IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 9441 - 9460
From: raymond/Polaris <>
Subject: Re: Burnpur
Date: 10 Nov 1999 01:33:05 -0500
Dear Srinivas,
I thought it was "Burn Standard Railway" after the company of the same
name.
Regards
Raymond
From: John Lacey <>
Subject: timetables
Date: 10 Nov 1999 02:42:30 -0500
Those interested in timetables should check out the Australian
Association of Time Table Collector's site:
<A HREF="http://www.aatc.org.au">http://www.aatc.org.au</A>
The Association ( I am a member) is considering publishing its two
monthly journals (one current, one historical) by email or on the
internet. There is a monthly distribution of surplus timetables in
exchange for IRCs. I have obtained copies of Newman's Indian Bradshaw
in this way.
-John Lacey
From: shubh <>
Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE
Date: 10 Nov 1999 04:16:41 -0500
PLEASE UNSUBSCRIBE
SHUBHRANSHU
----------------------------------------------------------------
Get your free email from AltaVista at <A HREF="http://altavista.iname.com">http://altavista.iname.com</A>
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <>
Subject: Re: English manufacturers and their records
Date: 10 Nov 1999 05:02:02 -0500
This time I will ensure the atatchment is made, sorry
Julian
Reply-to:
"Dr. K.J. Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email From: "Dr. K.J.
Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email To: "PG JULIAN RAINBOW"
<J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email Cc: <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Re: English manufacturers and their records
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 08:43:47 -0000
Dear Julian,
I'd be very grateful if you could give me addresses both for the
Gloucester people and for the folk who hold the Hurst Nelson records, if
you
have them. They bear on two major projects!
Re Sierra Leone, does anyone have pictures of the SIR "Q" 2-8-4Ts
that
went there in the 1940s? I've modelled one for my South Indian layout
but
had only a maker's photo to go on. I know of no pictures of them at work
in
India.
With thanks,
Ken Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
To: kjw_meh@powerup.email <kjw_meh@powerup.email
Date: 8 November 1999 10:00
Subject: Re: More North Western Railway rolling stock
Reply-to: "Dr. K.J. Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email
From: "Dr. K.J. Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email
To: "PG JULIAN RAINBOW" <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
Cc: <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Re: More North Western Railway rolling stock
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 12:37:11 -0000
Dear Ken,
I do not know what the extent of the collection is, a friend of mine
is researching for building a garden railway based on Sierra Leone,
so he used the archives, will try and find you the email address.
Personally I am after post-Independence information on Sierra Leone,
not the easiest of tasks. Hurst Nelson records survive up in Glasgow
area.
Julian
Dear Julian,
I've used Birmingham a good deal and they do have
some pretty good stuff. But Gloucester is new to me. What's the
extent of the collection? Are there many good GAs? Is the stuff
properly catalogued? Please note, however, that the Crown
Agents did not act for any of the Indian railways, as they came under
the India Office (Ceylon, on the other hand, did go through them).
The records of Rendel Plamer and Tritton, the main consulting
engineers, were, I understand destroyed many years ago (though I'd
love to be proved wrong!) The other ones were John Wolfe Barry, and I
don't know anything about them. Cheers Ken
Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
Cc: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: 5 November 1999 11:59
Subject: More North Western Railway rolling stock
All,
I really must learn not to be so fast on the send button. In my
research for the Sierra Leone Government Railway I have covered the
rolling stock to a small extent, and have found that the Met-Cammell
records at Birmingham Museum and Glouster Carriage and
Waggon Works archives are in the Glouster County Records
Office. Both these bodies are helpful, I take it that all
rolling stock would have been ordered through the India
Office rather than the Crown Agents, so there may be records
at Blackfriars, the Crown Agents records were recently moved
to the British Commonwealth Museum at Bristol.
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <>
Subject: British rolling stock manuafcturers
Date: 10 Nov 1999 05:03:27 -0500
Finger trouble, will try and get it right this time. Sorry
for the mistakes
Julian
Reply-to: "Dr. K.J. Walker"
<kjw_meh@powerup.email From: "Dr. K.J. Walker"
<kjw_meh@powerup.email To: "PG JULIAN RAINBOW"
<J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email Cc: <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Re: English manufacturers and their records Date:
Tue, 9 Nov 1999 08:43:47 -0000
Dear Julian,
I'd be very grateful if you could give me addresses both for the
Gloucester people and for the folk who hold the Hurst Nelson records, if
you
have them. They bear on two major projects!
