IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 9121 - 9140
From: Jayant S <>
Subject: Steam Loco: Fairbourne Railway
Date: 19 Oct 1999 23:16:17 -0500
<A HREF="http://www.nlewis.freeserve.co.uk/rlyfairbourne.html">http://www.nlewis.freeserve.co.uk/rlyfairbourne.html</A>
Couple of photos of the Fairbourne and Barmouth Railway's
"Sherpa", which looks like a 1/2 scale rendition of
a DHR B-class. Anyone seen this loco in person ?
-JS-
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>
Subject: Complaints & Suggestions.
Date: 20 Oct 1999 00:38:18 -0500
NOW REGISTRATION OF COMPLAINTS-CUM-SUGGESTIONS AT HOME ON E-MAIL.
To redress the public complaints without any delay, Email addresses have
been installed on the following locations on Central Railway. Passengers
who want to lodge their complaints directly on Email can do so.
Mumbai CST:
Head Quarter railnet. <ccm/railnet@cr.email
Head Quarter Nicnet. <ccmcr@ren.email
Division. <dcmcstm-cr@ren.email
Nagpur <srdcmngp-cr@ren.email
Bhopal <srdcmbpl-cr@ren.email
Jhansi <srdcmjhs-cr@ren.email
Jabalpur <srdcmjbp-cr@ren.email
Bhusawal <dcmbsl-cr@ren.email
Solapur <scmsur-cr@ren.email
Pune <dtmpa-cr@ren.email
CENTRAL RAILWAY AT YOUR SERVICE.
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Inside the WCAM 3
Date: 20 Oct 1999 00:42:00 -0500
> Pune, the whole cabin smelled of melting plastic. Any idea what it was
> Apurva ??.
The WDM 2 cab smells of hot oil, it is a fairly unique smell. I love the
smell
of Diesel exhaust also - only locos, not trucks and buses (Yuck !). The
diesel
fuel is same, but the different burning temperature and the soot content
makes it quite a nice smell, specially if you have pleasant association
with the footplate ride.
Pune Jn has a couple of garbage fires on all the time, maybe the plastic
was
being burnt there ?
> I also had a chance to see the DHMU panel boards that Apurva's company
was
> making for Kirsloskar which are a feature in DHMUs today.
These were DEMU panels for a Cummins VTA 1710 engine with BHEL/
NGEF/Crompton
electric transmission. DEMUs can be seen mainly in Jallandhar. The DHMU
have
KPC hydraulic transmission and TWO Cummins NT 855 R underfloor engine.
These
can be seen only on the HYB/ SC to Bolarum/ Mehbubnagar etc. I only
supply a
small component for the DMHU, an electronic Coolant/ Hydraulic level
relay.
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Paschim Express !!
Date: 20 Oct 1999 01:08:29 -0500
Other section notorious for free interlopers are Mumbai Central -
Valsad, Jalgaon -
Bhusawal,
Pune - Jejuri (during festival seasons), Pune - Daund etc.
Apurva
"S.Shankar" wrote:
> Hello,
> Yeah, tell me about it. Infiltrators are a big nuisance on the entire
> Bombay-Delhi line.
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Inside the WCAM 3
Date: 20 Oct 1999 02:10:36 -0500
> Probably that was the reason. Did u notice that the hand brake
> mechanism did not work. Infact the pedal below the driver's seat also
was
> broken.
Many hand brakes are 'dummied', this was one of those. In any case the
driver
do not trust these linkages much, the ultimate deterrent to the loco
from
rolling is still ballast stones wedged between the wheel flanges and
rails.
Speaking of wedges did you see the steel wedge (there should have been
two,
instead there was only one !) to stable the loco in event of a shutdown
on
the line ?
The driver also told us that although a single mighty WDG 2 can handle
3000
Tonnes on level gradient, on the Pune - Miraj section only a double
headed
WDG 2 or a WDM 2 can work heavy train, the max load allowed is 3333
Tonnes
(mostly BCN or BCNA load). The freight trains have also been told to try
and
achieve an 'one run' to Jejuri, stopping short of JJR may cause the load
to
roll back due to ruling down gradient in the semi ghat section.
