NFR restores century-old ‘Baby Sivok’ steam engine
In a significant step to preserve its railway heritage, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has restored the century-old vintage steam engine, affectionately known as ‘Baby Sivok.’
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has installed ‘Thick Web Switch Point’ machines with clamp-type locking at 31 stations across its zone to enhance safety features during November 2024.
“N F Railway has been making constant efforts to make train journeys safer and more secure. It continues to adopt technically advanced measures to upgrade and maintain its infrastructure,” said chief public relations officer (CPRO) K K Sharma.
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To further enhance efficiency and safety, NFR has carried out various upgrades and replacements in its existing signaling system across several sections. In November 2024, sliding booms were commissioned at four level crossing gates in Katihar, one in Alipurduar, and two in the Lumding division.
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Electric lifting barriers have been replaced at two level crossing gates each in the Katihar and Tinsukia divisions to improve safety. Additionally, 8.013 km of signaling cable was newly laid at various stations in the Tinsukia, Lumding, Rangiya, and Alipurduar divisions.
An automatic fire detection and alarm system has been commissioned at Rahamatpur and Arariya Court stations in the Katihar division as part of safety measures to protect railway properties.
System integrity testing was conducted at 25 level crossing gates across the N F Railway. A total of 381 signaling batteries of various capacities were replaced in all five divisions, ensuring better reliability of safety equipment. Modern communication systems are being utilized to control train movements, providing visual information to drivers and operators.
“Infrastructural upgrades in the railway system ensure the safe operation of trains, and their reliability and maintenance directly impact railway capacity. The N F Railway is dedicated to delivering a superior, punctual, and safer railway experience for all its customers,” Mr Sharma added.
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