Re Sierra Leone, does anyone have pictures of the SIR "Q" 2-8-4Ts
that
went there in the 1940s? I've modelled one for my South Indian layout
but
had only a maker's photo to go on. I know of no pictures of them at work
in
India.
With thanks,
Ken Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
To: kjw_meh@powerup.email <kjw_meh@powerup.email
Date: 8 November 1999 10:00
Subject: Re: More North Western Railway rolling stock
Reply-to: "Dr. K.J. Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email
From: "Dr. K.J. Walker" <kjw_meh@powerup.email
To: "PG JULIAN RAINBOW" <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
Cc: <irfca@cs.email
Subject: Re: More North Western Railway rolling stock
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 12:37:11 -0000
Dear Ken,
I do not know what the extent of the collection is, a friend of mine
is researching for building a garden railway based on Sierra Leone,
so he used the archives, will try and find you the email address.
Personally I am after post-Independence information on Sierra Leone,
not the easiest of tasks. Hurst Nelson records survive up in Glasgow
area.
Julian
Dear Julian,
I've used Birmingham a good deal and they do have
some pretty good stuff. But Gloucester is new to me. What's the
extent of the collection? Are there many good GAs? Is the stuff
properly catalogued? Please note, however, that the Crown
Agents did not act for any of the Indian railways, as they came under
the India Office (Ceylon, on the other hand, did go through them).
The records of Rendel Plamer and Tritton, the main consulting
engineers, were, I understand destroyed many years ago (though I'd
love to be proved wrong!) The other ones were John Wolfe Barry, and I
don't know anything about them. Cheers Ken
Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <J.J.Rainbow@newcastle.email
Cc: irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: 5 November 1999 11:59
Subject: More North Western Railway rolling stock
All,
I really must learn not to be so fast on the send button. In my
research for the Sierra Leone Government Railway I have covered the
rolling stock to a small extent, and have found that the Met-Cammell
records at Birmingham Museum and Glouster Carriage and
Waggon Works archives are in the Glouster County Records
Office. Both these bodies are helpful, I take it that all
rolling stock would have been ordered through the India
Office rather than the Crown Agents, so there may be records
at Blackfriars, the Crown Agents records were recently moved
to the British Commonwealth Museum at Bristol.
From: Karthik Giddu <>
Subject: Registration - WHo we are.
Date: 10 Nov 1999 06:15:48 -0500
Hi Gang,
Today's hot topic is 'who we are'. For the same, I though sending email
about himself/herself will be difficult to maintain in the long run. I
have
designed a database for keeping member information.(like a telephone
directory). U register there with all the details. I store the same in a
database so that any IRFCA members can go thru it anytime.
To reach the page:
1. go to <A HREF="http://gidduk.webhostme.com/">http://gidduk.webhostme.com/</A>
2. Click IRFCA members regsiter here.
I will soon write search engine for the same, information can be
retrieved
based on the name, city, country etc.
Your feedback is eagerly awaited.
Bye,
Karthik
<A HREF="http://gidduk.webhostme.com/">http://gidduk.webhostme.com/</A>
+91-22-8014919
From: San-Ind <>
Subject: My KANGRA TRIP !!! Part 1
Date: 10 Nov 1999 09:30:22 -0500
Hello !!! Everybody ...........
Just come from a short but busy trip............of KAngra Valley .....
I'd started from Delhi on Saturday Night........... For avoiding any
delayes due to Diwali Festival Rush on Road I'd started for station at
6.30p.m.with my wife, daughter & brother.... As my good Luck we didn't
struck anywhere (as on Last Diwali i'd got Pooja Exp. at last times & i
got
it 'coz it was delayed by 10minutes) So I reach station at 19.15.....
the
4033 Jammu Mail was standing on Platform no. 1A, I think its the best
Platform 'coz it's a drive in PArking..... So its very
Convenient..........
So I've a lot of time to visit the other platforms..... I'd gone to
Platform no.12 the Main one....... A lot of Crowd was there 'coz Saryu
Yamuna exp. for MuzzaffarPur has cancelled. ....... There was a very
difficult situation........ But Railways hasn't made any arrangement for
Suffered PAssengers......... Some people were going to NDLS for Catching
other trains.........
