IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 6001 - 6020
From: Sridhar Shankarnarayan <>
Subject: Re: National Geographic I.R. article
Date: 04 May 1999 07:44:54 -0500
At 10:31 AM 5/4/99 -0400, Vijay Balasubramanian wrote:
>>Paul Theroux has other books which also features travels by train.
One is
>>of course, "Riding the Iron Rooster" which is an account of a year
that he
>>spent in China riding various trains (about 40 in all). One
interesting
>>fact that comes out from the book is that the Datong Locomotive Works
(at
>>Datong) is the only factory still turning out steam locomotives!
>>Theroux's journey was undertaken around 1986-1987, so I wonder if the
>>factory is still active? The book also mentions that some countries -
>>notably Thailand and Pakistan - rely almost exclusively on the Datong
>>Locomotives for their traction.
Datong stopped making the steamers in 1988. However, small numbers of
the
JS 2-8-2 are apparently still being constructed elsewhere, to makeup for
shortage of locos. As of 1996 CR operated 15146 locomotives (4347
steam,
8282 Diesel and the rest electric). From what I saw, steam was used
primarily for shunting and other random tasks.
-Sridhar
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sridhar Shankar
GSB MBA'99
The University of Chicago
1616 E. 50th Place, Apt. 13A
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 752 1131
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: National Geographic I.R. article
Date: 04 May 1999 09:34:10 -0500
Vijay Balasubramanian said:
> At the risk of sounding critical, it seemed to me that "The Great
> Railway Bazaar" reeks of
> Paul Theroux's patronizing attitude. It's been a while since I read
this
> book but he really didn't have anything
> good to talk about IR. In contrast, other books/articles/videos by
> O.S.Nock, Bill Aitken, Brian Thompson, Micheal
> Satow.... are so refreshing - it was evident that they have spent time
> researching about IR and really did enjoy their tryst with IR.
My general impression of Paul Theroux has been that there are a few too
many errors and omissions in railway related details in his writings for
this rail nut. He does not appear to be really interested in the
railroading aspects of his travels. Other than that his works are OK as
far as travelogues go. Its been I while since I have read him too, and I
don't feel compelled to go back and read him again.:-(
Compared to him, the other authors mentioned above are considerably
better, and people like O.S.Nock and Michael Satow are absolutely
superb. Of course this is just my huble opinion, and others may
legitimately feel differently.
Cheers,
Jishnu.
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: Railway Documentary on Natinal Geographic Channel
Date: 04 May 1999 09:49:08 -0500
Krishnan Anand says:
> National Geographic Channel has been
> screening a proramme called "The Great Indian Railways". For all of us
Steam
> Loco buffs this is THE PROGRAMME to watch for. Thos who have already
seen
> this then this mail will not enthuse, but please dont miss this out. I
dont
> mind seeing this a hundred times over.
I just found another very nice video on "Steam in India" - that's the
title of the video. I have never seen this broadcast over any network
TV. It is produced by Eisenbahn Video, and starts with a bunch of nice
shots around the national Railway Museum in New Delhi, and goes on to
show some of the best sequences of WPs running at speed that I have seen
anywhere. There are visits to the steam sheds in Moradabad, Saharanpur,
Jaipur and a couple of others. The video was made some fifteen years
back I think. The commentary on the video is somewhat trite and annoying
at places, but the pictures are great. If you get a chance to look up
video casettes in some railway related magazines like Trains or Railfan
Railroad, or Today's Railway in the UK, look this one up. Since it is a
German production it should be available in PAL also, unlike the
National Geographic video.
Jishnu.
From: Shanku Niyogi <>
Subject: Re: "Steam in India" video
Date: 04 May 1999 10:57:28 -0500
For folks in the US, the Heidelberg Haus German Language Video Center,
in
Indianapolis, has this available online. Check out the following link:
<A HREF="http://www.germanvideo.com/www.germanvideo.com/rr.htm">http://www.germanvideo.com/www.germanvideo.com/rr.htm</A>
Also, while I was looking this up, I came across a very interesting set
of
three videos, called "Indian Steam Sunset". The filmmakers go to a
number of
smaller places in search of the last vestiges of steam. There is
coverage of
the last Black Beauty competition, as well as footage down the Western
Ghats, travels through Gujarat and Rajasthan, and one volume on the DHR
and
Nilgiri lines. Has anyone seen these videos, or could comment on how
good
they are? Check out the info on them at:
<A HREF="http://www.goodheartvideo.com/india.htm">http://www.goodheartvideo.com/india.htm</A>
Shanku
From: Harsh Vardhan <>
Subject: Re: Travelouges on IR.
