lifelines of national economy-railways,pipelines

Q.What are the advantages of railways over roadways?
A. Railways are the principle mode of tranpotation for freight & passengers in India.
--they are of great use to us in conducting multifarious activities like business, transpotation of goods over longer distances
Indian railways have been an important integrating force for more than 150 years.
--railways in India bind the economic life of the country.
--They accelrate the develpment of industry & agriculture.
Q. What do you know about the railway network of India?
A. The Indian railway have a network of 7,031 stations spread over a route length of 63,221km. with a fleet of 7817 locomotives, 5321 passenger service vehicles, 4904 other coach vehicles &228,170 wagons as on 31 march 2004
Q. Which is the largest public sector undertaking of India.?
A. The Indian railways.
Q. When did the first train steam off and from where?
A. The first train steamed off from Mumbai to Thane in 1853, covering a distance of 34 km.
Q. Into how many zones is Indian railways organized?
A. It is organized into 16 railway zones.
Q. Which factors influence railway network in the region.? Give examples .
A. The distribution pattern of railways network in the country has been largely influenced by the following factors:
a) physiographic,
b) economic
c)administrative factors
1. The northern plains has good net work of railways because—vast level land, high density of population, high agricultural resources.
2. 2. hilly regions of the peninsular plateau—railway lines are laid through low hills , gaps or tunnels.
3. 3. Himalayan mountainous regions—unfavourable for the construction of railways due to high relief, sparse population & lack of economic opportunities.
4. It is difficult to lay railway tracks in sandy plains in western Rajasthan & forested tacks swamps of Gujrat, , forested tracks of MP., Chhatisghar. Orissa, &jharkhand.
5. Recently the development of Konkan railway along the west coast has facilitated the movement of passengers & goods in the most important economic region of India.
Q. What are problems from which Indian railways suffer?
A. Rail transport suffers from certain problems:
a) Many passengers travel without tickets.
b) Thefts and damaging of railway property.
c) People pull chains unnecessarily, which causes heavy damage to railway property.
d) Sinking of railway tracks during rains & landslides are also a problem.
e) A large number of rivers requiring bridges across their wide beds posed problems.
Q. List improvements that have been made in the railways.
A. Electrification of steam & diesel engines.
--Conversion of narrow gauge into metre & broad guage.
--computerisation for ticketing & reservation.
--starting of superfast trains as Rajdhani & Shatabadi for speedy travel & to overcome the problem of delays.
--Railway engines & wagons are produced locally now.
--to cover short distances we have these days Metros running in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai &Kolkata.
Q. What do you understand by pipeline transportation?
A. Pipeline transportation is the new arrival on the transport map of India.
--earlier it was used to transport water but these days it is used to transport crude oil, petroleum products & natural gas from oil & natural gas fields to refiniers, fertilizer factories and big thermal power plants.
--even solids can be transported through pipelines when converted into slurry.