The hand brake lever is pumped repeatedly until the weight on the chain
hangs
clear of the brake lever frame. There is another smaller lever on whose
operation, the chain snaps back to the 'brakes off' position. There have
been
many difficult moments with the parking brakes, often the brake does not
release or do not apply fully, although the lever is in the applied
position,
so the drivers trust only ballast stones.
I had another driver friend who had taken over a dead loco at the
platform
and was dozing in the cab waiting for his (late) train to arrive from
Mumbai.
This was the Daund end siding, which has a slight down gradient. All of
a
sudden the loco started to roll slowly inspite of the handbrake being
on. The
driver sent his assistant to walk ahead of the loco and place small
stones on
the track till the loco braked fully, while he desperately started the
engine. Once the engine started, he could build the air pressure and
brake
the loco just before the facing point onto the main line. Needless to
say,
today our man keeps the engine idling as he waits.
The lever below the seat was one that is used for adjusting the seat
height.
Another fact that came to our notice was the driver's walkie talkie. He
told
us that the instrument is issued permanently to all the staff members.
He
takes it home with him, keeps it charged and can talk from anywhere
(including when he off duty) to everyone in the section. Although
flags/lamps
are still exchanged with the guard/ platform staff, the walkie talkie
supplements the actions.
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: hi
Date: 20 Oct 1999 02:17:33 -0500
>
> I forgot to ask you about these WCAM2s. Where are they homed
> actually ? And the whole lot of WCMs have almost dissappeared totally.
Not
> one could be sighted the day before.
The WCAM 2s are all homed to Valsad and work the Mumbai Central - Baroda
-
Ahmedabad section of the Western Railways. They do not come to the CR
except at
crossover points in Mumbai like Diva, Wadi Bundar etc.
As far as WCM 1, 2 and 5 are concerned, they work only the vacuum hauled
trains
such as 6529/30 Udyan, 7303/4 Sahyadri, 7307/8 Koyna etc.
Even the 1325/26 passenger rake is air braked and the 'pure' air braked
WCAM 3
we saw last was meant for that train. The 1325 rake works the 1617/18
passenger
service to Karjat in the daytime from Pune and returns to Mumbai
overnight as
the 1326 Up.
Apurva
From: Anand Krishnan <>
Subject: Re: Inside the WCAM 3
Date: 20 Oct 1999 03:05:31 -0500
hi gang,
Phew !! just back from a very memorable trip to Pune. Was
extremely
excited to SEE irfca guys. Though it was the first time we met it seemed
as
if we were together for a long time. And moreover i had the good fortune
to
meet two hardcore railfans in Apurva and I.S.Anand. I amount of
knowledge i
could acquire in just those 3-odd hours was just enormous. Apurva has
written almost all of what we saw inside the WCAM3. What a beast of a
loco??
It does seem dumb to look at , but what is inside was scary.
Apurva!! u missed out telling that the A/C controls and DC
controls, relays were placed separately in opposite corners of the loco.
All
the DC relay switches and warning support systems were very very neatly
done. The horns were sweet music. We kept honking at every oppurtunity.
We
had to keep the inner pathway door closed to avoid the blower air from
hitting us hard(very hard actually). The turner's name was Mr.Umesh
Patil.
We were initially shown around a Dual braked WCAM3. Just when we were
about
to start this loco, another WCAM3(purely air braked) backed up and
blocked
our line. So we simply asked the other turner not to shut down his loco
and
hopped onto the other loco.
The only difficulty i had was trying desperately to follow the
Marathi spoken my Umesh. Apurva and my cousin were totally at home
following
the language, and i stood helpless. but then Umesh could make this out
from
my totally blank face and switched over to Hindi.
