Regional Rail Museum Howrah

Regional Rail Museum Howrah

The Howrah Rail Museum is open for visitors from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

REGIONAL RAIL MUSEUM, HOWRAH TO RE-OPEN ON SUNDAY (27.12.2020)

Regional Rail Museum, the pride of Eastern Regional Rail Transportation, will re-open on Sunday (27.12.2020) after prolonged closure during the COVID period. The entire Regional Rail Museum area has been thoroughly sanitized before opening. There will be certain areas including Hall of Fame and replica of Howrah Station building where the viewers will be restricted by numbers. All the viewers are requested to follow COVID appropriate behaviour as per guidelines issued by Govt. of India. They are requested to wear mask or face cover, maintain physical distancing and keep hand sanitizer with them. The entry fee of the Regional Rail Museum will remain the same.

The Regional Rail Museum bears the testimony of the history and heritage of Rail transportation in Eastern India. It depicts the growth & evolution of Railway system in Eastern part of the country. It also puts up the pictorial history of East Indian Railway, Eastern Railway, East Central Railway, East Coast Railway, South Eastern Railway, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and Metro Railway, Kolkata. It highlights the heritage of Railways through various exhibits and traces the evolution from old to modernity. Century old drawings, forms, documents and fascinating collection of philately, 150 years old steam locos, carriages, saloon cars, trains etc. focus the old Railway system in Eastern India. There are working models, rare lamps, telephones, crests which were used during the earlier times. A part of 4.5 acre of land has been beautified as a park with flower plants and well decorated fountains.

Re-opening of this Regional Rail Museum on Sunday (27.12.2020) will fulfill the long cherished aspiration of the Rail enthusiasts and they will again enjoy the saga of the chronicle of Railway System in Eastern India while having fun amidst the splendid atmosphere of the Regional Rail Museum yet following the Covid protocol.

Rail Museum at Hubballi

Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon’ble Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines and Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways dedicated the Railway Museum at Hubballi to the nation through video link today (09.08.2020). Shri Suresh Angadi, Hon’ble Union Minister of State of Railways presided over the function. Shri Abbayya Prasad, Hon’ble MLA of Hubballi-Dharwad East; Shri Arvind Bellad, Hon’ble MLA of Hubballi-Dharwad West; Shri Pradeep Shettar, Hon’ble MLC and other dignitaries graced the occasion.

Welcoming the dignitaries, Shri Ajay Kumar Singh, GM/ SWR said that the railway museum at Hubballi is the first of its kind in North Karnataka and second in SWR after the Rail Museum at Mysuru. This Museum will enthrall visitors narrating story of Railways in India in past 167 years. The Museum is spread over an area of 4,150 sqm. The museum has fascinating collection of Rolling stock, wide range of artefacts beautified by aesthetic lighting.

He said that since Shri Piyush Goyal ji has taken over as Minister of Railways, the functioning of railways has transformed and revolutionized. He thanked Shri Pralhad Joshi for extending constant support for railways by giving valuable inputs. He said that after Shri Suresh Angadi has taken over as Hon’ble MoSR, SWR has been able to complete pending infrastructure projects by regular coordination with State Government.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Piyush Goyal said, “Railways has an emotional connect with all of us. Railways has played an important role in our lives and has been witness to our personal journeys of life in different phases. He referred to Mahatma Gandhi and said that Gandhi Ji also preferred to understand India through trains. Railways have itself gone through great transformations. Story of evolution of Railways from steam era to modern bullet trains era is truly remarkable. Museum is monument of tribute to that extraordinary change. Moving into a post Covid era would also see many changes. The museum will help in sensitizing society about shared history and culture. It will tell us about our roots and our foundations. We must preserve memories and legacy. We are now making Railways fully electrified and 100 % green. It will be world class passenger and freight services organization. Railways will continue to change and transform. Legacy will continue to be great and would require to be constantly preserved.

Shri Suresh Angadi said that it’s a great day for Hubballi and north Karnataka. After Mysuru, a second museum is set up here. He appreciated the work by railways in transporting migrant workers ensuring safety and also providing food.

Shri Pralhad Joshi appreciated SWR for running 266 Shramik trains carrying 3.90 lakh passengers to their native places. He also appreciated SWR for converting 320 coaches as isolation coaches. He asked to complete the Hubballi-Belagavi-Bengaluru double line and electrification work expeditiously and speed up the trains to reach Bengaluru in 6 hrs.

Later Shri Pralhad Joshi Hon’ble Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines and Shri Jagadish Shettar, Minister of Large and Medium Scale Industries, Public enterprises and District Incharge Minister of Dharwad visited Railway Museum and appreciated the work of SWR. Shri P.K.Mishra, AGM, SWR; Shri Ravikumar, PCME; Ms. Roopa Srinivasan, PFA; Shri Arvind Malkhede, DRM, Hubballi and others were present.

The Highlights of the Museum:

• Galaxy of Rolling Stock
• Malaprabha and Ghataprabha cottages
• Theatre Coach
• Suruchi Cafeteria
• Toy Train
• Memorabilia Shop
• Ticket Printing Machine
• Model train run
• Children’s Activity Room

A grand arch at the entrance welcomes one to the bygone era. Embellished with emblems of forerunners of South Western Railway, that served this region which is Southern Mahratta Railway, Mysore and Southern Mahratta Railway etc.,The welcome arch beckons visitors to explore the world of Railways.

Outdoor landscape: Two narrow gauge locomotives (train Engines) are the prime attraction in the Museum. All the exhibits that run on track and are related to track such as Rolling Stock (engines), Coach, wagon, tanker, Permanent way material like Rails, sleepers, Level crossing gate, signals etc are provided in the galleries setup amidst soothing greenery of the Museum.

A narrow gauge coach which depicts “Unity in diversity with life size statues of passengers from various parts of the country is an added attraction for the visitors.

Two beautiful cottages constructed in 1907, are converted to two parts of museum named as Malaprabha and Ghataprabha after the two rivers of the region.

Ghataprabha cottage: The cottages define quintessential old age charm, house collection of indoor artifacts. Ghataprabha cottage features a model room with running train, signal instruments etc. History of Locomotives, wagons, coaches is presented along with antique Books and Plants. Glimpses of working of Railway in Medical and security fronts can be seen. A colourful children activity room with fun facts is also part of Ghatprabha. A memorabilia counter where souvenirs can be bought and a history corner where history of Railway companies is covered in the cottage.

Malaprabha Cottage: A series of beautiful charcoal sketches constitute art gallery at the entrance of Malaprabha. Booking office with ticket counter, printed tickets, iron cash chests reflect reminiscences of the ticketing of a few decades back. A station master room is simulated with Panel, all the apparatus, registers, furniture and even life size statues of station master and Points man. The adjacent room is designed on theme of waiting room with antique furniture. A parcel office setup is also recreated with 150 year old parcel weighing machine.

The evolution and progress on of Permanent way, rails, sleepers, track fitting, telecommunication, electrical.

The regular working Hours for the Museum from 11th Aug 2020 are as below:

• Normal Days (Tuesday to Friday) 12 noon to 7 pm
• Weekends & Public Holidays 12 noon to 8 pm
• Every Monday is a Holiday

Entry Ticket Charges

• Adult (above 12 Years) INR 20/-
• Child (5-12 Years) INR 10/-
• Less than 5 Years Free

Theatre Coach

• Show timings (every one hour starting from 12.00 pm 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm)
• In Group of 10 members each ticket INR 10/-
• Show Time 15 mts
• Toy Train Ticket (one trip)
• Each Ticket INR 10/-

* Three rounds of to and fro constitutes one trip.