IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 3361 - 3380
From: Auroprem Kandaswami <>
Subject: Chennai-Tiruchi BG line opening today
Date: 21 Aug 1998 16:10:27 -0500
The Hindu
CHENNAI, Aug. 21.
After six years and several hitches since it was announced, the
340 km Chennai-Tiruchi broad gauge conversion project will come
to fruition on Saturday.
The new line, via Villupuram and Vriddhachalam, constructed at a
cost of Rs.500 crores, is expected to reduce the travel time
between Chennai and Tiruchi by one hour at least.
To start with, however, trains on the section will be operated
only at 50 km per hour between Tambaram and Villupuram though
from Villupuram the speed will be stepped up to 75 km an hour.
When the track gets ``stabilised,'' the speed will be increased.
Within a year speed is expected to touch an average of 100 km
per hour, Southern Railway sources said.
The first train on the much-awaited broad-gauge line will be
flagged off at Tambaram tomorrow by the Union Minister, Mr.Nithish
Kumar in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr.M.Karunanidhi.
The conversion will also contribute to the industrial
development of the State, besides easing the traffic in the
Arakkonam-Jolarpettai-Erode section by providing an alternative
route for the southern districts and Trivandrum from Chennai
Egmore. It will provide direct broad-gauge connection to New
Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Howrah from the southern districts.
The construction of Tambaram-Tiruchi line entailed two steps:
laying a new 132 km-long broad-gauge line parallel to the
existing metre gauge track from Tambaram to Villupuram and
conversion of the existing 178 km metre gauge ``chord'' line
into broad gauge from Villupuram to Tiruchi. The entire length
of the new track between Chennai Beach and Tiruchi has been laid
with pre-stressed concrete sleepers and 52 kg rails to allow
operation of high speed trains. Nine new bridges were constructed
across Palar, Ponniyar, Vellar, Malattar, Manimuthar, Marudayar,
Nandiyar, Coleroon and Cauvery as the condition and strength of the
old bridges could not be assessed.
Substructures and the foundation of remaining bridges have been
strengthened.
The existing yards at Chennai Egmore, Tambaram, and Chengalpattu
have been designed to take care of the future conversion of the
Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu suburban section and the
Chengalpattu- Arakkonam section.
From: Kartik Pashupati <>
Subject: Bombay Keralites protest Netravati Express (from TOI Aug 22, 1998)
Date: 21 Aug 1998 17:38:09 -0500
From: Jayant S <>
Subject: Re: Ooty Locos: Heinrich
Date: 21 Aug 1998 19:02:37 -0500
> I do not believe, that anything about the new rack-locos for Ooty has
> been decided yet.
> Does anyone know better?
> Heinrich
Check out:
<A HREF="http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/whodom/new.html">http://www.awod.com/gallery/rwav/whodom/new.html</A>
For a (not very clear) drawing of the proposed
SLM loco. Looks like a 0-8-2T.
--
Jayant S : ID Studio : Tata Technologies India Limited
Telco Premises : Pimpri : PUNE : 411 018 : INDIA
TEL 91(212)774261 ext 2534 : FAX 91(212)773191
--
From: Heinrich Hubbert <>
Subject: Re: Rediff News!
Date: 22 Aug 1998 13:00:58 -0500
Shankarnarayan, Sridhar wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> What is the status of the new South Western Railway HQed at Bangalore?
> It appears that Bangalore is still part of SR.
>
> BTW, it is good to note that the Nilagiri railway is getting two
> additional trains. Does any one know when the new steam locos from SLM
> are expected?
>
I do not believe, that anything about the new rack-locos for Ooty has
been decided yet.
Does anyone know better?
Heinrich
From: Auroprem Kandaswami <>
Subject: Chugging home for Ganesh Chaturthi
Date: 24 Aug 1998 16:27:28 -0500
Central Railways will run 14 special trains with 15 unreserved
coaches each to Goa from Bombay to clear the Ganesh Puja rush.