Gang ! i swear Apurva knows every driver on the UBL division
housed
in Pune. As soon as the Koyna Exp. stopped, Apurva just had a peep into
the
loco to check who the driver was and the moment he knew that it was
"his"
guy he asked us also to hop in. The driver was Mr.Royston Fernandez,
native
of Chennai (hmmm... i really felt at home). Beleive me !! i never knew
this
person, and infact even Apurva i had met just an hour back but we were
talking as if we knew each other for a long time. Such was/is the
friendliness of IR guys. Royston was telling us some nuances of the
braking
alertor kept on top of the panel stand and how it was supposed to work.
Though he said there was no problems with the loco during his journey
till
Pune, the whole cabin smelled of melting plastic. Any idea what it was
Apurva ??. Then we walked till the yard to check if the yard master was
available. He was not there to our disappointment and then we checked
out
this WCAM3 stuf and then later on dispersed.
I also had a chance to see the DHMU panel boards that Apurva's company
was
making for Kirsloskar which are a feature in DHMUs today.
In all it was a great trip and i am doing this trip again at the next
available oppurtunity. Missed out seeing our Mumbai railnuts, hope to
meet
them soon.
regards,
Anand
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From: HVC <>
Subject: Re: Female Railfans
Date: 20 Oct 1999 04:25:00 -0500
There are enough women officers on NR and WR who footplate as a part of
their job. `Distraction' by presence of a lady on the footplate may be a
personal viewpoint or restricted to a limited breed of drivers. I
haven't
come across any of these.
At this rate of distraction we'll possibly see women getting banned on
seat
No. 1,2 & 3 of roadways buses in near future!
Or maybe some deeply religious driver choosing to resign than to go with
a
lady Asst. driver(like something similar which happened in the US army I
think).
Personally I resent this "railfanning = footplating" or "railfanning =
locomotive" kind of psyche. Iam quite certain that at least 50% of those
on
the list have never footplated in their life.
-----Original Message-----
From: Muhammed Khan <ashiane@erols.email
To: Anne Ogborn <anniepoo@netmagic.email
Cc: IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
Date: Sunday, October 17, 1999 2:10 PM
Subject: Re: Female Railfans
>Hi ,
>So much reaction to 'Female Railfans'.
>In 87, I remember a Class 1 officer ( another category from the good
old
>days) who happened to be a "Female" joining the Indian Railway service
in
>the signaling department and had come for training on the Nagpur
division.
>She was very active in learning all the aspects of railway operations,
in
>fact she proved to be an outstanding person and had no difficulty in
being
>on the footplate. With her charming personality she did make the
drivers
>more comfortable than so called "Male" officers with their noses buried
in
>their prestigious posts.
>Hope she is still around either on the Central or Western Railway, if
the
>male dominated setup has not posted her in some backwaters of a
>headquarters.
>Muhammed
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Anne Ogborn <anniepoo@netmagic.email
>To: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
>Cc: irfca <irfca@cs.email
>Sent: Saturday, October 16, 1999 12:45 AM
>Subject: Re: Female Railfans
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> >Virtually all the ladies I know would gladly do 'footplating' at
least
>> once, if
>> >given half a chance. Unfortunately the driver cadre is specially
>sensitive
>> to
>> >let a lady on board lest they should be 'distracted'. This is a deep
>routed
>> >Indian male viewpoint.
>> >
>> >Apurva
>>
>>
>> I've certainly met a minority of men who deeply resent my
>> presence - I think they feel I'll interfere with it being a 'boys
club'
>>
>> I hadn't heard the 'distracted' angle.
>>
>>
>
>
From: Anand Krishnan <>
Subject: Re: Inside the WCAM 3
Date: 20 Oct 1999 06:47:25 -0500
Hi Apurva,
>The WDM 2 cab smells of hot oil, it is a fairly unique smell.
Probably that was the reason. Did u notice that the hand brake
mechanism did not work. Infact the pedal below the driver's seat also
was
broken.
regards,
Anand
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From: S.SRINIVAS <>
Subject: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 07:47:49 -0500
HVC wrote:
> Personally I resent this "railfanning = footplating" or "railfanning =
> locomotive" kind of psyche. Iam quite certain that at least 50% of
those on
> the list have never footplated in their life.