Farakka Exp. from Maldah Town had reached at 19.50, 13 hrs. delayed....
So
Authorities had cancelled it between Dli & Bhiwani...... And rescheduled
it
for 23.00 for Back Journey.......
The Situation of Spare coaches is so bad that even sometime they hadn't
able replace One coach ........... It usually happen on N.E. Express
specially AC-coach...... Some time they replace it with Sleeper class
coach
and some-time even spare Sleeper Coach is also not available..... Even
this
thing happened to Shatabdi's also......
So if railway had to make any Special Train at a shorter notice ist not
possible.........
Rest all trains were on time... 2311 Kalka mail on P.no.6,
4083 was also 7 hrs. late and expected at 1.25......
9020 was on time and was stannding on P.no. 1
2461 Mandor was ready to depart at 21.00 on P.no.17
4056 Brahmputra mail was on p.no.9
All other trains were Locals & PAssengers.......
At 20.30 I'd boarded 4033 for my journey......
Rly. has increased the Capacity of of it, Train Composition was From
Front
side.....
1 Sleeper Coach for Hoshiarpur
1 Ist cum 2nd Compo. Coach for Hoshiarpur
1 Luggage & Brake Van
1 Red Coloured RMS Coach
1 IInd class
1 AC-2T
1 1st AC
2 AC-2T coaches
3 IInd Class Coaches
6 Sleeper Class Coaches
1 Luggage cum Brake Van
We were in S-2 coach
Train had departed 10 minutes late.... at 21.20
reached Subzi Mandi in 10 minutes..... Then same noisy Daily Passengers
bound Sonipat-Panipat.....
After PAnipat we'd our Dinner & retired for the day...........
Continued .................
Actually this week is very busy for me Lot of Rail Surfing............
Rest
i'll write on Weekend..... 'coz tomorrow I've to Go Shimla....... may be
by
2311 Howrah mail..... and KSR......... So see all of you on
Sunday/Monday.............
I'd a lot of stuff for writing all of u..........
So see u soon
Regards
Sandeep Sharma
E-mail: docqcs@nde.email sandeep@docpl.email
Web: www.docpl.com
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: Burnpur
Date: 10 Nov 1999 09:41:10 -0500
Burnpur is on a BG line. It is the next station from Asansol as one
proceeds towards Adra/Tatanagar.
The electrified single line that I was referring has nothing to do with
Burnpur station - the colony that I used
to visit was some distance from the station.
Vijay
> -----Original Message-----
> From: S.SRINIVAS [SMTP:s_srinivas@vsnl.email
> Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 1999 8:41 AM
> To: Vijay Balasubramanian
> Cc: irfca@cs.email
> Subject: Re: Burnpur
>
> Hi Vijay
>
> The name Burnpur reminds me of the "Burnpur Standard Railway".
> I thought it was a NG line. It was taken over by IR. Has it been
> changed to BG or has it been abandoned ? Can someone clarify.
>
> Regards
>
> S. Srinivas
>
> ============================================
>
> Vijay Balasubramanian wrote:
>
> > Dear Sandeep,
> >
> > Your mail about "train watching" brings back memories of my
> > various trips to Burnpur (near Asansol) from Varanasi. An uncle of
mine
> > used to work in the Steel
> > plant in those days. The colony was right next to a single-track AC
> > electrified line, presumably,
> > for the collieries since I never saw any passenger trains on this
line.
> Our
> > house was at some distance
> > from the track (5th or 6th in line) but from the back porch I could
spot
> the
> > line through a gap in the trees
> > - the fact that the line was on an elevated "mound" helped. It was
so
> much
> > fun to watch those WAM4s
> > hauling a string of BOXN cars with their pantographs licking the
> catenary
> > and the rhythmic thuds providing the
> > background music.
> >
> > Ah!! Those days..........
> >
> > Vijay
> >
> > >
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: irfca is 10 years old !
Date: 10 Nov 1999 09:47:26 -0500
Folks,
I will be landing in Mumbai on Dec. 26th morning and will leave that
same
night for Nagercoil.
I plan to be in Chennai between Dec. 31 and Jan. 5, in Calcutta between
Jan.