101 Dn will depart from Kurla Terminus on August 24, 27,
29, 31 and September 3 and 5 at 1220 hours and arrive in
Madgaon (Margao, Goa) at 2335 hours the same day.
102 Up will depart from Madgaon (Margao, Goa) on August 25,
28, 30 and September 2, 4 and 6 at 1040 hours and arrive
in Kurla Terminus at 2300 hours the same day.
The specials will stop at Thane, Diva, Panvel, Pen, Roha, Kolad,
Mangaon, Veer, Khed, Chiplun, Savarda, Sangameshwar, Ratnagirir,
Nivasar, Adavali, Vilavade, Rajapur road, Vaibhavwadi, Nandgaon,
Kanakvali, Sindhudurg, Kudal, Sawantwadi, Pernem and Thivim in both
directions.
In addition to this Central Railways will provide 64 extra AC
three-tier berths and 144 sleeper class berths on the
Mumbai-Madgaon-Mumbai Express till September 7. Central Railways
will also provide 108 additonal seats Dadar-Ratnagiri-Dadar Express
KR 3/KR 4 till September 7.
From: Sachin P Keshavan <>
Subject: Any special trains for Onam?
Date: 24 Aug 1998 21:17:58 -0500
Hi all,
Any special trains for Onam? Onam is the state festival of Kerala, and
is any Railway Zone running special trains?
Thanks,
Sachin.
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From: Anne Ogborn <>
Subject: Timetable Maps
Date: 24 Aug 1998 23:43:11 -0500
Just got my map from Peter Mosse. Now I have to get my flatbed back,
so I can scan it. It's really neat - I definitely want to somehow put
it up on
the net.
Annie
From: Sachin P Keshavan <>
Subject: To Annie
Date: 25 Aug 1998 00:58:39 -0500
Hi,
This is regarding the Railway Time table map. What exactly is it. How
can a Time Table be put on a Map? I would also like to have a copy of
it.
Use this e-mail for mails regarding this: sachin_pk@hotmail.email
Bye and Thanks in advance,
Sachin.
*********************************************************************
Sachin PK,
Software Engineer, Intelligent Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
E Mail: sachin_pk@hotmail.email
Home page: <A HREF="http://209.67.19.99/~sachin_pk">http://209.67.19.99/~sachin_pk</A>
Pager: 9624 - 285433
Telephone: +91-80-3314500
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Amar Javan
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From: Zubin Lee <>
Subject: clw site
Date: 25 Aug 1998 10:05:28 -0500
hi folks !
i just came across this site whilst browsing. this seems to have been
an
offshoot of the IRIEEN site. no links except the 'about CLW' work, and
there's hardly anything on the site as such. however, tech buffs may
have a
feast since there is good technical data on 3 phase 25 kV ac electric
locos - namely WAG9 and WAP5.
the url is : <A HREF="http://education.vsnl.com/irieensite/index.htm">http://education.vsnl.com/irieensite/index.htm</A>
for tech details :
<A HREF="http://education.vsnl.com/irieensite/threephaseinfo.htm">http://education.vsnl.com/irieensite/threephaseinfo.htm</A>
~zubin
<A HREF="http://zubin.gen-next.com/">http://zubin.gen-next.com/</A>
From: Anne Ogborn <>
Subject: Nepal railways
Date: 25 Aug 1998 10:48:42 -0500
Looking at the Railways map of India, I see there's a 0.76 M line
from Raxaul to Amlekhganj in Nepal.
Anybody know more about ths line? Should be spectacular!
From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>
Subject: Re: Nepal railways
Date: 25 Aug 1998 16:25:17 -0500
Hi Annie,
The short section of line at Raxaul is really an industrial siding.
BUT,
it is the sole remnant of the original Nepal Government Railway, from
Raxual
to Amlekhganj, 24 miles. It was built by Martin's of Calcutta in 1924-7.
Martin's also built (and at that time worked) the Fatwa-Islampur,
Arrah-Sasaram, Shahdara-Saharanpur, Baraset-Basirhat, Bukhtiarpur-Bihar,
(all 2ft6in gauge) and Howrah-Amta-Sheakhalla (2ft gauge) lines. They
also
built wagons from 1902 onwards. The factory still exists, but in
government
hands now.