Date: 04 May 1999 11:18:57 -0500
>At the risk of sounding critical, it seemed to me that "The Great
>Railway Bazaar" reeks of
>Paul Theroux's patronizing attitude. It's been a while since I read
this
>book but he really didn't have anything
>good to talk about IR. In contrast, other books/articles/videos by
>O.S.Nock, Bill Aitken, Brian Thompson, Micheal
>Satow.... are so refreshing - it was evident that they have spent time
>researching about IR and really did enjoy their tryst with IR.
>
I'll second that.
Harsh
From: Harsh Vardhan <>
Subject: Re: [Fwd: DMRC Website was Calcutta Metro]
Date: 04 May 1999 11:32:56 -0500
->In view of this why not use the Mumbai EMUs as the Delhi metro
>vehicles ? Afterall the additional digging (the jumbo width as
>well !) as to be done only once.
>
Ho! Ho! That's a tall one. You must be joking for sure Apurva?
Delhi to get second hand stuff from Bombay!!?!!
It is not feasable technically also, Iam sure.
Harsh
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: National Geographic I.R. article
Date: 04 May 1999 11:45:11 -0500
Suresh Mutuswami wrote:
>
> Hello,
I saw this movie nearly 15 years ago, so can't remember much.
It was in b/w, about a chap in the IR (a WP driver who loses one leg in
an accident etc), and how his son is forced to follow his footsteps or
something like that. I only remember that it was a visual feast with all
sorts of rolling stock but all in b/w.
The most memorable scene in that movie was one of Churchgate station: a
local glides smoothly into an EMPTY platform with its headlight on.It
was one of those double exit platforms, where people can detrain from
either side.
First one person gets down, then a handful of others, and then all of a
sudden, in a matter of seconds, the platform is teeming with humanity,
with a hyper dense crush load scenario. Its unbelievalbe, that
transformation.
27 down referred to the Dadar-Varanasi Express, now 1027 dn.
Best regards.
Shankar
>
> Lastly, I have a query relating to movies. Sometime back, there was a
> stream of articles relating to movies which featured trains. Around
1973
> or thereabouts, there was a Hindi movie called "27 Down" made by
someone
> called Avtar Kaul, who I think died soon after the making of the
movie.
> The movie I guess was labelled an "art movie" and in spite of getting
a
> national award never achieved any commercial success. (I am not even
sure
> it was released commercially.) Has anyone seen this movie? And what
> train does the "27 Down" refer to?
>
> Suresh
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: Buffer Query & Oddities
Date: 04 May 1999 11:45:35 -0500
Hello,
I was just about to mention the elongated 'D' shaped buffers on the
first WAG/1 and WAM/1 engines, but Harsh beat me to it, and also
enlightened me on a few others.
The quaintest buffers I've seen were on an engine of East European
origin (Romania, I think): they were elongated octagons!
While on the subject, how about a series on ODDITIES on the IR? We have
one of the greatest rail systems in the world: the sheer number and
movement in epic proportions strikes you straight in the face, but so
many 'sidey' features and details have gone by largely unnoticed.
At the risk of making this post irritatingly long, here are a few
oddities I can think of:
A: The railways came to the Garkwar of Baroda's private estate long
before the engines did. His wagons used to be hauled by bullocks,They
were loosely referred to as 'bullockomotives'. A large b/w blowup of a
train hauled by a pair of bullockomotives used to adorn the indoor
galleries of the National Rail museum in Delhi. Its not there any more.
B: The Patiala State monorail needs no mention.There is a full website
about it, thanks to Don Dickens.
