ceylon with a viaduct over the panban viaduct .
bowringpet - kolar 2 ' 6
line extended to chintamani / chikkaballapur ( forming the kolar district rly . ) by the mysore state railway .
november : sind , punjab , and delhi railway ' s line towards amritsar from delhi ( ghaziabad ) is open for traffic up to ambala .
ng lines opened : parlakimedi light rly . from navpada ( bnr ) ; rajpur - dhamtari ( bnr ) . planning begun for matheran light railway .
kalka - shimla railway regauged to 2 ' 6
gauge under guidelines from the war department seeking to ensure uniformity in all imperial narrow gauge systems .
bengal and north - western railway is taken over by the state , after being merged with the rohilkund and kumaon rly . , the mashrak - thane extension rly . , the lucknow - bareilly rly . , and the tirhut rly . the new railway is known as the oudh and tirhut rly .
sind and punjab railway is engaged in construction of a northward line from karachi , a lahore - multan line , and a lahore - delhi line .
khanderao , the gaekwar of baroda , opens 8 miles of an ng railway line from dabhoi towards miyagam . oxen were used as the motive power !
in 1902 , lord curzon went on a visit to the area around lumding and had a conversation with the agent of the newly constructed railway line .
the jodhpur railway becomes the first to introduce electric lights as standard fixtures . ( electric lighting had been tried by other railways starting in the 1890s . )
in 1845 , a railway was built for carriage of stone and construction materials for irrigation works and a dam over the godavari near rajahmundry . more here .
ng lines : nainpur - chhindwara ( bnr ) ; howrah - tribeni ( bengal provincial rly . co . , connecting to katwa line ) ; gwalior light railway sections : gwalior - jora alapur ( jan . 1 ) , jora alapur - sabalgarh ( dec . 1 ) . construction begun on matheran light railway .
nwr procures two 1200hp diesel - electric locos from armstrong - whitworth with the intention of using them for a new bombay - karachi route . they were deployed on the karachi - lahore mail route , but then were withdrawn soon afterwards , having manifested many problems as they were not designed for indian conditions .
however , the bargachhia - champadanga branch line is yet to be completed . according to the reply to a parliamentary question in 2006 , land to be provided free of cost by the state government as per memorandum of understanding , was still to be handed over .
madras mg suburban railway line completed . ( ( april 2 ? ) may 11 : tambaram - beach has electric traction ) . the first mg emu service .
the post of minister for transport and communications is created ; the minister was a civil servant , and could decide on matters dealt with by the railway board .
the metre gauge railway track from rangia junction to murkongselek was closed in 2011 for conversion to broad gauge and is expected to be reopened in 2014 after conversion .
governor - general lord lawrence suggests that the government of india itself undertake all future construction of railway lines . but gipr ' s guarantees and leases are extended , and also those of the bombay , baroda , and madras railway companies . still , this year marks a turning point in government policy away from the guarantee system .
we have commenced well in india , and if the system of trunk lines be judiciously carried out , they must prove most remunerative , and will no doubt become valuable property to the shareholders ; but a beginning has already been made to construct expensive branch lines . . . .
pay point india has been recognized as a
worldwide achiever
by ' time research group ' . mr . ketan doshi ( managing director ) along with mr . sachin lokhande receives an award for business excellence and leadership from subhodh kant sahay ( cabinet minister ) and maninder jeet singh bitta ( president - indian youth congress )
february 3 : first electric railway operates on harbour branch of the gipr from victoria terminus to kurla ( 16 km ) , using 1500v dc overhead traction . the section is designated as a suburban section . emus from cammell laird and uerdingenwagonfabrik are used . in the same year electrification of vt - bandra is also completed and emu services begin there as well , with an elevated platform at sandhurst road . the gipr suburban line is later electrified up to kalyan .
sir thomas robertson committee submits recommendations on administration and working of the railways . an early version of the railway board is constituted , with three members serving on it at first .
governor - general lord dalhousie while advocating railway construction in india also says , & uot ; no one can safely say whether railways in this country will earn or not
.