The NGR story is quite interesting, as it connected with a cableway
from
Dursing to Khatmandu (it's not clear how near Dursing was to
Amlekhganj). I
believe the cableway is still in operation; there is also a road
nowadays.
Motive power on the line included Guyeshwari and Pashupati, two WD
4-6-0s
from Hunslet, a Du Croo & Brauns 0-10-0, an Avonside 0-6-2T, and two
2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratts. The line was entirely in the Terai -- the
low-lying
part of Nepal, below the mountains proper, and the grades were mostly 1
in
100 (1%), though there were short strecthes of 1 in 40 (2.5%). I've
never
heard any suggestion that the scenery was especially good. For that, the
Kalka-Simla, the Kangra Valley, and especially the Darjeeling-Himalayan,
are
all quite fantastic. The DHR rates as one of the best mountain lines in
the
world, right up with the Central do Peru and the Cuzco-Santa Ana.
The Raxaul-Amlekhganj line closed in 1965, and the loco stock (and
probably coaching too) was transferred holus-bolus to the other Nepal
Government Railway, from Jaynagar on the Bihar border to Janakpurdham,
where
there is a fairly important Rama mandir. The line was extended to
Bizalpura
in connection with a major dam scheme at some time, I think in the
1960s. I
believe the J-J line is now diseaselised, but it was quite a wonderful
spot
in steam days: you never quite knew what would be on your train, and the
trains themselves were very motley. They now have some-reach-me-down
coaching stock from India, and the variety is diminished.
The Nepalese Terai is markedly poorer than even northern Bihar, and
the
drop in standards is quite noticeable as you cross the border, let
alone at
Janakpur. (No-one has ever been to Bizalpura, so far as I know: you
can't do
it in the same day on the present timetable, there is no accommodation
at
Bizalpur, and there are no roads).
More in Vols. 3 & 4 of Hughes' Indian Locomotives.
Cheers from the infoKJ (and back to making red electrics)
-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Ogborn <anniepoo@netmagic.email
To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Wednesday, 26 August 1998 4:08
Subject: Nepal railways
> Looking at the Railways map of India, I see there's a 0.76 M line
>from Raxaul to Amlekhganj in Nepal.
>
>Anybody know more about ths line? Should be spectacular!
>
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Purpose of IRFCA
Date: 26 Aug 1998 09:25:38 -0500
Hi Folks,
It is great to see IRFCA become a truly international club with
representatives from India, Europe, Australia(?) and so many new folks
from USA. I am very grateful to all of you for providing us constant
updates about IR through articles, images, discussions and the like.
However, in the recent couple of months there has been a flood of
messages on techincal stuff (permanent way, rolling stock, steam
traction,..) including discussions about other railway systems, but an
important and a very interesting area has been grossly neglected,
namely, IR timetables and scheduling. Pushkar and my efforts to spark
off interesting discussions on this topic hasn't been too successful
judging by the lukewarm response that our messages have received. This
leads me to believe that there are not too many IR timetable buffs out
there. I hope I am wrong in this assumption. I can't help thinking
about the IRFCA of the late 80s and early 90s when we used to have
regular discussions on this subject.
Just recently, I had asked a few questions regarding schedules of some
new trains from the latest timetables. I am yet to receive any
response. If I have to start relying on external sources such as the
Rediff page for this information, then IRFCA ceases to be useful to me
in this regard. This is not something we anticipated when forming this
club.
I can only hope that we do get some timetable enthusiasts soon who are
willing to provide us with details.
Let me clarify that I am in no way critical of the club's activity;
I am, merely, indicating an area that could be addressed more often.
Comments and discussions on this most welcome (if anyone cares to do so
:-) :-) ).
