Train Numbering brainwave!

Brainwaves strike the most when one is on the pot! This one was probably a little late unfortunately.

Members might be aware that I had proposed a method of train numbering which could solve the problem of the superfast series for the next few years. And it was based on the 4-digit format.

However, my proposal remained just that and IR went ahead with a 5-digit scheme. I was not really impressed by the current scheme especially with regards to the Mail/Express trains. I contacted the CPRO - SCR's office and one generous soul told me that there might be further rationalisation of the numbers during the next time-tabling! Having resigned to fate, I accepted the current numbering scheme.

This morning, the tube lit! Here's how:

For SF/M/E trains, just add '0' in between! 

2728 Godavari Express becomes 27028.

7018 SC-RJT becomes 70018.

In the 4 digit scheme, 27xx series could handle only 49 pairs of trains. In my 5-digit scheme, it went upto 499. Ditto for 7xyy, and so on for others, retaining the original Zone-Div-Number or SF-Zone-Number system.

It would have also added 450 extra pairs of trains each to extremely overfilled 26xx, 28xx and 25xx series.

I'm not aware if this had already been proposed by anyone.