great southern railway of india completes 125km bg line between nagapatnam and trichinopoly . ( ? some sources suggest the line was till tanjore , and extended to trichinopoly by march 1862 . )
after the closure of the light railway in 1970 there was a lot of debate about the future course of action . the proposal for revival as a broad gauge line was strongly backed by
july 11 : a flash flood washes out portions of the tracks on the chappar rift of the sind peshin state railway ( now in pakistan ) , and through running never resumes on this line .
lord dalhousie ' s famous railway minute of april 20 lays down the policy that private enterprise would be allowed to build railways in india , but that their operation would be closely supervised by the government .
a review of the financial results of the existing 90 uneconomic branch lines for the year 2013 - 14 shows that , on an original investment on these lines of the order of rs 2 , 617 crore or rs 26 billion , loss during the year 2013 - 14 amounted to rs 1 , 681 crore or rs 17 billion .
a petrol - driven 0 - 4 - 9 loco is supplied to morvi railway and tramways by nasmyth wilson . a couple of thornycroft petrol - driven parcel delivery vehicles are also in use by the eir .
railway mileage now at about 24 , 750 miles in india , of which 14 , 000 miles are bg , and most of the rest mg ( with only a few hundred miles of 2 ' and 2 ' 6
gauge lines ) .
ng lines : barsi light railway extended until latur ; champaner - shivrajpuri light rly . ( later part of bb & ci ) ; dehri - on - sone - rohtas ( dehri - rohtas light rly . ) ; bukhtiarpur - bihar rly . ( martin & co . ) .
ceylon government railway extends the line from polgahawela to talaimannar at the northern tip of ceylon ( now sri lanka ) , to enable connecting services with sir trains with a ferry crossing across the palk strait . steamer services from dhanushkodi ( india ) to talaimannar ( ceylon ) start on march 1 .
the customary answer to this question is 3 : 35pm on april 16th , 1853 , when a train with 14 railway carriages and 400 guests left bombay ' s bori bunder for thane , with a 21 - gun salute . it was hauled by three locomotives : sindh , sultan , and sahib . the journey took an hour and fifteen minutes .
note : this chronology is intended as a general overview for non - specialists to give them a feel for some of the interesting and complex events that shaped the development of railways in india . many line openings are mentioned to give an idea of the geographic spread of railway services . dates in most cases are those for when the completed lines were open to traffic ; usually sections of the line may have been opened years earlier , and might even have supported revenue traffic in parts . dates are often somewhat uncertain because of varying reports in different sources , or lack of documentation , hence in many cases they may be off by a couple of years . anyone seeking reliable and specific information and more detail is strongly urged to consult the reference works listed in the guide to historical research and the section on books about ir history
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upper sone bridge built , the longest in india at 10 , 052 feet .
calcutta tramways ' electrification and conversion to standard gauge from meter gauge begins . total system size is at 30km .
the railways also start returning some modest profits ; for the last 40 years they had been making large losses .
eir ' s
grand chord
section finished connecting sitarampur - gaya - mughalsarai .
mg lines : kaunia - dharlla rly . lines converted to mg ; jodhpur - hyderabad ( by jodhpur bikaner rly . , after a section near hyderabad is converted from bg to mg ) .
ng lines : gitaldaha - jainti ( cooch behar state rly . ) ; nawshera - dargai state rly . ( later nwr ) .
shoranur - cochin line is built , owned by the state but operated by the sir .
a monorail of the ewing system ( double - flanged wheels and an outrigger wheel for balance ) powered by ponies is installed for transporting tea and other light goods at the high range near keranganie .
the luni - shadipalli line is completed in the thar desert . the shadipalli - hyderabad ( now pakistan ) line is regauged to mg .
the robertson report recommends re - laying all bg and mg lines to standard gauge , but this report seems to have been completely ignored .
the first bogie - mounted coaches appear , including bogie dining cars on some railways .
assam - bengal rly . joins dibru - sadiya rly . at tinsukia from chittagong via lumding ( mg ) .
gipr appoints its first signal engineer ( following belatedly in eir ' s footsteps ) , mr i w stokes .
interlocking introduced for 9 stations ( 3 on bombay - thane section , 6 on thane - kalyan section ) - - including bombay vt .