6 and 8, in Varanasi between
Jan. 9 and 13, and in Mumbai between Jan. 14 and 22. So, if time
permits I
could meet some of you guys
in Chennai/Calcutta(?)/Mumbai. If you are planning on a rendezvous in
Mumbai during Jan. 14-22, I could be a part
of that.
Vijay
> -----Original Message-----
> From: S.SRINIVAS [SMTP:s_srinivas@vsnl.email
> Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 11:28 AM
> To: Apurva Bahadur
> Cc: Anand Krishnan; irfca@cs.email
> Subject: Re: irfca is 10 years old !
>
> Dear Friends
>
> I suggest that we plan a meet in Pune around 27th of
> December, 1999. It can be a one day or two days
> meet. This way, we can all meet and celebrate the
> ten years of irfca, get to know each other well, do
> some foot plating around PA, learn some new things
> from Apurva and his IR friends and still be back home
> by 30 or 31 December for the Y2K eve.
>
> So how about it. Please do send in your responses
> so that we can make some changes in the dates
> (if it is so required) but firm up the date/s of the meet.
> And please suggest how and when we can have the
> Konkan Railway trip.
>
> Regards
>
> S. Srinivas
>
> =================================
>
> Apurva Bahadur wrote:
>
> > It would be Pune's fortune if the world convention of IRFCA were to
be
> held in here.
> > Meeting other railfans is slowly becoming possible and things will
> happen soon. I
> > think a joint trip down the KR seems like a lot of fun. I am with
the
> IRFCA only for
> > last year and a half. But then what a period this has been !
From: San-Ind <>
Subject: Who Am I ???
Date: 10 Nov 1999 10:07:09 -0500
Dear All,
I'm Sandeep Sharma, 26 from New Delhi...... Basically my parents belong
to
U.P. I was born at Aligarh (U.P.). My father was in Gov.t of H.P. and
posted at a village near Pathankot called Indora..... This was a remote
place and only reachable by Train only .... nearest Rly. St. was
KAndrori(H.P.) on Jalandhar-Ptk line.... from there people had to go by
foot or Tongas..... is 5 kms. away and situated on the banks of
Beautiful
Beas River......
From there My father transfered to Dharamshala, famous Hill
Station...... there we had passed around 4 years and in 1983 we had
again
come near Indora, a eautiful village called Surajpur..... So from here
my
railway things had started..... But i also remember my childhood days
when
we geton JMP passenger for going to Jallandhar or Jammu mail to
PAthankot.....
After completing my Xth class i'd come to CHandigarh for doing Diploma
in
Architecture......I'd finished in 1992 and in 1993 I'd come at
Delhi........ Here i'd learnt Computers..... Got diploma in
AutoCAD.......
and started to doing job with some Local Architects..... meanwhile I'd
tried a hard to got a job in Indian Railway .... but in vain..... .....
In
1996 I'd started my own practice with one of my Friend...... then we'd
started AutoCAD consultancy..... Digitization of Maps...... etc. So now
we
are Architects, Software Developers, CAd-consultants, Digital Printers,
Graphic Designers, GIS ..... We are also Authorised Dealers of Autodesk
company, which is famous for Autocad & other Engineering softwares.....
For my Software Trading business i've to go out the town...... Recently
i'd
got an order for Installing Autocad in Himachal Pradesh for 6
Polytechnics
which are scattered all over Himachal...... I'd visited Kangra on 9th,
tomorrow I'll go to Shimla .... and on my other trip i'll go to Hamirpur
&
Sundernagar......
Geography is my hobby & part of business...... Some time we also get
some
Railway Projects..... Recently we'd made a 3d view for DMRC of Yamuna
Bridge......... We'd also worked on some Engg. drawing projects of
Delhi
Metro..... Alignment ..... Proposed Rail Over bridge on Azadpur
Patelnagar
DAL line....... In orissa Dhamara Port Line...... Cuttack-PAradeep Rly.
line etc........ Tender Alignment drawings for IRCON of project at
MAlayisa..... Bangladesh Rly. augmentation map etc.
We can get more work but the Consultancy Firm of Railways i.e. RITES but
its a very corruptive organisation .... so we don't prefer to do work
for
them.........
Regards
Sandeep Sharma
New Delhi
Ph.91-11-6285286
E-mail: docqcs@nde.email sandeep@docpl.email
Web: www.docpl.com
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: Burnpur
Date: 10 Nov 1999 11:06:55 -0500
Hello,
That is quite correct. IT was Burn Standard.
