Deccan Queen

Deccan Queen service was introduced on 1 June 1930[1] as a weekend train during the days of the British Raj to ferry rich patrons-fans from Bombay (now Mumbai) to Poona (now Pune) to attend horse racing at Pune Race Course.The first service of the train was conducted from Calyan (now Kalyan) and Pune. It was converted to a daily service soon after, starting from Bombay Victoria Terminus (VT) [renamed Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)]. It is one of the longest running train service on the Indian Railways to have never run on steam power. From the beginning, the Deccan Queen has been run using electric locomotives. Occasionally, it was given diesel locomotives in case of original locomotive failure.

The color of its rake has seen a lot of changes, from red colour to yellow to white and then to blue.[1]

The Deccan Queen has several firsts or 'among the firsts' to her credit: she was India's first superfast train, she was the first long distance electric hauled passenger train, she was one of India's first vestibuled trains. The Deccan Queen was the first to have a Ladies Only car, and amongst the first to feature a diner. The train has an exciting and chequered history. The Deccan Queen got a brand new rake in 1966, consisting of Indian Railways standard integral anti telescopic cars. For the first time since the history of the train, third class (now second class) passengers were allowed to travel by this train. It had only reserved first class since inception until 1966.

Deccan Queen is the second train in India having ISO 9000 certification and a dining car after the India's first ISO Certified train Shaan - E - Bhopal Express running between Habibganj (Bhopal) - Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi).[1] It has sixteen coaches including the engine.

The Deccan Queen is also one of the most favourite trains among railfans. Every year on 1 June, its regular pass-holders, railfans and railway authorities celebrate the train's birthday. Deccan Queen entered its 90th year of service on 1 June 2019.

Introduction into New Livery On 19 August 2020, Central Railways announced an allocation of brand new LHB coaches coupled with a simultaneous introduction of a unique culturally significant "Green-Brown-Yellow" curvilinear stripe livery on all of the coaches of Deccan Queen. The unique new livery has been finalized after numerous consultations with commuters as well as Design Engineers. The new livery features a Dark Green colored main background, with brown and yellow curvilinear stripes, that run from the right end of the coach and end at 2/3rds of the length of the coach thereby giving the rake a unique GenZ look that is bound to make heads turn in conjunction with eyebrows raised. In addition, a selection of such a dark Green livery would ensure that the train's color does not get adversely impacted at the time of the Indian Monsoon. This train will now run with an introduction of Push Pull Technology and Head On Generation Equipped WAP-7 Three Phase Electric Locomotives of Kalyan Electric Loco Shed, which will also have the same livery as the rest of the train. The unique Dine-in pantry car of this legendary train will still be retained although in a fresh new LHB avatar.

The Pune Mumbai Deccan Queen Express Express is the 2nd of 6 dedicated trains to leave Pune Junction for Mumbai CSMT & is the last train to return.

12124 Pune Mumbai Deccan Queen Express leaves Pune Junction every day at 07:15 hrs IST and reaches Mumbai CSMT at 10:25 hrs IST. The train travels non stop till Lonavala after leaving Pune junction. On its way the train overtakes Sahyadri Express at Shivajinagar / Khadki. Then it crosses the Bhor ghat and skips Karjat. The train then stop at Dadar (Central) station after traveling 120 km (75 mi) from Lonavala and finally terminates at Mumbai CSMT.

On return, the 12123 Mumbai Pune Deccan Queen Express leaves Mumbai CSMT every day at 17:10 hrs IST and reaches Pune Junction at 20:25 hrs IST. On its way the train halt at Karjat after covering 100 km (62 mi) from Mumbai CSMT for bank locomotive attachment. Then it halts at Lonavala after crossing Bhor Ghat where bank locomotives are detached. Then the train halts at Shivajinagar a major suburb of Pune before terminating at Pune junction.