ng lines : gondia - nainpur ( bnr ) ; kohat - thal ( later nwr ) .
the moghulpura workshops near lahore build six 0 - 6 - 2t
st
class locos by using parts from other locos , making them the only works other than ajmer to build locomotives in ( british ) india .
the visit of the prince and princess of wales gives eir a chance to build a special train with coaches rivalling the luxury saloons used by nobility in europe .
f
class 0 - 6 - 0 mg locomotives are introduced , soon to be among the most widely - used in india for just about all kinds of duties . dubs & co . of glasgow built the first few .
ng lines : wadhwan - rajkot line of morvi rly . converted to bg ; rupsa - barapada line of mourbhang ( mayurbhanj ) rly . opens ( bnr ) ; tirupattur - krishnagiri ; gondia - nainpur line extended to jabalpur ( bnr ) ; tuna - anjar by the maharaja of cutch , later part of the cutch state rly .
entire calcutta tram network is now electrified and converted to standard gauge . the howrah station to bandhaghat line opens in june .
construction begins on a new , larger howrah terminus station with six platforms and provision for four more , to replace the older howrah station in use from 1854 .
rajputana - malwa rly . taken over by state and made part of bb & ci rly .
bb & ci rly . starts a weekend special from bombay to surat , the forerunner of the flying ranee .
dec . 6 : the grand chord via gaya , which significantly shortens the distance between delhi and calcutta , opens on the eir ' s calcutta - delhi trunk route ( inaugurated by the earl of minto , the viceroy and governor - general of india .
the government purchases all major lines and re - leases them to private operators , with the exception of rohilkhund & kumaon rly . and bengal & north - western rly .
sirhind - morinda section of the patiala state monorail is opened , powered by oxen and army mules from 1907 until 1927 .
by now , toilets are standard in most lower class carriages , except for short suburban lines .
ng lines : purulia - ranchi ( bnr ) ; tuna - anjar extended to bhuj ( cutch state rly . ) ; shahdara - saharanpur light rly . ( martin & co . ) .
india ' s first internal combustion locomotive , a petrol - driven mg loco , is delivered to the assam oil co . by mcewan pratt & co . of wickford , essex .
patiala state monorail obtains the four famed orenstein and koppel monorail locomotives for some of its lines .
ng lines : gwalior - sheopur kalan ( 2 ' gauge , gwalior light rly . ) , sabalgarh - birpur ( nov . 1 ) .
india ' s first electric locos ( two of them ) are delivered to the mysore gold fields by bagnalls ( stafford ) with overhead electrical equipment by siemens . also among the earliest electric vehicles , electrically operated rail trolleys (
white ' s patented rail motor trolleys
) are brought into use ( by eir ' s carriage & wagon workshops , by the oudh and rohilkhund rly . , by the eastern bengal state rly . , etc . ) .
saharanpur marshalling yard under construction by the north western state rly . and the oudh and rohilkhund rly .
23 - ton bg bogie hopper wagons brought into use by bengal nagpur rly . for transporting iron to the tata iron and steel works .
south india rly . ' s contract is renewed despite widespread support for appropriation by the state among local interests .
the harbour line opens from kurla to reay road as the terminus ( double track ) .
syke ' s lock and block system of interlocking introduced on the bb & ci rly . and other railways .
ng lines : gwalior light rly . : birpur - sheopur ( jun . 15 )
kanpur - chachran line opened by princely state of bahawalpur ( now in pakistan , closed in the 1980s ) .
cabin interlocking completed for the entire length of the bombay - delhi route ( gipr ) .
bowringpet - kolar 2 ' 6
line ( part of the kolar district rly . ) opened by the mysore state railways .
ng lines : bb & ci lines to godhra , nadiad ; jessore - jhenidah ( mcleod ' s ) .
ng lines : kalabagh - bannu ( trans - indus rly . ; later nwr ) .
in the mumbai area , suburban terminals are opened at kurla , kalyan , thane , and one at the bb & ci station at bandra for gipr trains .
rbs standards for rails adopted ( 90lb / yd for bg , 60lb / yd for mg ) .
