The 12123 / 12124 Deccan Queen is a daily Indian passenger train service operated by the Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways connecting the cities of Mumbai and Pune. Introduced on June 1, 1930, the Deccan Queen was India's "first superfast train, first long-distance electric-hauled train, first vestibuled train, the first train to have a ‘women-only’ car, and the first train to feature a dining car". The service name comes from the Marathi nickname "" (Queen of the Deccan), a popular nickname for Pune. Deccan Queen is currently the fastest train service linking Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Pune Junction. It has an average operating speed of including stops, and a top speed of . The train's long history and common use as a commuter train has gained it significant popularity, including annual celebrations of its "birthday" on June 1 at Pune Junction. It was hauled by a Kalyan-based WCAM-3 end to end up until June 2022. From June 2022, its upgraded coaches in a new livery are being hauled by a Ajni-based WAP-7. History Deccan Queen service was introduced on 1 June 1930 as a weekend train with two rakes of seven coaches each. The first service of the train was conducted from Calyan (now Kalyan) and Pune in the Bombay Presidency, British India, apparently in order to ferry rich patrons from Bombay (now Mumbai) to Poona (now Pune) to attend horse racing at Pune Race Course. Initially, one coach was painted in silver with scarlet mouldings, while the others were painted in royal blue with gold lines. The underframes of the coaches of the original rakes were built in England, while the coach bodies were built in the Matunga Workshop of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. The service initially included first and second class seating, but the first class was replaced by a redesigned second class on January 1, 1949, until third class seating was introduced in June 1955. In 1966, the coaches were replaced by "anti-telescopic, steel-bodied integral coaches" built by Integral Coach Factory, PeramburChennai, and the rake was lengthened to twelve coaches. Third class seating was re-designated second-class seating in April 1974. The Deccan Queen is also one of the most favourite trains among railfans. Every year on 1 June, its regular pass-holders, railfans and railway authorities celebrate the train's birthday. Deccan Queen entered its 90th year of service on 1 June 2019. On 19