Railways Interesting Facts: Indian Railways is one of the largest and most advanced rail networks in the world today. Along with taking crores of passengers to their destination in 24 hours, Railways is continuously adding new facilities, so that the journey can become more comfortable. Many questions arise in the minds of passengers while traveling by train. One of these common questions is – Why is ‘height above sea level’ written on the yellow board of the railway station? Almost every passenger sees this board and tries to find out the reason for it.

Why are railway station boards yellow in colour?

Before coming to the information about ‘altitude above sea level’, it is important to understand why the station boards are made yellow.

For this reason, railway station boards are almost always seen in yellow colour.

Why is ‘altitude above sea level’ written on the station board?

According to ixigo information, there are many historical and technical reasons behind writing the height above sea level on the board of the station –

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  During the early development of the railway network in India, mean sea level was considered as the basis for track laying and station construction.

  
  


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  This ensured that the station and tracks remained safe from the threat of flooding or sea tides.

  
  


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  This data was also helpful in building other construction works near the station, like bridges, buildings etc.

  
  


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  This information was also useful for the train driver. For example, if the station altitude increases from 100 meters to 200 meters, the driver may sense that there is a climb ahead and will need to increase engine power.

  
  


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  Similarly, while coming down a slope, the driver used this information to control the speed.

  
  

Why is this information not written on many new stations today?

Today, railways already control the speed, engine power and route planning of trains through digital systems. Trains are monitored based on weather, traffic, time and other modern factors. Therefore, mentioning ‘altitude above sea level’ is no longer mandatory at new stations.