>
Dear gang members,
I do not know how you all feel about HVC's statement.
Maybe, it is still possible to be a railfan without actually
footplating or being inside a locomotive. But then, the
attaraction of Railways is the power one feels while
thundering down a track at full throttle, a track which
has been kept reserved for one while blocked for all
others and having the command of anything between
2000 to 5000 hp on one's hands. And the noise inside
the IR locos add to great feeling of the power at your
command. Maybe, it is a basic animal instinct which
is, luckily, not a violent one.
I do enjoy quiet railfanning too. Like watching the
charecteristics of the tracks, bridges, signals and
enjoying the countryside roll by. And, since any
train ride makes you feel hungry, I enjoy the food.
But, I always long to be inside a loco.
Maybe, HVC is also right when he says that 50 %
of our club members have never been inside a loco.
That is because all of us have some inhibitions and
fear being turned down by the drivers.
My advise to such members is to unashamedly
(or is it shamelessly ?) ask the drivers in a very
friendly tone for permission to come along in
their loco. Some 10 % drivers do oblige on SR.
On Pune-Mumbai section, the drivers are very
frinedly. In NR, it is just impossible. Except for
Kalka-Shimla, where it is quite easy to get the
permission to get inside the loco but very very
difficult to squeeze in the ZDM cabs.
Only once, a nice driver allowed me to operate
the controls (on Kalyan to Karjat section).
Whooooow - that is the ultimate railfanning
experience. Never to be forgotten.
Regards to all.
S. Srinivas
================================
From: S.SRINIVAS <>
Subject: Re: Inside the WCAM 3
Date: 20 Oct 1999 07:48:05 -0500
Dear Apurva
The two way, semi-duplex (Press to talk), hand held radio
is a standard equipment now with all drivers, guards, SMR's
and other operating staff at all major stations in SR. Though
there are blind spots on the permanent way (meaning no
communications possible between train and ground staff),
it does provide the good facility to talk to the ground staff
from a running train for about 80% of the track length. And
the driver and guard can always talk to each other.
If used properly, and as an addition to the normal railway
procedure of exchanging signals, it does help in increasing
safety. Maybe, Gaisal would not have happened if such a
facility was available and if the two train drivers and the
SMR of Gaisal were on line and exchanging notes as a
matter of routine. It would be good if all Zonal Railways
adopt this facility.
Regards to all.
S. Srinivas
======================================
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
> Another fact that came to our notice was the driver's walkie talkie.
He told
> us that the instrument is issued permanently to all the staff members.
He
> takes it home with him, keeps it charged and can talk from anywhere
> (including when he off duty) to everyone in the section. Although
flags/lamps
> are still exchanged with the guard/ platform staff, the walkie talkie
> supplements the actions.
>
> Apurva
From: Anne Ogborn <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 10:36:02 -0500
here in the US, even getting onto RR property past the high fence
is becoming problematic. 'Footplating' (called 'a cab ride) is so rare
most
fans
have never done it here. Indeed, many railroad museums supplement
their income by renting out locomotives by the hour to be driven back
and
forth by the fans.
From: Royston Ellis <>
Subject: Footplating
Date: 20 Oct 1999 10:42:32 -0500
Hi Gang:
To Srinivas' comments I would say that people are fans of pop music
without
playing an instrument so I disagree that it is necessary to footplate
(whatever the thrill) to be confirmed as a rail fan.
I've footplated many times in India on steam locos and in Sri Lanka
(including on Viceroy Special usually hauled by "Sir Thomas Maitland"
4-6-0 class B1A built by Beyer Peacock, Manchester, 1928, since the
driver
delights in having people share the ride with him) but I think the total
concept of rolling stock, smells, passengers, scenery, timetables,
models,
is as much part of the fun of being a rail fan, as the technicalities
and
physical participation. So put me down as passive.
Royston
From: Avinash Pandey <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 12:26:34 -0500
Hi everyone:
Well, I think its better not to get into who's footplated and
who's not. Everyone on this list is a rail fan, period! Individual
tastes and conditions in different parts of the India (and the world)
may vary.