C: The Mysore Maharaja's stock had a facility of conversion from mg to
bg by jacking up the car and switching bogies. The operation was carried
out in the middle of the night without waking the royal family!
D: Harsh can enlighten us only too well about the Ramgotty's wooden
brakes, the fireless locomotive, the hand operated crane, the Kalka
simla railcar's jack which enabled the vehicle to be turned round on its
base for the return journey, vertical high pressure boiler and chain
drive of the Sentinel steam wagons, the formidable Garratt, the hand
brakes fitted on the OUTSIDE of the early Matheran passenger vehicles
etc. etc. All of them NRM's invaluable treasures.
E: Till this day, the railcars on the Kalka Simla Railway are fitted
with swiveling headlights, which turn with the vehicle when the car hugs
sharp curves.
INCIDENTALLY, HEADLIGHTS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED ON THE IR ON THE KALKA
SIMLA RAILWAY IN 1919.TILL THEN ENGINES HAD NO HEADLIGHTS AND USED
MEASLY OIL MARKER LAMPS TO WARN PEOPLE OF THEIR PRESENCE AT NIGHT.
F: The ZF ng power packed steam loco on the Kalka Simla railway has no
driver's lookout (windshields) with the boiler leading.ALL other steam
locos have the lookout on the boiler side!
G:The EA/1s followed the early pattern of applying steam locomotive
wheel arrangements to electric locos: the 1-A-A-A-2 is actually steam's
4-6-2.
The EA/1s heralded the advent of high speed rail travel in India as they
used to clock the Bombay_Poona (now Mumbai-Pune (yuck!)) stretch with
the 7 car Deccan Queen in 2 hr 45 min;a record that remains
unbroken:even the celebrated 7 car Shatabdi takes 3 hr 25 min.
H: The EF/1s are derived from the Swiss Crocodile class of engines, so
named due to an alleged resemblance to that animal while hugging curves,
thanks to a very long wheelbase and low slung profile. The Indian
crocodiles had a pole in the cab to raise and lower the pantograph.
I: The mg YCG/1s were odd in many ways: (one is preserved in teh
NRM):The were the first to feature a balcony at each end, & the first to
have the cab doors on the FACE of the loco (the driver used to climb
onto the balcony, turn right to face the loco's facade, and then enter
through the door into the engine).
The most unique feature of the YCG/1s was that they were fitted with
battery accumulators to store power. THis enabled them to work in the
unelectrified yard and branch lines at Tambaram, though at a lower power
and speed.
J: Though none are unfortunately preserved, the early mg emus to run on
the Madras to Tambaram stretch had two firsts: they were the first mg
emus to run in the country, Secondly there the first, and till this day
teh last trainsets to share a COMMON BOGIE between the cars.That is, of
the two axles, one rested under one car and teh other axle came under
the next car. This made them fixed, rigid 3-car formations. THis lack of
flexibility itself largely led to their downfall.The SR tried to rectify
the situation by sealing of one of the ends,and attaching the driving
trailer of one of the newer emus at that end, hence converting the rakes
into 1 car + 3 rigid formations.
K: More modern oddities are the ac/dc capability of the WCAMs, the
specially designed coupling of certain freight cars which enable the
entire car to be tipped to unload its load (coal or ore usually) while
on the move and WITHOUT uncoupling it from the rest of the train etc
etc.
Sorry, this got longer than I thought. I've exhausted all that I know
anyway, Except the unusual position of the entrance doors of the WCM/1s
(ref Jal Daboo's book). Will post if I thinkof anything else.
Any more contributions, anyone?
Best regards.
Shankar
Harsh Vardhan wrote:
>
> >Just wondering: has any BG stock in
> >India ever had unusual shapes given
> >to the side buffers, apart from the
> >usual circular shape ? Side buffers
> >in Europe were often elliptical,
> >sometimes even square. Anything like
> >these here ?
> >
>
> Yes, indeed there were variations. Surprisingly, the steam lococs
although
> they came from many different builders and countries, were quick to
> standardise this feature.
> So the variety remains with other stock.
>
> WDM 3 - Square somewhat rectangular with sharper edges with the
vertical
> sides curved.
