Website for info on Railways http://www.irfca.org/docs/index.html#hist http://www.irfca.org/articles/wayside-stations.html Stats on Bridges http://www.irfca.org/docs/stats/stats-bridges.

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Railways
The Madras Railway was formed in 1845 although its first section of line, from Madras to Arcot, was not opened to traffic until 1 July 1856. In 1859, its object was given as "the construction and working of a railway from Madras to the western coast at Beypore, with branches to Bangalore and the Neilgherries; also of a line from Madras, via Bellary, to join the line from Bombay - total, about 820 miles." 1 Headquartered in Madras, whence its lines radiated, the Madras Railway was built to broad guage. It was the last guaranteed railway to fall to Government of India (GoI) ownership (31 December 1907). In 1908, the northern portion (ie the north east, north west and Bangalore branches) was merged with the Southern Mahratta Railway to form the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway (MSMR). The southern section of line (Jalarpet to Mangalore) became part of the South Indian Railway. The GoI took over the management of the MSMR on 1 April 1944. On 14 April 1951, MSMR together with South Indian Railway and Mysore State Railway became Southern Railway, a zone of Indian Railways. The South Indian Railway (SIR) was the new name applied in 1874 to the merged undetakings of the Carnatic Railway and the Great Southern of India Railway In 1872, the Carnatic Railway merged with the Great Southern of India Railway. In 1874, the merged companies were renamed the South Indian Railway. During the 1870s the existing broad gauge lines were converted to metre gauge. Ownership of the SIR and other lines passed to the Government of India (GoI) on 31 December 1890 and a new company was formed to work the system so created under contract; this contract was extended in 1909. The year previously (1908), the Jalarpet to Mangalore broad gauge section had been transferred to the SIR from the Madras Railway. In turn, the Katpadi section was relinquished and became part of the newly formed Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway. On 1 April 1944, the GoI took over direct control of the SIR. In 1951, the SIR became a constituent part of Southern Railway, a zone of Indian

Railways. The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 1 October 1856, p. 3 http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/12987433 The Oriental News gives the following summary of news for the week ending 13th July:The general news throughout India during the week has been of the most barren description! The opening of sixty-five miles of Madras railway is the only item of intelligence worth mentioning! The inauguration, according to the journals, appears to have been a complete failure. The speeches were wretched; and, except for the privileged few, neither accommodation nor refreshment was to be had

1853 On April 16th, at 3:35pm, the first train in India leaves Bombay for Thane (see
above for details). Initial scheduled services consist of two trains each way between Bombay and Thane and later Bombay and Mahim via Dadar. Madras Railway incorporated; work begins on Madras-Arcot line.

1856 May 28: Royapuram - Wallajah Road line constructed by the Madras Railway
Company Jul 1: The first train service in the south begins, from Royapuram / Veyasarapady (Madras) to Wallajah Road (Arcot) (approx. 100km) by the Madras Railway Company. A combined Loco, Carriage and Wagon Workshop is set up by the Madras Guaranteed Rly. (later part of the MSMR) at Perambur, near Madras, later to become the Carriage and Wagon Workshops of SR (and the Loco Workshops at Perambur).

1861 Madras Railway's trunk route from Madras extended to Beypur / Kadalundi (near
Calicut). Work begins on a north-western branch out of Arakkonam. Great Southern Railway of India completes 125km BG line between Nagapatnam and Trichinopoly. (? Some sources suggest the line was till Tanjore, and extended to Trichinopoly by March 1862

1862
Madras Railway extends its lines to Renigunta. GSIR's Nagapatnam - Trichinopoly line opened to traffic 1864 Jolarpettai - Bangalore Cantt. branch added by Madras Railway; Bangalore Mail begins running

1868 Madras Railway extends its network (with a new terminus at Royapuram) to
Salem, and also finishes the Jolarpettai - Bangalore Cantonment branch. GSIR's line reaches Erode, connecting to the Madras State Rly