YG-3415 'Sahib' --- On 1st of August 1849, The Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) was incorporated which later entered into a formal contract with the East India Company for the construction and operation of a broad-gauge railway line, 56 km long, to form part of a trunk line connecting Bombay with Khandesh and Berar and generally with the other presidencies of India. Hence, it was India's first passenger railway, the original 21 miles (33.8 km) section, opening on 16 April 1853 at 3:35 pm, a 14 carriage train, carrying 400 passengers on-board, left Boree Bunder station (Victoria Terminus now CSMT) in Bombay (Mumbai) for Tanna (Thane) amid 21 gun salute. Three broad-gauge steam locomotives named Sahib, Sultan and Sindh huffed and puffed across the 33.8 km stretch taking around 57 mins. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of those three locomotives are unknown to rail enthusiasts. There is no documented archives or any gazettes/photos can be traced till date to confirm their fate.

But in the remembrance of that iconic & historic incident, Rewari Steam Loco shed have renamed three of its restored meter-gauge YG class locomotives after those historic trio - Sahib (# 3415 ), Sindh (# 3438) & Sultan (# 4252). This loco in the above photo, the YG # 3415 locomotive was built in the year 1963 by Tata Engineering & Locomotive Company (TELCO). With a tractive force of 10690 kg and 10.65 ton axle load, this 866 hp meter-gauge 2-8-2 freight locomotive was a hit among the crews during its heydays. Currently preserved as a Working Heritage at Rewari Steam Loco Shed and is steamed-up occasionally. It is chirstened as 'Sahib'. Photographed by Somsubhra Das. D.O.P. - 16th August 2019.