> The prototype WAM 1 - Same as above but with rounded off edges.
> An exhibit(The Dynamometer Car perhaps) at the NRM has elliptical
ones.
>
> Even rounded ones came in different sizes and variety.
> Incidently Sri Lankan locos have examples of every kind of variety in
the
> book.
>
> Harsh
From: Tony Bailey <>
Subject: Re: Travelouges on IR.
Date: 04 May 1999 15:21:38 -0500
From: Tony Bailey <>
Subject: Re: Travelouges on IR.
Date: 04 May 1999 15:23:59 -0500
>
>>At the risk of sounding critical, it seemed to me that "The Great
>>Railway Bazaar" reeks of
>>Paul Theroux's patronizing attitude. It's been a while since I read
this
>>book but he really didn't have anything
>>good to talk about IR. In contrast, other books/articles/videos by
>>O.S.Nock, Bill Aitken, Brian Thompson, Micheal
>>Satow.... are so refreshing - it was evident that they have spent time
>
>Harsh
But Theroux is a recognised "literary author" he is writing a literary
work
and talking about himself and the people he meets who are also
travelling.
He is NOT writing a book about railways (of which he knows nothing) and
in
fact, elsewhere (or even there?) decries railfans and particularly
"gricers"
or "gunzels" or "foamers" as being a waste of time.
The other authors are interested in Indian Railways and write well on a
subject of which they have some knowledge.
In the "Great Railway Bazaar" it becomes obvious that Theroux gets bored
witless somewhere along the way - in particular the return on across
Siberia, which should be one of the most interesting parts of the book,
is
treated just as a way of getting back to London and ending the book.
I like Theroux, but only in small doses!
Tony Bailey
From: HICJHH <>
Subject: Re:Re: National Geographic I.R. article
Date: 04 May 1999 17:08:49 -0500
For what it is worth: Amazon Book Company in Seattle Washington USA is
a
great source of books of all kinds on a myriad of subjects. The Web
address
is <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com">http://www.amazon.com</A> John Hudson Portland,
Oregon USA.
From: HICJHH <>
Subject: Re:Re: Railway Documentary on Natinal Geographic Channel
Date: 04 May 1999 17:15:47 -0500
I would very much like to get books or videos on the Darjeeling
Railroad.
Does anyone know of availability. Thanks very much. John Hudson
From: Vdate <>
Subject: Mango
Date: 04 May 1999 18:44:41 -0500
Railways doing something right. The attached appeared in 5.5.1999
Hindustan
Times
Mr. Vinod Bajaj, a trader, said increased supplies may lead to further
fall
in prices. On Wednesday another 40-wagon rake is expected to arrive.
At
long last the Railways have linked the countrys biggest market, Delhi,
with
its mango backyard.
Mr. Chopra says the Railways departed form its usual practice of
allocating
parcel vans that carry a maximum of 14 tonnes each. A 24-wagon rake of
such
vans could carry a maximum of 330 tonnes, hardly impacting prices. This
year,
when traders approached the Railways with a request for bigger wagons,
they
were offered bogey Covered Air-Brake Vans (BCNs), each rake capable of
carrying over 1,000 tonnes
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>
Subject: Re: National Geographic I.R. article
Date: 04 May 1999 19:24:34 -0500
> I suppose that his "The Old Patogonian Express" is
> about rail travel as well, but I don't know for sure.
Yes it is about rail travel in South America. I am yet to lay my hands
on
that book.
> Lastly, I have a query relating to movies. Sometime back, there was a
> stream of articles relating to movies which featured trains. Around
1973
> or thereabouts, there was a Hindi movie called "27 Down" made by
someone
> called Avtar Kaul, who I think died soon after the making of the
movie.
> The movie I guess was labelled an "art movie" and in spite of getting
a
> national award never achieved any commercial success. (I am not even
sure
> it was released commercially.) Has anyone seen this movie? And what
> train does the "27 Down" refer to?
I had seen this movie years back. It was a Rakhee starrer. It was
something about a man going back to his village in search for his roots
and travels on 27 Down - Dadar-Varanasi Express in those days. The whole
movie had just a few shots of this train. The movie was a great
disappointment for railway buffs.