Actually, Burnpur has long been famous for a freight wagon factory. I
think the firm of Braithwaite is there. Freight cars are made there for
India as well as for export. Several cars from Burnpur have been
exported to Vietnam etc.
Burnpur also has a subsidiary unit to the Durgapur steel works.
Cheers.
Shankar
raymond/Polaris@polaris.email wrote:
>
> Dear Srinivas,
>
> I thought it was "Burn Standard Railway" after the company of the same
name.
>
> Regards
>
> Raymond
From: Shankar <>
Subject: my apologies
Date: 10 Nov 1999 11:11:46 -0500
Hello,
For those who had been trying to access my superrailway links site,
please accept my profound apologies: the site had been misbehaving for
several hours, and you might not have got anything from it except for
the heading.
I'd been poking around trying to copy-paste something in the HTML: it
was a terrific java applet that tells you which browser you are using.
Something went wrong, and I decided to knock it off. When I deleted it,
the whole page went blank. That was at work, I had to spend several
impatient hours till I got home.
Fortunately, the page was still stored in my FrontPage 98, so I
re-uploaded it. It appears to work fine now.
Phew! What a relief!
Cheers, and my apologies again.
Shankar
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Howrah - Madras Mail during pre-independence
Date: 10 Nov 1999 12:29:44 -0500
Folks,
Continuing on my ramblings on the pre-independence scene on IR -
Howrah - Madras Mail
dep. Madras Central 20.30 arr. Howrah 10.28 (3rd day). Calcutta time
10.52 (was Calcutta in a different time zone those days?)
dep. Howrah 19.10 arr. Madras Central 8.35
So, there has been a major speed-up of 3 - 4 1/2 hrs. (Kumar should be
pleased :-) ). I suspect that diesization has played a major role in
this.
After all, this mail was the first train to be dieselized on IR.
Halts - Kharagpur, Contai Rd., Rupsa, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur Rd. (now
Jajpur Keonjhar Rd.), Cuttack, Bhubaneswar (rather insignificant
station,
only dep. times shown), Khurda Rd., Balugan, Rambha, Chatrapur,
Berhampur,
Ichchapuram, Somapeta, Palasa, Naupada (both arr. and dep. times shown),
Chicacole Rd. (now Srikakulam Rd.), Dusi, Chipurapalle, Nellimarla,
Vizianagaram, Waltair (now Visakhapatnam), Anakapalle, Yellamanchili
(now
Elamanchilli), Narasapatnam Rd., Tuni, Pithapuram, Samalkot, Dwarupudi,
Rajahmundry, Godavari, Kovvur, Nidadavolu, Tadepalligudem, Ellore (now
Eluru), Nuzvid, Bezwada (now Vijayawada), Tenali, Nidubrolu, Bapatla,
Chirala, Chinna Ganjam, Ongole, Bitragunta, Nellore, Gudur, Nayadupeta,
Sullurupeta, Basin Bridge
Quite a few halts have been removed - Contai Rd., Rupsa, Rambha (a tiny
little station at present with only the Hwh-Tirpuati Exp. halting here),
Dusi (again an insignificant station), Elamanchilli, Narsipatnam Rd.,
Pithapuram, Dwarupudi, Godavari (now insignificant), Kovvur, Nuzvid,
Chinna
Ganjam, Bitragunta (no more steam), Nayadupeta, Sullurupeta
Only Annavaram has been added.
What causes certain stations to pale into insignificance? Stations such
as
Bitragunita used to have major clout during steam days. How about
others?
Is it something to do with a population shift?
Vijay
From: anand iyer subramaniam <>
Subject: Change of ID
Date: 10 Nov 1999 13:00:29 -0500
Hi folks,
Regards and very sorry for the inconvenience. I have changed my ID and
would
kindly request you all to communicate to me at this ID per below;
isawcm1@hotmail.email
anand is.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>
From: Anand I.S. <>
Subject: Help
Date: 10 Nov 1999 14:15:45 -0500
Hi Shanku,
Regards. I have changed my ID to isawcm1@hotmail.email which I advised
irfca-org. But due to some technical malfunction, I am not getting
clarification. I want my old ID isadeltic@hotmail.email deleted and
isawcm1@hotmail.email inserted. Could you help ?