Deccan Queen is Central Railway's flagship train but is often late by 30 minutes when arriving in Mumbai due to suburban network local trains.[2] Deccan Queen, when it started in 1930 was one of the fastest trains in Asia. It used to cover the 192 km Mumbai-Pune distance in 3 hours 45 minutes and now takes 3 hours 15 minutes.[3]

This train uses ICF coaches. This train has a dining car and is ISO certified train. This train has 17 coaches which include different classes like AC chair car, MST coaches (Monthly Season Ticket), Ladies special, Second class sitter, Reserved coaches and General Coaches. This train will be upgraded under Project Utkrisht and will have LED lights, Bio toilets and Braille Signage. GPS-tagged biometric attendance system will be also installed in this train.[4]

Initially this train use to run with two different rakes one colored silver with scarlet moldings and other royal blue, both built in England. Only First Class and Second Class were used in seven coach rake till June 1955 after which Third Class was also introduced. Initially there were seven coaches which were increased to 12 and then to 17 as of today.[5] Now it has one dedicated rake colored white and blue with red strip on white color. The rake is ICF rake and was hauled by WCAM 3 or WCAM 2/2P until it was changed to WAP 7 (P7) which hauls the train today. The rake is attached with bankers from Karjat to Lonavala while traveling from Mumbai CSMT to Pune Junction. to cross steep climbs of the Bhor Ghat.

Mumbai CSMT - Pune Junction

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
	HP/SLR	(Second MST)	(Second MST)	GEN	GEN	D5	D4	D3	Dining cum Pantry Car	C4	C3	(AC MST)	(AC MST)	D2	D1 (LADIES)	GEN	SLR/HP

Pune Junction - Mumbai CSMT

17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	Loco
HP/SLR	(Second MST)	(Second MST)	GEN	GEN	D5	D4	D3	Dining cum Pantry Car	C4	C3	(AC MST)	(AC MST)	D2	D1 (LADIES)	GEN	SLR/HP

When it was introduced in 1930, the Deccan Queen was hauled by WCP 1/2 DC passenger locomotives. From 1954 till the 1990s, it was hauled by a WCM-1/2/4/5 DC mixed locomotive. From the 1990s till present, it has been hauled end to end by a WCAM 3 or WCAM 2/2P DC/AC locomotive of the Kalyan (KYN) shed. Starting 1 June 2018, on its 88th anniversary, it will be occasionally hauled by the WAP-7 of the Ajni shed.[6]

At Karjat, it gets two or three WAG-5, WAG-7, WCAM-2 or WCAM 3 bankers of Kalyan shed to push the train on the ghat section between Karjat railway station and Lonavala railway station, where the gradient is of 1 in 40.

On 29 December 1953, Bombay- bound Deccan Queen collided at Masjid Bunder station with another local train at 10–25 hours on 29 December 1953. Five persons received grievous and 42 others minor injuries. The approximate cost of damage to railway property was Rs. 12.600. The Government Inspector of Railways, Bombay, held his statutory enquiry into this accident. His Provisional Finding is that the accident was caused by the failure on the part of the Driver of the Deccan Queen.[7]

The train derailed in 1990 at Khandala Ghat, casualties were not reported.

The train service was disturbed between late July to early August 2005 due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai (26 July 2005).

On 30 November 2006, a mob of around 6000 protestors set fire to some coaches of the train near Ulhasnagar after forcing the passengers to get down.[8] The arsonists were protesting against the vandalism of a statue of B. R. Ambedkar in far away Kanpur though the incident had nothing to do with the Deccan Queen.

• 
  Deccan Queen at Mumbai CSMT
• 
  The Deccan Queen during its 80th anniversary celebrations on 1 June 2009
• 
  WCM 1 type engine initially was used to pull Deccan Queen

• Dedicated Intercity trains of India:

• Mumbai–Pune Passenger
• Flying Ranee
• Flying Mail

• Classic Trains of India: Deccan Queen by S. Shankar