Viraf.
==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
==========================
From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>
Subject: Re: Books and videos on DHR.
Date: 04 May 1999 19:51:20 -0500
Dear Mr. H.,
Where are you located? I have a recently-published a video,
"Darjeeling
Delights", which is available at $A35. plus postage, in PAL. At present,
NTSC is not available. The video was filmed entirely with a 3-CCD DV
camera,
edited digitally, and includes maps and diagrams. There is voice-over
only
on stillls and diagrams: all action sequences include only ambient
sound. It
is selling well here in Australia.
Let me know if you're interested: I can quote for postage to most
countries. Payment can be in UK£ or $A.
There was an earlier production, by Roy Laverick, in about 1981.
As to books, the Oxford Book Shop at Chowrasta in Darjeeling sells
a
reprint of the D.H.R.'s own book of the early 1920s. They will do mail
orders. I believe that somone in Britain is doing a full-dress book, and
the
DHRS(A) is planning a booklet with colour pictures. In addition, try to
get
hold of a copy of the Loco Profile entitled "Darjeeling Tanks"; the
coverage
is rather more genrous than the title suggests. It is long out of print,
but
second-hand copies can be found.
Best wishes
K.J. Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: HICJHH@aol.email <HICJHH@aol.email
To: jis@fpk.email <jis@fpk.email krish_nand@hotmail.email
<krish_nand@hotmail.email
Cc: sncf@godrej.email <sncf@godrej.email spai@aya.email
<spai@aya.email irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1999 10:46
Subject: Re: Re: Railway Documentary on Natinal Geographic Channel
>I would very much like to get books or videos on the Darjeeling
Railroad.
>Does anyone know of availability. Thanks very much. John Hudson
>
From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>
Subject: Re: TRAVELOGUES on IR, and books in general.
Date: 04 May 1999 20:10:47 -0500
Dear Tony and all,
I liked Theroux' Great Railway Bazaar on first reading, many years
ago,
partly because it did capture some of my own enthusiasm for rail travel
in
India all those years ago. (I first visited India in 1970, and my early
experiences of rail travel there were rather like stepping into the
pages of
Kipling). My memory of the book was that the India segment was best; of
course it may be patronising, but I'm not going to go back and see!
However, I have been conistently disappointed with his books since:
although it is clear that he enjoys a reputation as an "atmospheric"
writer
about railways (quite clearly non-technical, and he often makes silly
mistakes due to ignorance), he has never seemed to me to capture that
atmosphere since the first book. Rather sad really.
Somebody praised O.SNock's books. Do be careful: his earlier books
are
pretty good, and he does know signal engineering. But his books about
"overseas" (i.e., not British) railways are full of errors and it is
plain
he does not know his subject well.
Best of all the writers on railways and technology is Tom (L.T.C.)
Rolt. His biographies of Brunel, the Stevensons, Telford, Newcomen and
others are buttressed by books like Victorian Engineering and Red for
Danger, the latter now in many editions. Also, for India/ Pakistan, try
P.S.A. Berrridge's Couplings to the Khyber, which is a history of the
N.W.R., and Victor Bayley's books, especially Permanent Way to the
Khyber.
We still desperately need some really good quailty histories and
travelogues about IR, entertainingly written and informative. How about
it,
IRFCA members?
Cheers
Ken Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Bailey <mercuryworldtvl@one.email
To: Harsh Vardhan <hvc@vsnl.email irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1999 8:37
Subject: Re: Travelouges on IR.
>
>
>
>>
>>>At the risk of sounding critical, it seemed to me that "The Great
>>>Railway Bazaar" reeks of
>>>Paul Theroux's patronizing attitude. It's been a while since I read
this
>>>book but he really didn't have anything
>>>good to talk about IR. In contrast, other books/articles/videos by
>>>O.S.Nock, Bill Aitken, Brian Thompson, Micheal
>>>Satow.... are so refreshing - it was evident that they have spent
time
>>
>>Harsh
>
>
>But Theroux is a recognised "literary author" he is writing a literary
work
>and talking about himself and the people he meets who are also
travelling.
