Netaji S.C.Bose Gomoh–Hatia line

The 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)-wide narrow-gauge Purulia–Ranchi line was opened by Bengal Nagpur Railway in 1907.[1][2]

In 1907 Adra was connected to the Grand Chord at Gomoh with a 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide [[5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge|broad-gauge]] line.[3] The construction of the 143 kilometres (89 mi) long broad gauge Chandrapura–Muri–Ranchi–Hatia line was started in 1957 and was completed in 1961. The construction of this line included the conversion of the narrow-gauge Kotshila–Ranchi line to broad gauge.[2][4]

The narrow-gauge Purulia–Kotshila sector was converted to broad gauge in 1992.[5]

The Gomoh–Chandrapura–Phusro sector was electrified in 1957–58, Rajabera-Bokaro Steel City in 1986–87, Bokaro Steel City yard in 1988–89, Radhagaon–Muri–Kita in 1998–99, Kita–Namkom in 2000–2001, Namkum–Ranchi–Hatia in 2001–2002, Purulia–Kotshila in 1998–99.[6]

Netaji SC Bose Gomoh has an electric loco shed with capacity to hold 125+ locos. Locos housed at the shed include WAG-7, WAG-9, WAG-9I, WAP-7. WAP-7 locos serve the prestigious Howrah Rajdhani Express.[7]

Bokaro Steel City has a diesel loco shed with WDM-2 and WDM-3A locos. It has a large yard for Bokaro Steel Plant.[7]

In 1952, Eastern Railway was formed with a portion of East Indian Railway Company, east of Mughalsarai and Bengal Nagpur Railway.[8] In 1955, South Eastern Railway was carved out of Eastern Railway. It comprised lines mostly operated by BNR earlier.[8][9] East Central Railway was created in 1996–97.[10]

Some major trains on this route:-

• Purushottam Express
• Ranchi Rajdhani Express
• Bokaro Steel City–Bhubaneswar Garib Rath Express
• Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express
• Howrah–Ranchi Shatabdi Express
• Odisha Sampark Kranti Express
• Jharkhand Sampark Kranti Express
• Sambalpur–Jammu Tawi Express
• Jharkhand Swarna Jayanti Express
• Tatanagar–Amritsar Jallianwalla Bagh Express
• Ahmedabad–Kolkata Express
• Shaktipunj Express
• Howrah–Bhopal Weekly Express
• Ranchi–New Delhi Garib Rath Express
• Sambalpur–Varanasi Express
• Ranchi–Kamakhya Express

Rail sections of this route:-

• Hatia–Ranchi section
• Ranchi–Johna section and Ranchi–Gautamdhara section (tracks split due to hilly terrain)
• Johna-Muri section and Gautamdhara–Muri section (tracks meet in Muri)
• Muri–Kotshila section
• Kotshila–Bokaro Steel City section
• Bokaro Steel City–Chandrapura section
• Chandrapura-Gomoh section

• Trains at NSC Bose Gomoh
• Trains at Bokaro Steel City
• Trains at Muri
• Trains at Ranchi

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