Regards,
Vijay
********
Dr. Vijay Balasubramanian
Noblestar Systems
58 Charles St., Cambridge, MA 02141
Tel: (617) 252-3322, Fax: (617) 252-3311
vbalasubramanian@noblestar.email
Currently working at - Cross Country Group
(781) 306-3075 (Tel.), (781) 393-4902 (Fax)
Hotmail access: vijay_642@hotmail.email
______________________________________________________
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From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Purpose of IRFCA
Date: 26 Aug 1998 10:38:42 -0500
Vijay Balasubramanian wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> It is great to see IRFCA become a truly international club with
> representatives from India, Europe, Australia(?) and so many new folks
> from USA. I am very grateful to all of you for providing us constant
> updates about IR through articles, images, discussions and the like.
> However, in the recent couple of months there has been a flood of
> messages on techincal stuff (permanent way, rolling stock, steam
> traction,..) including discussions about other railway systems, but an
> important and a very interesting area has been grossly neglected,
> namely, IR timetables and scheduling. Pushkar and my efforts to spark
> off interesting discussions on this topic hasn't been too successful
> judging by the lukewarm response that our messages have received.
This
> leads me to believe that there are not too many IR timetable buffs out
> there. I hope I am wrong in this assumption. I can't help thinking
> about the IRFCA of the late 80s and early 90s when we used to have
> regular discussions on this subject.
>
> Just recently, I had asked a few questions regarding schedules of
some
> new trains from the latest timetables. I am yet to receive any
> response.
The new timetables are not on the stands yet, I am checking every other
day
Apurva
> If I have to start relying on external sources such as the
> Rediff page for this information, then IRFCA ceases to be useful to me
> in this regard. This is not something we anticipated when forming
this
> club.
> I can only hope that we do get some timetable enthusiasts soon who are
> willing to provide us with details.
>
> Let me clarify that I am in no way critical of the club's
activity;
> I am, merely, indicating an area that could be addressed more often.
> Comments and discussions on this most welcome (if anyone cares to do
so
> :-) :-) ).
>
> Regards,
> Vijay
>
> ********
>
> Dr. Vijay Balasubramanian
> Noblestar Systems
> 58 Charles St., Cambridge, MA 02141
> Tel: (617) 252-3322, Fax: (617) 252-3311
> vbalasubramanian@noblestar.email
>
> Currently working at - Cross Country Group
> (781) 306-3075 (Tel.), (781) 393-4902 (Fax)
>
> Hotmail access: vijay_642@hotmail.email
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>
From: dheeraj <>
Subject: Re: Purpose of IRFCA
Date: 26 Aug 1998 11:54:22 -0500
Vijay,
You and Pushkar are not the only one who feel this way. I
guess all 5-6 of us who started this list perhaps miss the
sort of discussions we used to have in those days. We have
a lot of people on the list who are extremely knowledgeable,
and it is really nice to read what they have to say. I have
learnt a lot about IR in the last year or two.
But just like you, I miss the "non-technical" discussions, about
things that most of us could relate to. About the services,
timetables, memorable journeys, dreaming about new trains, and so on.
I also wish there would be some more discussions on such things,
without, of course, reducing the "technical" information on the list.
-dheeraj
--------------
Dr. Dheeraj Sanghi (0512) 59-7077/7638
(Off)
Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering (0512) 59-8627 (Res)
Indian Institute of Technology (0512) 59-0725/0413
(Fax)
Kanpur - 208 016 (UP), INDIA. dheeraj@iitk.email
From: Anurag Acharya <>
Subject: Fw: Premium Accom on NG Lines (Kalka - Simla)
Date: 26 Aug 1998 13:35:51 -0500
Looks like this message did not go out -- transient problem at UMD.
anurag
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Peter Mosse" <pjcm@worldnet.email
To: "Indian Railways List" <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Premium Accom on NG Lines (Kalka - Simla)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 13:19:54 -0400
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Priority: 3
X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-Id: <19980819172018.LUSI4230@default>
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
> I am sure the Himalayan Queen and the likes would also have a higher
> class accomadation between Kalka and Simla. They also have a coach
> to yourself for Rs. 3000 per day which the NR attach to the end of a
train
> for a grand view.
- ------
My memory may be playing tricks on me but I don't remember premium
accommodation on the Kalka - Simla line when I travelled on it in 1992.
