Back Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway German बॉम्बे, बरोडा एण्ड सेंट्रल इंडिया रेलवे Hindi ದ ಬಾಂಬೆ ಬರೋಡಾ ಅಂಡ್ ಸೆಂಟ್ರೆಲ್ ಇಂಡಿಯ ರೈಲ್ವೆ ಕಂಪೆನಿ, (BB&CI) Kannada बॉम्बे, बरोडा अँड सेंट्रल इंडिया रेल्वे Marathi
 | |
| Industry | Railways |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1855 |
| Defunct | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Bombay , |
Area served | Bombay Presidency and Rajputana Agency |
| Services | Rail transport |
The Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (reporting mark BB&CI) was a company incorporated in 1855 to undertake the task of constructing railway lines between Bombay to the erstwhile Baroda State, that became the present-day Baroda (Vadodara) city in western India. BB&CI completed the work in 1864. The first suburban railway in India was started by BB&CI, operating between Virar and Bombay Backbay station[1] (later extended to Colaba), a railway station in Bombay Backbay in April 1867.
The railway was divided into two main systems, broad (5 ft. 6 in.) and metre gauge. There was also a comparatively small mileage of 2 ft. 6 in. gauge line worked by the BB&CI on behalf of the Indian States. In 1947 the mileage of the respective portions was stated to be: broad gauge, 1,198 miles, with a further 69 miles worked for Indian States; metre gauge, 1,879 miles, with a further 106 miles worked for Indian States; narrow-gauge, 152 miles, worked for Indian States and various companies. Quadruple track mileage was 22 and double-track 250, the remainder of the system being single-track, whilst running powers were exercised over 147 miles (including the important section from Muttra Junction to Delhi, owned by the Great Indian Peninsular Railway).[2]
The main headquarters of the BB&CI Railway was located at Churchgate, Bombay and the headquarters and workshops for the metre gauge tracks and services was located in Ajmer.
- ^ "The Bombay local and suburban train service" (PDF). indianrailways.gov.in. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ Article by H.C. Towers in The Railway Magazine, vol. 93, no. 568, March and April, 1947