Thanx and comfirm to new ID.
anand i.s.
isadeltic@hotmail.email
F/6, BALAKA,
SWASTIK PARK,
CHEMBUR MUMBAI - 400071
INDIA.
Tel(R): 91+22+5226163
Tel(O): 91+22+2623235
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From: Auroprem Kandaswami <>
Subject: ICF builds first steel coach
Date: 10 Nov 1999 15:28:44 -0500
Courtesy, The Hindu
November 11, 1999
CHENNAI, NOV. 10. The first stainless steel body coach manufactured by
the
Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Perambur, was flagged off by the
Additional
Member, Railway Board, Mr. Romesh Kumar, at a function here today.
The General Manager, ICF, Mr. A.K. Malhotra, said the Board had directed
the
ICF to design and manufacture two prototype coaches with stainless steel
body. The second coach would be released soon.
The Chief Mechanical Engineer, ICF, Mr. Sumanth Chak, said the stainless
steel body coach cost Rs. 1 crore as against Rs. 85 lakhs for an
conventional coach. But the stainless steel coach had more advantages as
it
was less susceptible to corrosion and thus had more durability and a
longer
life-span. Steel was procured from the SAIL unit, Salem, and about 11
tonnes
were used for making the coach.
***
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From: Vdate <>
Subject: Fw: ICF builds first steel coach
Date: 10 Nov 1999 18:37:47 -0500
Auroprem wrote: "..But the stainless steel coach had more advantages as
it
was less susceptible to corrosion and thus had more durability and a
longer
life-span."
Another advantage is that it may not require any painting on the
outside,
except perhaps the Zonal railways' name and the class designation. how
would
that sit with the members who want livery?
From: Pradip613 <>
Subject: Who Am I?
Date: 11 Nov 1999 09:11:51 -0500
I am emboldened and encouraged by the many who have come forward to give
their biographies.
I am a great fan of trains and engines, however, I do not possess the
detailed knowledge that many of the active members of IRFCA have. Just
reading the mail has given me a lot of insight, but I am lost but
fascinated
by the back and forth discussions that you experts have about air and
vacuum
brakes and the liveries, matching power cars, the train names and the
history
of name changes and train numbers; etc.; etc. Some of you collect train
timetables and pore over them. You folks are die hard rail fans!! And
some of
you are authors of books no less !! I wish I knew people such as you
when I
was growing up in India. In my immediate group of friends, I was the
only one
interested enough to go to the Howrah station and look to look at the
steam
locomotives.
I am a consulting chemical engineer in business for my self. I am 54
years
old. My wife is a software programmer. We have two daugthers. One has
just
started her career as a fifth grade school teacher. The second one is
still
in 3rd year college. We live in San jose, California.
When I was very young, we lived in Dwarka, Gujarat where, my father was
the
mechanical engineer at the cement factory. The company had a couple of
steam
locomotives, narrow gauge that hauled the limestone from the quarry.
These
locomotives were very much like those used on the Darjeeling line. We
called
one engine Hansel and the other Gretel. That's where my love of trains
was
born. Because my father was in charge of the mechanical work shop, I was
able
to take several rides on these locomotives, all the way to the quarry
and
back. The driver would place a clean towel on a shelf next to this great
big
wheel, he rotated to control speed. I would sit on the towel. I suppose
this
is what is referred to as foot plating. I did not know them.
When my father was transferred to Sevalia, a remote village near Anand,
near
Gujarat, I moved to Calcutta for better schooling. Many a summer, I
would
travel all the way from Howrah to Bombay, VT by the Bombay Mail via
Nagpur.
It was steam from Howrah up to Igatpuri and then Electric. I would then
take
a night train from Bombay Central to Anand or Godhra and then take a
super
slow train from there to Sevalia. In later years the Viramgam coach was
introduced, which would go all the way from Howrah to Anand. However,
the
journey was still a marathon in those days. Lasting three top four days.
The
steam locomotives were usually the WP's and they were so beautiful. I
lament
the fact that in the interests of fuel efficiency and pollution, we are
now
to be deprived of there place amongst us. The journey was always a joy
to me.
I loved to walk to the restaurant cars for lunch and dinner. There were
no
corridor coaches then. Each station provided and opportunity to walk a
bit on
the platform and perhaps buy a magazine or a comic book. More often than
not,
I would end up with a speck of coal in my eye and suffer through the
itching
and scratching until I could get it out. I loved it all!!