Nor did I know that one could hire a special coach - despite the cost
that
would have been tempting !!
One tip for prospective travellers on this line who arrive overnight on
the
Howrah - Kalka mail is to get off the mail VERY quickly at Kalka and
find
the guard (or other functionary) who assigns seats on the Rail Motor to
Simla. By doing this, I not only got to travel on the rail motor - a
real
antique - but I got a front seat to the left of the driving compartment,
so
the view was fantastic.
The rail motor obviously has limited accommodation and once all seats
are
taken you have to travel on the slower ordinary train with conventional
equipment. It's still a wonderful ride, but not quite so special as the
rail motor ...
Peter Mosse
From: Anurag Acharya <>
Subject: Fw: Steam on Bostan-Zhob ng line (was LONGEST STEAM RUN)
Date: 26 Aug 1998 13:38:08 -0500
Another message rescued from mailing list limbo....
anurag
------- Forwarded Message
From: "Peter Mosse" <pjcm@worldnet.email
To: "Indian Railways List" <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Steam on Bostan-Zhob ng line (was LONGEST STEAM RUN)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 14:29:21 -0400
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Priority: 3
X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-Id: <19980819182946.MWPM4230@default>
I visited Bostan in January this year and there were several locomotives
and a lot of passenger coaches in the shed and yards. There was also no
sign of vandalism. In fact it almost looked as if the line had closed
down
the day before, not 10-15 years ago.
Obviously any motive power would need extensive rehab work to be put
into
operable condition (which is what is happening at Moghulpura Works), but
I
think a rake of operable coaches could be assembled pretty easily.
However, I share the general scepticism of the Steam Railway article as
to
the overall merits of this venture.
Therefore, I think that anyone tempted to experience travel over this
line
would be well advised to go very soon after it has been confirmed to be
in
operation as I can't see it remaining in service very long. [ My money
would be on the service being suspended the day after there is a new
railways minister who DOESN'T come from Baluchistan !! ]
Also, I think the claim to be the longest steam run in the world may be
dubious, though it depends on exactly what one means by 'longest steam
run'. Maybe it is, in terms of one locomotive working one train
throughout
from origin to destination. However, I believe it is still possible to
travel on one passenger train entirely behind steam for more than 184
miles
in China (though with engine changes en route). Whether there are any
individual steam passenger train segments remaining in China where one
loco
works more than 184 miles I don't know.
Of course, 40 years ago one could still travel more than TWICE that
distance NONSTOP behind a streamlined pacific on British Railways
working
the summer Mondays-Fridays 'Elizabethan' between London (King's Cross)
and
Edinburgh (393 miles in 395 minutes with a load of 400 ~ 425 tons).
When I
get my time-travel machine working, that's one of the first places I'll
go
!!
Peter Mosse
From: Pushkar Apte <>
Subject: Dreamers, Technophiles, and the Purpose of IRFCA
Date: 26 Aug 1998 15:19:31 -0500
I think Dheeraj and Vijay bring up a good point here: even among the IR
fans
there is some divergence of interests. That is only natural, for as
they say
- different strokes for different people! Two categories seem to be out
there: the "technophiles" and the "dreamers". But by no means are these
mutually exclusive: I would put myself among the dreamers, but like
Dheeraj
says, I have soaked up (and enjoyed) tremendous technical information
from
knowledgeable posters over the past year or two. I agree that it would
be
nice if we had more sustained discussion threads on the dreamer side as
well:
about new services, thought trains, routing, scheduling etc. - but I
recognize that one cannot force this to happen - it must happen of its
on
accord, or not at all. In any case, I think we need both dreamers and
technophiles interacting to make a positive difference: I would like to
give
the analogy of Intel. Most people know that Intel is one of the most
successful companies of our time (it is my company's competitor, but one
must
acknowledge facts :-)). Intel is run by Andy Grove and Craig Barrett at
the
top, of whom Andy Grove is the "dreamer", concerned with strategic
vision,
market planning, and so forth, while Craig is the operations or "nuts
and
bolts" guy. In many interviews, they have both said that without them
working together, Intel would not be where it is today.