ng lines : dholpur - bari line extended to tantpur ; dhond - baramati ( central provinces rly . ; later gipr ) ; murtazapur - achalpur / yavatmal ; arrah - sasaram , baraset - basirhat ( martin & co . ) ; larkana - jacobabad and jacobabad - kashmore ( nwr , now in pakistan after conversion to bg ) .
lower ganges bridge ( hardinge bridge ) opened on the trunk route to siliguri on the eir .
mandra - bhaun and sialkot - narowal lines opened ( both now in pakistan ; the former was closed in the 1990s ) .
first ever diesel locomotive in india , a 2 ' 6
gauge unit from avonside ( bristol ) is supplied to the india office for use on a tea plantation ( in assam ? ? ) .
ng lines : yeshwantpur - devanahalli - chikaballapur section of what would become the bangalore chikaballapur light rly . opens ( 2 ' 6
) ; ellichpur - yeotmal ( central provinces rly . ; later gipr ) ; burdwan - katwa ( mcleod ' s ) .
yeshwantpur - yelahanka mg line is made mixed gauge to allow ng 2 ' 6
traffic .
ng lines : pulgaon - arvi ( central provinces rly . , later gipr ) ; khanai - hindubagh ( zhob valley rly . ; later nwr ) ; bankura - damodar , kalighat - falta , and ahmadpur - katwa ( mcleod ' s ) .
nushki extension rly . towards iran opened till dalbandin , from spezand on the sibi - quetta line .
wagon pooling comes into wide use among the various regional railways as a result of war - time necessities .
oct . 1 : mysore darbar takes over nanjangud - mysore - bangalore and birur - shimoga lines .
ng lines : pachora - jamner ( central provinces rly . ; later gipr ) .
bhusawal loco shed set up by gipr ; at the time the largest loco shed in asia and the third largest in the world .
a 2 ' gauge diesel loco is delivered to bengal by baugleys of burton - on - trent . ( 1921 ? )
retrenchment committee under lord inchcape recommends drastic cuts in working expenses and other measures designed to produce a fixed annual profit for the state .
an electric loco with overhead power collection is delivered to the naysmyth patent press co . at calcutta , by british electric vehicles .
locomotive standards committee publishes a paper with details of proposed standardization of locomotive classes .
jamnagar - kuranga mg line opened by the jamnagar & dwarka rly . , and the kuranga - okha mg line by the okhamandal rly .
ng lines : larkana - jacobabad ( nwr ) ; futwah - islampur ( martin & co . ) .
uniform system of loco classification codes based on an initial letter for the gauge comes into use .
jodhpur bikaner rly . split into jodhpur state rly . and bikaner state rly .
rajkot - morvi 2 ' 6
line of morvi rly . converted to bg .
feb . 3 : the ef / 1 ( later wcg - 1 )
crocodile
loco is introduced .
irca reviews experiments with wagon pooling and establishes it as a policy for all bg railways .
ex - gipr suburban line is electrified up to kalyan . main line electrified up to poona and igatpuri over the bhore and thal ghats ( 1500 v dc ) .
order placed with vulcan foundry for the new classes of locos ( xa , xb , xc , etc . ) .
east bengal state rly . ' s line to siliguri is converted to bg .
aug . 27 : nanjangud - chamarajanagar section opened , completing the link from mysore .
the bb & ci suburban lines extended to borivili and virar . in the bombay area tracks in some places are doubled and even tripled or quadrupled ( e . g . , between bandra and borivili ) .
ng lines : line from barsi road jn . to pandharpur is extended to miraj ; dehri - rohtas extended to rohtas fort . in nepal , the raxaul - amlekhganj line is opened ( martin & co . ) .
