At the crack of dawn, a locomotive driver brings railway bogies from a washing line to Platform No. 1 of the railway station to start an almost six-hour-long journey from Rawalpindi to Lahore.

This is the first train to depart every day from the 145-year-old railway station in the garrison city, built by the colonial administration in the 19th century. As the train arrives, the clam on the platform is shattered, with people getting ready to board the train at their own pace.

Hawkers are roaming about selling biscuits and other snacks along with tea, while porters are getting ready to transport luggage to the departing train. Some people kill the time till the departure by moving around the premises, watching railway engines changing tracks.

Rawalpindi Railway Station is a mixture of old and new systems. After a train arrives at the railway station, it goes to the washing line, after dropping passengers off, for repairs and the engine change. At the washing line, bogies are washed and cleaned and technicians check lights, water supply system, air-conditioning, and the heating system.

l Railways still use a mechanical interlocking system to control signals, crossings

The railways still employ an archaic method to change tracks. The mechanical interlocking system at the railway station is still operational. The main cabin, operated by railway officials, controls the traffic and the cabin men lower the signal by pulling down an iron lever installed in the signal box. At night, a kerosene lamp is hoisted up the signal pole to light up the green or the red spot, as the situation demands. Similarly, the station master uses a lamp to clear or stop a passing train.

The automatic interlocking system, however, uses electricity to operate the signal in contrast to the manual system. Some of the modern facilities offered by this railway station are CCTV cameras and scanners for luggage and ticketing.

The railway track was laid down in Rawalpindi in 1879 by the British authorities, who bifurcated the city into cantonment and city areas. The British forces occupied Rawalpindi in 1849 and declared the city their permanent cantonment in 1851. They also established the Northern Command Headquarters, which is now the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army.

The iconic railway station building is divided into three parts: passenger rooms, freight, and main offices. The railways club and police station are also adjacent to the main building. The Anglo-Indian building was constructed with bricks and sandstone, which were used for its outer walls. It has three main gates respectively for passengers, important personalities, and goods.

Like its building, the station premises hold many relics of the past. An old pedestrian bridge made from wood and steel, which connects platforms, is still working, besides a large brass bell hung on the platform. In this time of technology, the bell is still used to announce the departure of trains.

Moreover, a replica of a steam engine is installed in front of the main building of the station. The Steam Engine Number 203 is reminiscent of narrow gauge railways with track gauge of 2 feet 6 inches. The engine was manufactured in 1932 by Hanomag of Germany and sold for Rs41,905. It used to bring passengers from Kohat, Thall, Mari Indus, and Bannu sections of the Pakistan Railways till the 2000s.

Pakistan Railways Divisional Superintendent Nooruddin told Dawn that more than 20 passenger trains depart the Rawalpindi Railway Station every day, while some trains also brought mail. He said that the Pakistan Railways was working to refurbish the railway stations in all big cities, including Rawalpindi, and the work would be launched soon. He said the old structure would be preserved while new facilities would be added in the building to cater to passengers.

“Though the number of passengers at the railway station has decreased over the past few years, it still attracts a large number of people, especially in the recent past. Timing of the trains has improved and more than 6,000 passengers use this railway station daily,” he said. He said that the Pakistan Railways started work to repair Platforms No. 4 and 5, adding that the upgradation of the system would be launched soon.

“It’s like a picnic to travel to other cities through this mode of transportation. But the basic problem is that trains consume more time compared to buses or airlines,” said Rafique Ahmed, a passenger at the railway station. “If a proper timetable is implemented, then most of the people will travel through trains instead of other modes of transportation,” said Israr Ahmad, a passenger en route to Karachi.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2025