Advanced Transportation

Freight Operations Information System (FOIS)

  • FOIS is the Management Information System (MIS) used in Indian Railways for its freight business.
  • MISs are used for improving efficiency in management and control of operations in Railways resulting in higher productivity of resources and improving quality of service to customers. FOIS helps to improve the process of planning, monitoring and decision making and reduce operating expenses through a more efficient utilization of rolling stock.

Syllabus for 30% LDCE Assistant Commercial Manager (ACM)

  • Eligibility : Group C employees of Commercial department working Pay Band Rs. 9300-34800 with Grade Pay Rs. 4200/-and above with 5 years service in GP Rs. 4200 (including service rendered in corresponding pre-revised scales).
  • Apprenticeship period is also included for calculating minimum service.
  • Ministerial staff in Commercial Department should exercise a one-time option to appear for Group B exam in Personnel Department or Commercial Department. Option once exercised shall be final.

Information Technology for Railway Management

  • Railways all over the world progressively implements Information Technology for improvement in efficiency and for better management.
  • Computerised Management Information System (MIS) helps in planning, monitoring and decision making of all modern Railways.
  • On IR the development of a system for availability of information on freight operations as an aid to decision making was mooted and first sanctioned in 1983-84 as due to the sheer size and complexity of freight operations the management of freight operations was highly complex.

Components of Marshalling Yards

  • Reception Yard – Incoming trains are received and wait in reception in Yard lines while waiting to be dealt with. Incoming trains may require change of crew/Guard/Loco or may require sorting and Marshalling. Separate grids may be provided for reception yard maybe one for through loads and another for terminating trains. Separate Reception Yard may also be provided for trains coming from different directions. Grid for through trains bypass hump.

Model Question for 30% LDCE for Selection of AOM in Operating Department

Paper I Professional Paper

Answer Any 5 questions:

Duration : 3 hours

Each question carry 30 Marks (5 x 30 =150)


1) What is Line Capacity? How it is calculated? What are the short term and long term measures to improve Line Capacity. (30 marks)

2)      What is the significance of effective crew management in improving operations? What are the constraints and remedial measures in this regard? ( 30 marks)

Audit in Indian Railways

  • Audit is a constitutional function (Articles 149-151).
  • The authority empowered to spend public money is answerable to the Parliament.
  • A check is needed to ensure proper utilization of the fund to ensure that it serves the purpose. This check is known as Audit.
  • Railways Audit was separated from Accts in 1929.  
  • Scope and extent of Audit is determined by C&AG.

Functions of Audit

Wagon Numbering System

  • New wagon numbering system has been adopted in Indian Railways in 2003. Wagons are given with 11 digit numbers making it easy for identification and digitalizing wagon information.
  • First two digits will indicate Type or Wagon. Eg. BOXN, BCN, BCNA etc. Different wagon types are given numbers from 10 to 99.
  • Next two digits will indicate Owning Railway. Eg. SR -06, CR-01, 16 Zones are given numbers from 01 to 16 and 25 for CONCOR, 26 for Private owned wagons and 24 for wagons owned by defence.