>He is NOT writing a book about railways (of which he knows nothing) and
in
>fact, elsewhere (or even there?) decries railfans and particularly
"gricers"
>or "gunzels" or "foamers" as being a waste of time.
>
>The other authors are interested in Indian Railways and write well on a
>subject of which they have some knowledge.
>
>In the "Great Railway Bazaar" it becomes obvious that Theroux gets
bored
>witless somewhere along the way - in particular the return on across
>Siberia, which should be one of the most interesting parts of the book,
is
>treated just as a way of getting back to London and ending the book.
>
>I like Theroux, but only in small doses!
>
>Tony Bailey
>
>
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Accident
Date: 04 May 1999 20:18:06 -0500
> following
> derailment of nine wagons of a goods train near TADA on the
> Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border.
What is TADA ?
Apurva
From: HICJHH <>
Subject: Re:Re: Books and videos on DHR.
Date: 04 May 1999 22:44:34 -0500
Thanks for your reply. I am in Portland Oregon USA
From: sarat krishnan <>
Subject: Re: Accident
Date: 04 May 1999 22:54:05 -0500
It's a place on the border of T.N and Andhra
sarat
>From: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
>To: Suresh Mutuswami <suresh@math.email
>CC: irfca@cs.email
>Subject: Re: Accident
>Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 08:48:06 +0530
>
> > following
> > derailment of nine wagons of a goods train near TADA on the
> > Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border.
>
>What is TADA ?
>
>Apurva
>
>
______________________________________________________
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From: Dr. K.J. Walker & Mrs. M.E, Heath <>
Subject: Re: Oddities
Date: 04 May 1999 23:50:13 -0500
Hi Shankar and everyone,
The SIR MG electric locos for the Madras 1500V electrification
were
indeed reliant on battery power when off the catenary, but they did not
carry batteries! The batteries were in a separate 4-wheel tender which
was
attached when required. There's a very full description of the whole
thing,
complete with drawings, in the technical Press around 1931, when the
engines
appeared. It includes illustrations of the battery tenders.
Let's have an oddities post: it would be great fun.
Cheers
Ken Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: Shankar <shankie@emirates.email
To: Harsh Vardhan <hvc@vsnl.email
Cc: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: Wednesday, 5 May 1999 5:10
Subject: Re: Buffer Query & Oddities
>Hello,
>I was just about to mention the elongated 'D' shaped buffers on the
>first WAG/1 and WAM/1 engines, but Harsh beat me to it, and also
>enlightened me on a few others.
>The quaintest buffers I've seen were on an engine of East European
>origin (Romania, I think): they were elongated octagons!
>While on the subject, how about a series on ODDITIES on the IR? We have
>one of the greatest rail systems in the world: the sheer number and
>movement in epic proportions strikes you straight in the face, but so
>many 'sidey' features and details have gone by largely unnoticed.
>At the risk of making this post irritatingly long, here are a few
>oddities I can think of:
>
>A: The railways came to the Garkwar of Baroda's private estate long
>before the engines did. His wagons used to be hauled by bullocks,They
>were loosely referred to as 'bullockomotives'. A large b/w blowup of a
>train hauled by a pair of bullockomotives used to adorn the indoor
>galleries of the National Rail museum in Delhi. Its not there any more.
>
>B: The Patiala State monorail needs no mention.There is a full website
>about it, thanks to Don Dickens.
>
>C: The Mysore Maharaja's stock had a facility of conversion from mg to
>bg by jacking up the car and switching bogies. The operation was
carried
>out in the middle of the night without waking the royal family!
>
>D: Harsh can enlighten us only too well about the Ramgotty's wooden
>brakes, the fireless locomotive, the hand operated crane, the Kalka
>simla railcar's jack which enabled the vehicle to be turned round on
its
>base for the return journey, vertical high pressure boiler and chain
>drive of the Sentinel steam wagons, the formidable Garratt, the hand
>brakes fitted on the OUTSIDE of the early Matheran passenger vehicles
>etc. etc. All of them NRM's invaluable treasures.
