Inaugurated on November 10, 2010, the Dabhoi Heritage Park offers a fascinating journey through the history of railways, focusing on the legacy of the Gaekwar Baroda State Railways (GBSR). This park revisits the golden era of narrow-gauge steam trains through a rich collection of letters, photographs, and time tables from a bygone era.
Dabhoi & the Railways:
Under the Gaekwads of Baroda, Dabhoi evolved into a pivotal hub of a network of narrow-gauge lines connecting various towns such as Chandod, Bodeli, and Timba. The town’s strategic importance as a trade center in the 19th century inspired Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwar II to advocate for a railway link between Dabhoi and the BB&CI mainline connecting Baroda and Bombay. Although the initial plan was to connect Dabhoi to Itola, the Miyagam route was chosen for its feasibility. In 1862, the first oxen-drawn goods and passenger carriages began operating between Dabhoi and Miyagam.
The park provides an ideal setting to explore the remarkable history of the GBSR, which executed one of the fastest turn-arounds in narrow-gauge history within six months of taking over the lines from BB&CI.
Getting Here:
To visit Dabhoi, you can take a train from Pratapnagar Station in Vadodara, with a journey time of approximately 50 minutes.
Alternatively, Dabhoi is a short 30 km drive from Vadodara. Regular GSRTC and private buses also serve this route. Vadodara itself is well-connected to major cities like Mumbai (392 km), Ahmedabad (100 km), and Delhi (986 km) by road, rail, and air.
Timing: The Dabhoi Heritage Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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