Where is the world’s oldest underground railway?

               The world’s first underground railway was built in London city. Once the route was planned, a great trench was cut along the streets. Then the railway tracks were laid and the trench was covered over again, to restore the road and create a railway tunnel underneath. This method of tunnel making is called ‘cut and cover’.

               The original route of the London underground railway was nearly four miles long from Paddington Station to Farringdon Street in London. It was opened on 10th January 1863. The first trains were hauled by steam engines and the smoke in the tunnels caused discomfort. But this being the world’s first under-ground railway, it was a cause of great excitement. Today, the most extensive underground railway system in the world is in London.

               In 1890, a deep tunnel railway was also built in London through which electric trains could run. The earlier trains did not have any windows as they were thought to be unnecessary if the train was only to travel through a tunnel. The deepest underground point on the railway line is 67.3 m deep near Hampstead. The longest single journey is from Epping to West Ruislip which is 54.9 km long.

               Many other countries of the world also have underground railways. In Paris an underground railway was opened in 1900. In the United States of America the first practical subway line was constructed in Boston between 1895 and 1897. New York City opened the first underground railway in 1904, now the largest system in the world. The world’s busiest ever metro system has been the Greater Moscow in Russia (Opened in 1935).

               In Canada, Toronto opened a subway in 1954. In Japan, the Tokyo subway was opened in 1927. India’s first underground railway was inaugurated in Calcutta in 1985. This has relieved pressure on Calcutta’s traffic problems to a considerable extent.

               Construction of underground railways is a very complicated process. Normally deep trenches are dug by the side of main roads to lay rails. The walls of these trenches are made of bricks and are covered with strong steel beams to make the roofs. The trains run underground and other vehicles above them on the roads.