My last train journey in India was in 1993 December. I was in Calcutta
for a
25 year reunion with my Jadavpur University class mates and to return to
Mumbai, I took the Bombay mail via Nagpur. I enjoyed the clickety
clackety of
the wheels just like before. However, everything else has changed. No
more
steam and it is much faster. The food service though efficient is not
appetizing. Food is served in little plastic dishes and cups even in
Air-conditioned First Class. The magnificence of the old AC class
appears to
have gone. I took some pictures of the platform scenes, not knowing that
I
was risking harassment by the railway police, as some of you have talked
about.
One other train journey that I liked is via the Flying Scotsman. When we
were
vacationing in England in 1984, I made sure we could take this famous
train
all the way to Edinburgh. I wanted to eat in the dining car, but did not
know
that you have to make reservations. I didn't and so we could not. Also,
I
made the reservations for our train tickets too late and so the seats
facing
the direction of travel were all gone and that reduced the enjoyment a
bit. I
purchased an HO model of the original Flying Scotsman, # 4472.
Unfortunately,
I misplaced it in one of our moves. I would like to purchase an HO model
of
the WP if any one can tell me where I can find one, I would appreciate
it.
May be I should just start building one, like many of you have or are.
These are some of my ramblings. I will be leaving on a business trip in
a
couple of hours and so I am going to ask that I be temporarily removed
from
the list. But I will be back in two weeks and reading the mail again.
Good
luck with your plans to have a get together. Wish I could join you.
Pradip Rao
From: Bharat Vohra <>
Subject: Who we are....
Date: 11 Nov 1999 09:15:05 -0500
Halo All!
Im 24 years old, living in Bombay and freelancing from home as a web
designer. Born in Delhi in 75, spent my first two years in Lucknow and
then
moved to Bombay around 79. Schooled in Campion, college at Xaviers and a
computer graphics/animation course after that.
My interest in the railways was from childhood....my grandfather was in
the
railways and so was my father. My dad passed away in early 97 and at
that
time was serving on CR as CME-Planning. He served most of his life on
WR, a
bit on CR and 3 years on NFR. Have alyways been bias towards WR and have
a
special love for it!! Ive travelled umpteen times with him on saloon
trips
all over WR...last saloon trip being on CR to Jabalpur and Katni in Oct
96!!
Realy miss those journeys with him. Our favourite sector was the 41 dn
Viramgam Passenger to Valsad on a Friday night and back by 42 up into
Bombay
in time for school on Monday morning!! Knew almost all the carriages
based
at BCT and all the saloon attendants knew me too!
Made 8 visits to Guwahati where he was posted between 1993-96 and loved
each
of those visits...travelled a fair bit there to!
My railway photography began only around the late nighties and my
passion
for steam was ignited around the same time too...a bit to late
unfortunately. Managed to make trips to Mhow, Wankaner and more recently
Ooty/Coonor to photograph those magnificent steamers!
Have been mimicking trains since childhood....even if I say it
myself....am
pretty good at it.....of course its a bathroom practice! Have also been
sketching trains, yards and locos since childhood.....detailed sketches
ie!
Joined the IRFCA in 97 or so I think and although I havent participated
much, have loved each and every exchange on it! It was sheer delight to
know
that there were more people like me on this planet...and Indians at
that!!!
Till I joined this club......I had only heard of western train
enthusiasts
and more specifically Brit train spotters!!!
Hope to make it for the IRFCA getogether in December!
Regards and best wishes,
Bharat
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From: Pradip613 <>
Subject: Please Unsubscribe Temporarily.
Date: 11 Nov 1999 09:17:31 -0500
Dear Friends,
I will be leaving for a business trip to Saudi Arabia and will not have
access to the web. I am requesting my name be temporarily dropped from
the
mailing list. When I return, I will request reinstatement. At long last,
I
have also sent by separate mail some of my thoughts on the lines of "Who
AM
I". I much indebted to many of you for teaching me so much about what a
real
fan does. Good luck with your plans of a get together. Coincidentally, I
will
be in India during that time but will most likely not have the
opportunity to
meet you all.
Bye for now. Happy Belated Diwali to all of you.
Pradip Rao