I want to use this analogy to make a broader, philosophical point about
the
"Purpose of IRFCA". So far we have been a forum for discussion, but we
have
NOT harnessed the power of so many diverse individuals interacting with
the
love of Indian railways to make any real CHANGE. Dheeraj has pointed
out the
difficulties of the Railway bureaucracy in making things happen: I throw
this
out as a suggestion and a question - is there some way that we can
harness
the power of this group to bring about positive change that everyone
cares
about? Like maybe an official routing locator that Dheeraj mentioned,
or the
saving of steam line or causing the introduction of a new train???
Maybe
this is a pipe-dream, but the use of IRFCA as an ENTITY to induce change
is
something that needs to be at least discussed. How does one go about
doing
this? Any ideas? Also, going forth in this direction will unite the
technophiles and dreamers in purpose, rather than have a divisive effect
on
IRFCA.
Comments?
-Pushkar
dheeraj@iitk.email wrote:
> Vijay,
>
> You and Pushkar are not the only one who feel this way. I
> guess all 5-6 of us who started this list perhaps miss the
> sort of discussions we used to have in those days. We have
> a lot of people on the list who are extremely knowledgeable,
> and it is really nice to read what they have to say. I have
> learnt a lot about IR in the last year or two.
>
> But just like you, I miss the "non-technical" discussions, about
> things that most of us could relate to. About the services,
> timetables, memorable journeys, dreaming about new trains, and so on.
>
> I also wish there would be some more discussions on such things,
> without, of course, reducing the "technical" information on the list.
>
> -dheeraj
> --------------
> Dr. Dheeraj Sanghi (0512) 59-7077/7638
(Off)
> Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering (0512) 59-8627 (Res)
> Indian Institute of Technology (0512) 59-0725/0413
(Fax)
> Kanpur - 208 016 (UP), INDIA. dheeraj@iitk.email
--
Regards,
Pushkar
-------
From: Heinrich Hubbert <>
Subject: Re: Nepal railways
Date: 26 Aug 1998 16:02:52 -0500
Anne Ogborn wrote:
>
> Looking at the Railways map of India, I see there's a 0.76 M line
> from Raxaul to Amlekhganj in Nepal.
>
> Anybody know more about ths line? Should be spectacular!
It is abandoned since decades (m.g.)
There is a dieselworked 2´6" line at Jankpur which should have some
steam-locos for spare. I visites this line, which is absolutly flat
laying in the low Terrai. I had a visit there in 93, when it was full
steamoperated. At that time Nepal shared, together with Paraguay the
reputation of being the one of the last countries, with
only-steam-operated railways
One Enigma remains: The Kosi Barrage Railway in the east of the country.
There are still roumers, that this railway is in operation during/after
the rainy period occassionaly, to repair the dam.
Heinrich
From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>
Subject: Re: Dreamers, Technophiles, and the Purpose of IRFCA
Date: 26 Aug 1998 17:04:54 -0500
Dear Pushkar,
I agree that it would be nice to be able to influence IR in various
ways. My own concerns relate to preservation, not merely of steam
operated
lines or obscure narrow-gauge mountain railways, but also (and perhaps
more
importantly) of historical artefacts, especially engineering drawings,
technical information, and so on. These tend to be ignored or neglected
by
Arts-trained librarians, and are often just BURNT.
But I wonder if an on-line discussion group is the right launch
pad. I
belong to two or three, but I value them as points of contact, from
which I
can find out about things I need to know, or make contact with people
with
common interests. I sympathise with Vijay's and Dheeraj's concerns about
the
drift away from discussion (but remember, we all have periods when we
have
to neglect things in order to finish others!)
Lobbying large bureaucracies or giant firms is generally most
successful if it is undertaken by organised societies, on the ground,
preferably favourably known to the organisation being lobbied. A tall
order?
Yes, but one you have to meet if you want to be effective.