8 - coach emu rakes are introduced on the main line in mumbai and 4 - coach rakes on the harbour line .
jan 5 : colaba - borivili section electrification completed by bb & ci rly .
two suburban tracks of the bombay - borivli section are electrified , but the two mainline tracks are left for steam traction . the first batch of electric emus for bombay arrive ( made by british thompson houston / cammell laird ) .
sep . 1 : the frontier mail is flagged off from colaba terminus , with peshawar as its destination .
first automatic colour - light signals in india , on gipr ' s lines between bombay vt and byculla .
bahawalnagar - fort abbas line opened by princely state of bahawalpur ( now in pakistan , closed in the 1990s ) .
railways build more than 1 , 000 miles of tracks each year . general period of prosperity for the railways - - generous provisions are made for passenger amenities ( waiting rooms , etc . ) .
railways ( like everything else ! ) hit by the 1929 wall street crash and the ensuing global depression ; severe economy measures undertaken .
kalyan - igatpuri - pune section is now completely electrified , and the quadruple line between bombay and kalyan is also electrified .
a 2 ' gauge diesel loco from maffei is supplied to c k andrew and co . ( probably used on a plantation ? )
chola power house near thakurli built by the gipr for supplying power for the newly electrified kalyan - igatpuri - pune section .
punjab limited express begins to run between mumbai and lahore , leaving mumbai on thursdays .
bombay ' s victoria terminus undergoes some reconstruction work so that it gets 14 platforms .
ng lines : bb & ci line to piplod ; kangra valley rly . ( nwr ) .
the times ( london ) nominates the frontier mail
the most famous express train in the british empire
.
june 1 : the deccan queen begins running , hauled by a wcp - 1 ( no . 20024 , old number ea / 1 4006 ) and with 7 coaches , on the gipr ' s newly electrified route to poona ( pune ) .
the route of the grand trunk exp . is changed to delhi - madras .
samdari - raniwara section opens as the first phase of a rail connection between jodhpur - bikaner and gujarat . phalodi - jodhpur section opens .
total trackage in india at about 43 , 000 miles . hardly any new construction until after world war ii .
ng lines : darwha - pusad ( central provinces rly ; later gipr ) .
msmr ' s workshops at perambur split into the carriage and wagon workshops and the locomotive workshops .
borivli - virar electrification complete . the two mainline tracks on the bombay - borivli section are also electrified .
air - conditioning introduced in some ( first - class ) passenger coaches . matunga workshops manufacture 5 air - conditioned coaches , the first such to be made locally .
jodhpur rly . acquires two drewry railcars , one for the maharaja and the other an inspection car .
wedgwood committee makes recommendations for public relations , advertising , etc . which until then had been neglected . also recommends faster and more reliable passenger services and expansion of freight activities , for the railways to compete with road transport .
the infamous bihta accident , in which the excessive oscillations of an xb class loco caused the derailment of the punjab - howrah mail , killing 154 persons .
ng lines : in nepal , the nepal jaynagar - janakpur rly . opens .
may 1 : the flying queen ( predecessor of flying ranee ) is introduced between bombay and surat , hauled by an h class 4 - 6 - 0 and making her run in 4 hours .
all lines of the msmr in mysore are taken over by the mysore darbar .
diesel railcars from ganz are tried out on the nizam ' s state railways .
a light railcar built at bikaner is used on the minor lines around there .
the power systems of the chola power house and the tata hydroelectric plant are combined for supplying traction power to bombay - area suburban trains as well as for long - distance trains across the ghats .
large numbers of american and canadian locos are imported ( awd , cwd , along with awc , awe , and mawd classes ) .
the ' following trains ' system of train working is introduced as an emergency measure in some areas out of necessity because of wartime requirements .
nok kundi - zahidan section of the nushki extension rly . is re - opened .
the opening of the howrah bridge in february allows the calcutta routes of trams to be connected to the howrah routes ; total system is at 67km .
fifteen diesel locos from ge supplied by usatc and deployed on wr , among the first diesel locos to be successfully used in many locations in india . most of these were classified as wds - 1 .
apr . 1 : jacobabad - kashmore line taken over by state ( now in pakistan ) .
a skelton system monorail ( locomotive with rubber tires guided by a rail , and wagons carried on the rail with outrigger wheels for stability ) is installed for the 18km section from bhanvad to khambalia in gujarat , powered by a modified diesel loco .
the chronology continues in part 4 , listing events from 1947 - 1970 . part 5 - 1970 to 1995 & part 6 - 1995 to present day .
