Corrigendum: Train no. 88 Read Patna Saheb 21:15/21:16 instead of Patna Saheb 21:1/21:16 in 1975 schedule.

The distraught tale of South Bihar...

Presenting the 2nd edition of my analysis on trains and schedules...
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South Bihar Express, as the name says, was introduced to cater the needs of Southern Bihar, to connect them to the capital of their state. The date of introduction is not clear, although it may be presumed that it may have been introduced during late 1950s or early 1960s as I saw it in the 1966 timetable.

The train 87/88 was introduced to cater the areas of Jamshedpur, Ranchi and adjoining regions like Chaibasa, Chandil etc and connect them to their state capital Patna. With a comfortable 11 hr overnight ride, this train was, and perhaps is a very famous train among travellers. The timings of both sides were convenient as well. Even today the train gets most of the passengers between Patna and Tata.

Sometimes this train was sped up, sometimes slowed down during subsequent years. It was slowed down by nearly an hour during the early 1980s as compared to the previous schedule. Halts started getting added during mid 1970s, where the first halts added were Patna Saheb (then Patna City) and Bakhtiyarpur, hampering the non-stop run between Patna and Mokama. Eventually Fatuha, Barh, Luckeesarai, Jamtara, etc. got added.

A major change took place during 1995 when this was extended to Rourkela, in Odisha (then Orissa), thereby losing the meaning of its identity 'South Bihar'.

In the schedules till 1999, it is mentioned that a slip train used to get detached at Tatanagar and then the slip continued its journey to Rourkela.

The Rake reaching Rourkela used to return the same day after a lie over of 3-4 hours. In 1999, the train was slowed down by 1 hr. Between 1999 and 2006, more major changes took place where the train got extended to both sides, one side to Durg and other side to Danapur, which may be termed as a terminal change.

1 rake had to be increased due to its extension. Now the train had 3 rakes which continues even today.

The train was sped up by more than an hour during the 5 years (2006-2011). Prior to 2012, it used to run via Adra, and involved 3 reversals if we consider the run from Patna to Durg, and 2, if we consider the run from Patna to Tatanagar. In 2012, it was diverted via Joychandi Pahar, saving a reversal and some minimal time.

2015 brought a change yet again to this train, now the train didn't get to touch its inaugural station, Patna. The run was restricted to/from Rajendra Nagar Terminal (which was originally Rajendrapuri Bihar, hence the code RJPB).

Yet in 2023, the railways is still obsessed with a schedule made 50+ years back (for Patna Tata). The train needs a speed up badly, speeding up the journey by atleast 4-5 hours. It can be made to depart Rajendra Nagar (Patna) by 9 pm, reaching Tata by 6:30 am and Durg by 6:30 pm. The return can be made to depart Durg by 9 am in the morning, reaching Tata at 8 pm and Patna by 6 am morning.

Note:
1. *** may mean data unavailable or no stop
2. 2006 TAAG shows only major stops hence so many ***
3. All stops from 2011 onwards have not been mentioned as it would make the image and analysis very long.