With my own personal experience, I think its gotten increasingly
difficult
to footplate in India. In fact, in the section of CR around my hometown
Jabalpur, I have only footplated (if you can call it that) once on a WG
steam
loco
while shunting back in the early 1980s when there was a fully
operational steam
loco shed at JBP. Other than that I've been let inside the cabs of
other locomotives (WP, WDM2, narrow gauge steam) around my hometown.
The CR drivers are friendly but usually don't let you in for a ride
these days.
My real footplating experiences were in the SER section between
KGP-Bhubaneswar. I made good friends with some drivers and railway
staff there. I had wonderful experiences footplating on WDM2s
once on the Kalinga-Utkal Express (that too in the pitch dark of the
late night/early morning, a recommended experience!) and twice on
the legendary Bhadrak local/passanger. The SER guys were more friendly.
Once my friend and I got a ride in the hand pushed inspection trolley
(I don't know if thats the right word) for a short distance as we were
strolling by the tracks.
Avinash
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avinash Pandey ~ Phone: 650 607 3717
Oracle Corporation ~ Fax : 650 506 7800
500 Oracle Parkway 3OP7 ~ Email: apandey@us.email
Redwood Shores CA 94065 ~ URL : www.oracle.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life has no obligation to meet your expectations." -Osho
From: Avinash Pandey <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 14:11:39 -0500
Hi Tim:
Nope, I didn't mean to be hypocritcal, although now I think
that may email may have sounded like that. I just wanted to
make emphasize that, "in my experience" it has gotten increasingly
difficult to footplate over the years. And, depending on the region,
it may be easier in some parts of India over the others.
I think I got a little carried away and narrated
my limited experiences while trying to make the above points.
Avinash
Tim & Anita Wakeman wrote:
> Avinash,
>
> Is it not being just a tad bit hipocritical to say that we should not
> get into who has "footplated" and who has not, then tell us your
> footplating experiences? Well, I for one would love to here from the
cab
> stories! Yours was a great start. Whether it be in the east or the
west,
> we could all learn a little more of the inside of the railroads
workings
> and the people behind the throttle and in the cab. Lets go for it!
> Regards, Tim
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avinash Pandey ~ Phone: 650 607 3717
Oracle Corporation ~ Fax : 650 506 7800
500 Oracle Parkway 3OP7 ~ Email: apandey@us.email
Redwood Shores CA 94065 ~ URL : www.oracle.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life has no obligation to meet your expectations." -Osho
From: Tim & Anita Wakeman <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 16:42:51 -0500
Avinash,
Is it not being just a tad bit hipocritical to say that we should not
get into who has "footplated" and who has not, then tell us your
footplating experiences? Well, I for one would love to here from the cab
stories! Yours was a great start. Whether it be in the east or the west,
we could all learn a little more of the inside of the railroads workings
and the people behind the throttle and in the cab. Lets go for it!
Regards, Tim
Avinash Pandey wrote:
>
> Hi everyone:
>
> Well, I think its better not to get into who's footplated and
> who's not. Everyone on this list is a rail fan, period! Individual
> tastes and conditions in different parts of the India (and the world)
> may vary.
>
> With my own personal experience, I think its gotten increasingly
difficult
> to footplate in India. In fact, in the section of CR around my
hometown
> Jabalpur, I have only footplated (if you can call it that) once on a
WG steam
> loco
> while shunting back in the early 1980s when there was a fully
operational steam
> loco shed at JBP. Other than that I've been let inside the cabs of
> other locomotives (WP, WDM2, narrow gauge steam) around my hometown.
> The CR drivers are friendly but usually don't let you in for a ride
these days.
>
> My real footplating experiences were in the SER section between
> KGP-Bhubaneswar. I made good friends with some drivers and railway
> staff there. I had wonderful experiences footplating on WDM2s
> once on the Kalinga-Utkal Express (that too in the pitch dark of the
> late night/early morning, a recommended experience!) and twice on
> the legendary Bhadrak local/passanger. The SER guys were more
friendly.
