Rare Indian Collectibles: Light Railway of Jagadhri

https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n255/mode/2up

Light Railway of Jagadhri started in 1911. It continued till around 1950 when it stopped operations .Coming of Motor Cars / Buses / Trucks made the Light Railway lose its economic viability .

Light Railway used to run between main Jagadhri ( Yamunanagar ) railway station to Matka Chowk ( Gaushala ) ( also , called Chhoti Line in local parlance ) in old Jagadhri town , a distance of 5 km.

Gauge of Tracks of Light Railway Jagadhri 2 '.i.e. 610 mm ( equivalent to Darjeeling Himalayan Line ).

Gauge of Narrow Gauge Kalka - Shimla Railway Line is 2' 6" ). Otherwise normal Indian BROAD GAUGE is 5 feet 6 inches

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Unigauge#/media/File:Project_Unigauge_(India).svg

The main line ( broad gauge ) was under NWR ( North Western Railway ). Main station broad gauge line connected most important cities like Howrah ( Kolkata ) and Kalka , Mumbai and Amritsar , Lahore and Landi Kotal ( Peshawar ). VIP trains of those times like the Frontier Mail and Kalka Mail passed ( and still do ) through Main Jagadhri station.

Yamuanagar before 1947 was known as Abdullapur.

When the railway started , on the first day of its operation there was free Joy Ride for all.

Around 1930 the fare was one anna. ( One Rupee = 16 annas ).

The top speed of the Passenger trains was around 15 KM / Hour . It took 20 to 25 minutes for one way 5 Km journey.

There were a couple of manned railway crossings ( Phataks ) and a couple of Halts en route.

Light Railway passenger trains ran their schedules ( like Shuttle trains ) in co ordination with important train stoppages at the Main Yamunanagar Stations

At Jagadhri Terminus , goods could be booked even for connecting destinations of Broad gauge ( example from Jagadhri town to Kolkata ). Railway Receipt ( RR ) were issued . Similarly , composite passenger tickets / reservations were available for onward Broad Gauge destinations in India.

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The Light Railway was a privately owned enterprise ( by the Raja family of Jagadhri ) named " JAGADHRI LIGHT RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED ".

.. The Jagadhri Light Railway Company, Limited, was a joint stock company having its ... It had a fully paid-up capital of Rs. 1,20,000 divided into 600 shares of Rs. 200 each.

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There still exists a ( Light ) Railway Bazar in Jagadhri but no railway station or railway line. The line has gone and so have gone nearly all the traces of the railway line.

Platform no. 1 at the Main Jagadhri ( Yamunanagar ) station was originally the terminus platform of the Light Railway . After the closure of the Light Railway this terminus was redone to incorporate it with the Main Line station . But some traces of the old Light Railway terminus and goods yard are still visible . Even today nearly all important trains pass through Platforms No . 2 and 3 and not No. 1 ( i.e. the old Light Railway Platform / terminus )

RAILWAY LINE FROM YAMUNANAGAR TO JAGADHRI

There are some traces of the Light Railway at the Jagadhri ( Yamunanagar ) Railway Station from the Station Masjid towards the Main Radaur Road railway crossing ( Sugar Mill )

After Main Radaur Road Railway Crossing ( Phatak ) at Yamunanagar , the rail track entered the compound of the Paper Mill ( it passed through the front open ground of the Paper Mills. There was a Phatak within the Mill.

After leaving the Paper Mill , the track more or less , ran parallel to the Main YamunaNagar ( Railway Station ) -Jagadhri ( Chhuchhrauli ) Dual Road .

After closure of the Light Railway its track was removed and the alignment was converted to a Road.

Now , shops / houses have come up on both sides to the erstwhile railway track ( Model Town on Yamunanagar side ) . Paper Mill closed the entrance points of the Light Railway on its both sides )

Present day Pics ( from Yamunanagar Onwards to Jagadhri )

JAGADHRI ( YAMUNAGAR )

Old Light Railway Yard

Old Light Railway Terminus Redone ( Platform No. 1 )

Road Between Station Masjid and Radaur Road Yamunanagar Bazar ( This Road is on the Light Railway track ))

Light Railway From Yamunanagar Railway Station to Paper Mill Compound )

Iron Pillars near Station Masjid mark the alignment of Light Railway Track

After this PAPER MILL

Light Railway Goods Godown / Yard

AFTER LEAVING PAPER MILL COMPOUND ( towards Jagadhri )

Jagadhri ( Matka Chowk ) What used to be old Terminus

Old Jagadhri Terminus. There was a marshalling yard for goods train ( where loading / unloading was done ) and a Turntable / Wheelhouse ) for turning the sides of the engine.

An Example of Turntable ( for guidance only , may be like this in Jagadhri)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_turntable#/media/File:Wagon_turntable.jpg

For How Shimla Narrow Gauge Turntable works ( for Guidance only )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afk4-luoT5M
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Jagadhri Light Railway / Track some what like this Darjeeling Line :-

http://i0.wp.com/128.199.141.55/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/baripada.jpg

or

http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/apr/10sld8.jpg

or

http://gscaletrains.yolasite.com/resources/no8450x339.jpg