>
>E: Till this day, the railcars on the Kalka Simla Railway are fitted
>with swiveling headlights, which turn with the vehicle when the car
hugs
>sharp curves.
>INCIDENTALLY, HEADLIGHTS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED ON THE IR ON THE KALKA
>SIMLA RAILWAY IN 1919.TILL THEN ENGINES HAD NO HEADLIGHTS AND USED
>MEASLY OIL MARKER LAMPS TO WARN PEOPLE OF THEIR PRESENCE AT NIGHT.
>
>F: The ZF ng power packed steam loco on the Kalka Simla railway has no
>driver's lookout (windshields) with the boiler leading.ALL other steam
>locos have the lookout on the boiler side!
>
>G:The EA/1s followed the early pattern of applying steam locomotive
>wheel arrangements to electric locos: the 1-A-A-A-2 is actually steam's
>4-6-2.
>The EA/1s heralded the advent of high speed rail travel in India as
they
>used to clock the Bombay_Poona (now Mumbai-Pune (yuck!)) stretch with
>the 7 car Deccan Queen in 2 hr 45 min;a record that remains
>unbroken:even the celebrated 7 car Shatabdi takes 3 hr 25 min.
>
>H: The EF/1s are derived from the Swiss Crocodile class of engines, so
>named due to an alleged resemblance to that animal while hugging
curves,
>thanks to a very long wheelbase and low slung profile. The Indian
>crocodiles had a pole in the cab to raise and lower the pantograph.
>
>I: The mg YCG/1s were odd in many ways: (one is preserved in teh
>NRM):The were the first to feature a balcony at each end, & the first
to
>have the cab doors on the FACE of the loco (the driver used to climb
>onto the balcony, turn right to face the loco's facade, and then enter
>through the door into the engine).
>The most unique feature of the YCG/1s was that they were fitted with
>battery accumulators to store power. THis enabled them to work in the
>unelectrified yard and branch lines at Tambaram, though at a lower
power
>and speed.
>
>J: Though none are unfortunately preserved, the early mg emus to run on
>the Madras to Tambaram stretch had two firsts: they were the first mg
>emus to run in the country, Secondly there the first, and till this day
>teh last trainsets to share a COMMON BOGIE between the cars.That is, of
>the two axles, one rested under one car and teh other axle came under
>the next car. This made them fixed, rigid 3-car formations. THis lack
of
>flexibility itself largely led to their downfall.The SR tried to
rectify
>the situation by sealing of one of the ends,and attaching the driving
>trailer of one of the newer emus at that end, hence converting the
rakes
>into 1 car + 3 rigid formations.
>
>K: More modern oddities are the ac/dc capability of the WCAMs, the
>specially designed coupling of certain freight cars which enable the
>entire car to be tipped to unload its load (coal or ore usually) while
>on the move and WITHOUT uncoupling it from the rest of the train etc
>etc.
>
>Sorry, this got longer than I thought. I've exhausted all that I know
>anyway, Except the unusual position of the entrance doors of the WCM/1s
>(ref Jal Daboo's book). Will post if I thinkof anything else.
>Any more contributions, anyone?
>Best regards.
>Shankar
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Harsh Vardhan wrote:
>>
>> >Just wondering: has any BG stock in
>> >India ever had unusual shapes given
>> >to the side buffers, apart from the
>> >usual circular shape ? Side buffers
>> >in Europe were often elliptical,
>> >sometimes even square. Anything like
>> >these here ?
>> >
>>
>> Yes, indeed there were variations. Surprisingly, the steam lococs
although
>> they came from many different builders and countries, were quick to
>> standardise this feature.
>> So the variety remains with other stock.
>>
>> WDM 3 - Square somewhat rectangular with sharper edges with the
vertical
>> sides curved.
>> The prototype WAM 1 - Same as above but with rounded off edges.
>> An exhibit(The Dynamometer Car perhaps) at the NRM has elliptical
ones.
>>
>> Even rounded ones came in different sizes and variety.
>> Incidently Sri Lankan locos have examples of every kind of variety in
the
>> book.
>>
>> Harsh
>