9-car locals on Western Railway complete 50 years

The 9-car suburban train services on the Western Railway will complete 50 years on today. First introduced on March 2, 1961, these trains, due to a substantial increase in passenger traffic, have been phased out in the recent years by the 12-car and 15-car locals.

According to the Western Railway’s official history, the first suburban service in Mumbai with steam traction was introduced way back in April 1867, with one train plying between Grant Road and Bassien Road. Later it was extended to Churchgate in 1870. By 1900, 44 trains were carrying over one million passengers annually. When the electricity powered services were introduced, only three-car EMU suburban trains used to ply initially. After this, six-car EMU trains were introduced. Eight-car EMU trains also served the city for a brief period. To cope up with the increasing demands of the city and with the expansion of suburbs, a need for longer EMU trains was felt.

However, more than 20 years after the 9-car train services were introduced, the increase in passenger traffic meant that the Western Railway had to go in for another round of  addition. Twelve-car trains were then introduced in the year 1986. However, the conversion took place at a snail’s pace. Thus, out of a fleet of 76 trains, there are at least 20 trains which are 9-car. They, too, are expected to become a thing of the past in the near future.