Railways as a hobby interest is still in its infancy in India, but
as
long ago as 1973, I remember encountering interest -- and passion --
among
many railway officers as well as members of the public. Perhaps it's
time
for IRFCA to spawn some actual organisations, built around various
worthwhile activities. This could also channel some of the centrifugal
forces. Don't forget that most Western countries have Rail Users (or
Passengers, or whatever ... ) organisations, along with clubs dedicated
to
preserving particlar railways, making models, studying railway history,
and
many other wrinkles. (There's even a global Ticket Collector's club,
which
exchanges tickets from all over). In India, the Pune Railway Club
already
exists and has even sponsored some commercial models, I believe. There
is
also the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation, which needs a
supporting club; I have no details, but I believe that there is a
serious
preservation movement afoot to keep a nucleus of MG steam engines and
run
them on IR lines. So there's a start. Organisations mean effort, of
course,
but they have a marvellous way of building up their own momentum, and
some
consider them fine training for "civic responsibility" and suchlike
guff.
Think on't
Cheers from
Ken Walker
(Up to HIS eyebrows in models and the DHRS[A])
-----Original Message-----
From: Pushkar Apte <apte@spdc.email
To: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Cc: dheeraj@iitk.email <dheeraj@iitk.email vijay_642@hotmail.email
<vijay_642@hotmail.email
Date: Thursday, 27 August 1998 8:34
Subject: Dreamers, Technophiles, and the Purpose of IRFCA
>I think Dheeraj and Vijay bring up a good point here: even among the IR
fans
>there is some divergence of interests. That is only natural, for as
they
say
>- different strokes for different people! Two categories seem to be
out
>there: the "technophiles" and the "dreamers". But by no means are
these
>mutually exclusive: I would put myself among the dreamers, but like
Dheeraj
>says, I have soaked up (and enjoyed) tremendous technical information
from
>knowledgeable posters over the past year or two. I agree that it would
be
>nice if we had more sustained discussion threads on the dreamer side as
well:
>about new services, thought trains, routing, scheduling etc. - but I
>recognize that one cannot force this to happen - it must happen of its
on
>accord, or not at all. In any case, I think we need both dreamers and
>technophiles interacting to make a positive difference: I would like
to
give
>the analogy of Intel. Most people know that Intel is one of the most
>successful companies of our time (it is my company's competitor, but
one
must
>acknowledge facts :-)). Intel is run by Andy Grove and Craig Barrett
at
the
>top, of whom Andy Grove is the "dreamer", concerned with strategic
vision,
>market planning, and so forth, while Craig is the operations or "nuts
and
>bolts" guy. In many interviews, they have both said that without them
>working together, Intel would not be where it is today.
>
>I want to use this analogy to make a broader, philosophical point about
the
>"Purpose of IRFCA". So far we have been a forum for discussion, but we
have
>NOT harnessed the power of so many diverse individuals interacting with
the
>love of Indian railways to make any real CHANGE. Dheeraj has pointed
out
the
>difficulties of the Railway bureaucracy in making things happen: I
throw
this
>out as a suggestion and a question - is there some way that we can
harness
>the power of this group to bring about positive change that everyone
cares
>about? Like maybe an official routing locator that Dheeraj mentioned,
or
the
>saving of steam line or causing the introduction of a new train???
Maybe
>this is a pipe-dream, but the use of IRFCA as an ENTITY to induce
change is
>something that needs to be at least discussed. How does one go about
doing
>this? Any ideas? Also, going forth in this direction will unite the
>technophiles and dreamers in purpose, rather than have a divisive
effect on
>IRFCA.
>
>Comments?
>
>-Pushkar
>
From: Prakash Tendulkar <>
Subject: Alaska Rail Road
Date: 26 Aug 1998 17:25:06 -0500
Folks,
I have placed some pictures from Alaska Rail Road on my website.
They are not necessarily the best pictures as I was not prepared
to expect rail activity in my vicinity. Please visit
<A HREF="http://www.jps.net/prakash/alaska/index1.htm">http://www.jps.net/prakash/alaska/index1.htm</A>
Prakash