the chronology begins in part 1 ( 1832 - 1870 ) . part 2 covers 1870 - 1899 . part 4 covers 1947 to 1970 . part 5 covers 1970 to 1995 , and part 6 covers 1995 to 1999 , while part 7 covers 2000 to the present
that , however , was just the first commercial passenger service in india . in fact , a few other railways are known to have operated in india prior to 1853 , for hauling materials .
in 1835 , a short experimental line was laid near chintadripet . this appears to have been a practice run of sorts for the red hill railroad line . construction on this line began in 1836 . this line was intended for the carriage of granite stone . it was opened in 1837 , and while it had teething troubles , it appears that it was definitely in operation in 1837 , with a written report of its running from january 1838 . while primarily intended for rail wagons hauled by animals , locomotives were also used on the line . one of them may even have been built in india . more here .
perhaps best known of these early pre - 1853 railways is the account of a steam locomotive , thomason , which had been used for hauling construction material in roorkee for the solani viaduct in 1851 ( it is said to have begun working there on 22nd december 1851 ) . the solani viaduct construction was a part of the ganges canal project , started in 1845 . the viaduct had 15 arches and spanned the 4km - wide solani valley ( about 145km north - east of new delhi ) . earth for the approach embankments was transported along light rail lines about 5 to 10 km long from piran kaliyar to roorkee . standard gauge wagons were used , built from parts brought over from england , and hauled by men and later horses . in late 1851 , the locomotive thomason ( named for the engineer on the project ) was assembled on the spot from parts transported from calcutta . it hauled two wagons at a time , at a speed of about 6km / h . it did not last very long , and after about 9 months india ' s first steam locomotive died a spectacular death with a boiler explosion , reportedly to the delight of the construction workers who had viewed it more as a hindrance than help . hughes ' book states that this was a six - wheeled tank engine , probably a 2 - 2 - 2wt built by e . b . wilson , and of standard gauge . some details of the wagons and the use of the locomotive are in sir proby t cautley ' s report on the ganges canal works ( 3 volumes , 1860 ) . more here .
read more about these early railways in this article by simon darvill : the first railways in india .
it is entirely possible that there were other such railways used for the conveyance of materials and construction supplies in india around this time .
moving past these construction railways , the next locomotive to arrive in india was the falkland ( named for a governor of bombay ) , used by the contractors of the gipr for shunting operations on the first line out of bombay that was being built . it began work on february 23 , 1852 . hughes ' book suggests that this was also built by e . b . wilson , and was probably a four - wheeled tank engine ( 0 - 4 - 0t ? ) with dummy crankshaft . it later became gipr loco # 9 . a third locomotive , vulcan , is said to have been used by the gipr for material hauling and shunting duties in 1852 as well .
there were also eight more locos from vulcan foundry imported by gipr in 1852 and 1853 .
on november 18 , 1852 , a locomotive hauled some coaches on a trial run from bori bunder to thana . this probably counts as the first
real
train to run in india .
likely date of first locomotive built in india - an avery design rotary engine built for the red hill railroad . more here .
various proposals for railways in india , especially around calcutta ( eir ) and bombay ( gipr ) .
r macdonald stephenson ' s
report upon the practicability and advantages of the introduction of railways into british india
is published .
survey work carried out for bombay - kalyan line and an extension up the malay ghat for proposed connections to khandwa and pune .
old guarantee system
providing free land and guaranteed rates of return ( 5 % ) to the private english companies willing to work on building railways . agreed upon in march , finalized on august 17 .
locomotive thomason is used for construction work in roorkee , beginning on december 22 . more here .
construction begins of an
experimental
section of track ( howrah - rajmahal ) for the proposed calcutta - delhi link via mirzapur ( eir ) .
construction of a line out of bombay begins , and a locomotive , falkland , begins shunting operations on february 23 . the line is ready by november , and on the 18th of november , a trial run of the bombay - thane trip ( 35 km ) is held . ( some accounts suggest another locomotive , vulcan might have also been used for shunting operations here . )
on april 16th , at 3 : 35pm , the first train in india leaves bombay for thane ( see above for details ) . initial scheduled services consist of two trains each way between bombay and thane and later bombay and mahim via dadar .