> Once my friend and I got a ride in the hand pushed inspection trolley
> (I don't know if thats the right word) for a short distance as we were
> strolling by the tracks.
>
> Avinash
> --
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Avinash Pandey ~ Phone: 650 607 3717
> Oracle Corporation ~ Fax : 650 506 7800
> 500 Oracle Parkway 3OP7 ~ Email: apandey@us.email
> Redwood Shores CA 94065 ~ URL : www.oracle.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> "Life has no obligation to meet your expectations." -Osho
From: Tim & Anita Wakeman <>
Subject: India Edits
Date: 20 Oct 1999 17:50:08 -0500
Gang!
I've scanned and posted 22 shots I took in 1994 that I did not include
in my first web page. If you would like to see them please go to
<A HREF="http://webusers.warwick.net/~u1029964/india.htm">http://webusers.warwick.net/~u1029964/india.htm</A>
Regards, Tim Wakeman
From: Tim & Anita Wakeman <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 20 Oct 1999 18:11:59 -0500
Tim & Anita Wakeman wrote:
>
> Avinash Pandey wrote:
> >
> > Hi Tim:
> >
> > Nope, I didn't mean to be hypocritcal, although now I think
> > that may email may have sounded like that. I just wanted to
> > make emphasize that, "in my experience" it has gotten increasingly
> > difficult to footplate over the years. And, depending on the region,
> > it may be easier in some parts of India over the others.
>
> It is the same here in the states. Much more difficult to ride today
> than the "good ole days", but the opportunity still comes along on
> occasion.
>
> > I think I got a little carried away and narrated
> > my limited experiences while trying to make the above points.
> >
> > Avinash
>
> On the contrary, stories can be made out of footplating journey.
>
> Tim
> >
> > Tim & Anita Wakeman wrote:
> >
> > > Avinash,
> > >
> > > Is it not being just a tad bit hipocritical to say that we should
not
> > > get into who has "footplated" and who has not, then tell us your
> > > footplating experiences? Well, I for one would love to here from
the cab
> > > stories! Yours was a great start. Whether it be in the east or the
west,
> > > we could all learn a little more of the inside of the railroads
workings
> > > and the people behind the throttle and in the cab. Lets go for it!
> >
> > > Regards, Tim
> >
> > --
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Avinash Pandey ~ Phone: 650 607 3717
> > Oracle Corporation ~ Fax : 650 506 7800
> > 500 Oracle Parkway 3OP7 ~ Email: apandey@us.email
> > Redwood Shores CA 94065 ~ URL : www.oracle.com
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > "Life has no obligation to meet your expectations." -Osho
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>
Subject: Info Please.
Date: 20 Oct 1999 19:08:54 -0500
Hi Gang,
Any Idea at what time the 2432 Nizamuddin - Trivandrum Rajdhani Express
passes Sawai Madhopur? I am going to be there on 10th. November & intend
clicking it.
Viraf.
From: Anand Krishnan <>
Subject: Re: FOOTPLATING
Date: 21 Oct 1999 02:43:47 -0500
Hi Gang,
From whatever little experience i have its the way we approach
these
gentlemen(drivers) that matters. I have done 2 rides(excluding my Pune
trip)
in the space of 4 months and everytime i approached, i did it with
asking
them a few technical details regarding their machines. Once we make them
feel that the guy who is talking to him is not a lay man and knows a bit
of
their stuff too they slowly try to acknowledge our presence. Not that i
know
the technicalities involved(infact thats my weak point), just using
these
loco jargons one could atleast try and make an impact on them and show
that
we really are interested. More importantly show them we are just normal
railfans and not someone trying to do something clandestine. First
success
comes in the form of being allowed to footplate. Secondly, i really feel
that if one is sure to be around that station on a long term basis like
what
Apurva is to Pune station i guess we need to do a lot of follow up with
those drivers who have acknowledged. No easy job as it involves a lot of
time. But then what we get in return for these is what matters.
Kind regards,
Anand
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