Barkakana–Son Nagar line

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Barkakana–Son Nagar line: a short, easy-to-understand overview

- Route and basics
- A 313 km railway line connecting Barkakana in Jharkhand to Son Nagar in Bihar, on the Gaya–Mughalsarai section of the Grand Chord.
- It has 41 stations, is electrified (since 1962), and operates on broad gauge (1,676 mm) with two tracks.
- The line is operated by East Central Railway and runs in Bihar and Jharkhand. Maximum operating speed is up to 110 km/h.

- History and major landmark
- A branch from Sone East Bank (later Son Nagar) to Daltonganj opened in 1902.
- The Gomoh–Barkakana line opened in 1927, and Barkakana–Daltonganj in 1929; these were later taken over by Eastern Indian Railway (EIR).
- The Upper Soane Bridge over the Son River is about 3,064 meters long and opened on 27 February 1900. It was once the longest rail bridge in India and remained a landmark for many years.

- Connectivity and future links
- Son Nagar is planned to connect with Ludhiana as part of the Eastern Corridor.
- Feeder routes include Sonnagar–Durgapur via Gomoh, Sonnagar–Tatanagar via Garhwa Road, and Barkakana–Bokaro via Chandrapura.

- Administrative background
- In 1952, Eastern Railway, Northern Railway, and North Eastern Railway were formed.
- East Central Railway was created in 1996–97, taking over responsibilities in this region.