IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 1901 - 1920
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: DC traction in Madras
Date: 03 Nov 1997 17:07:00 -0500
> I am not sure if they had 1500V DC or 3000 V DC. WR had one
> EMU made by SIG. Being only one of a kind, (CR had none) they
> had trouble maintaining it. It was transferred to Madras since
> they had a fleet of EMUs made by SIG. ICF adopted external
> appearance of these EMUs in their production.
>
Wasn't the DC electrification in Madras on the MG section? If so, how
did they manage to transfer a BG train from Bombay to Madras?
Jishnu.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
Systems Architect
Open Systems Software Division
Email: jis@fpk.email Hewlett-Packard New Jersey Labs
Tel: +1 973 443 7528 MS D283, 180 Park Ave., Bldg. 103
Fax: +1 973 443 7602 Florham Park, NJ 07932-9998, USA
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@us.email
Subject: Re: DC traction in Madras
Date: 03 Nov 1997 17:58:00 -0500
Jishnu,
Good question for which I have no answer. Although I have been to
Madras, I never travelled in their suburban section.
I checked with a colleague who lived in Madras and he confirmed
your observation (about MG).
On WR, One unit came first in mid-60s, i.e 1 motor coach and two
driving trailers. Two more units were added around 72. By 75, the
stock was transferred to SR., that's all I know. I'll see if I can
find some more info in other reference material that I have at home.
Prakash
Notes Address: Prakash Tendulkar/Santa Teresa/IBM@IBMUS
VM Address: IBMUSM50(PRAKASH)
Internet Address: prakash@us.email
Phone: (408)463-3536
jis@fpk.email
11/03/97 03:20 PM
Please respond to jis@fpk.email @ internet
To: Prakash Tendulkar/Santa Teresa/IBM@IBMUS
cc: irfca@cs.email @ internet
Subject: Re: DC traction in Madras
> I am not sure if they had 1500V DC or 3000 V DC. WR had one
> EMU made by SIG. Being only one of a kind, (CR had none) they
> had trouble maintaining it. It was transferred to Madras since
> they had a fleet of EMUs made by SIG. ICF adopted external
> appearance of these EMUs in their production.
>
Wasn't the DC electrification in Madras on the MG section? If so, how
did they manage to transfer a BG train from Bombay to Madras?
Jishnu.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
Systems Architect
Open Systems Software Division
Email: jis@fpk.email Hewlett-Packard New Jersey Labs
Tel: +1 973 443 7528 MS D283, 180 Park Ave., Bldg. 103
Fax: +1 973 443 7602 Florham Park, NJ 07932-9998, USA
=
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@us.email
Subject: Re: Trainspotting from Trains
Date: 03 Nov 1997 18:49:00 -0500
> For several years there was a shortage of AC
> EMUs, and intially EMU trailers with an AC electric
> locomotive in the middle of the rake was a common sight.
Jishnu,
I am confused. All the EMUs that came in after 1950,
in Bombay had EP (Electro-Pneumatic) brakes whereas the
older EMUs had conventional vaccum brakes. That's why
CR used to ply EMU for weekend to Poona that was pushed
by DC loco on the way to Poona and pulled by DC
loco on the way to Bombay between Lonaval - Katjat
Ghat section. When those EMUs retired, that option
was over. (Actually CR discontinued the practice long
before retiring those EMUs.)
Did ER EMUs use vaccum brakes or EP? At least the 1.5 KV
EMUs transferred to Bombay used EP. If EP, were those
AC locos modified to provide compressed air and controller
/ cable connectors to power switches and to operate them?
On WR, I've seen Dahanu - Bandra Engine local, made
up of conventional coaches with WDM2 in the middle.
Prakash
=
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@jps.email
Subject: DC traction in Madras
Date: 03 Nov 1997 14:33:00 -0500
Jishnu,
Although I could not locate the fate of SIG, I found the following
references.
1) History of Bombay Suburban Railways by Dr. A.K.Arora Pub. in 1985
Page 75: "As SIG rake was troubling the Western Railways, it was
withdrawn from service w.e.f. 1 April 1967 in consultation with
the Suburban Railway User's Consultative Committee."
So here I was off by 5-6 years.
2) Indian Locomotives Part 4 by Hugh Hughes Pub. by Continental
Railway Circle page 44
" In 1941 suburban passengers on the electrified lines at Bombay were
carried by 94 4-car EMUs (53 GIPR, 40 BBCIR) A further 56 lightweight
units were added in 1951-3 . All these were British built but later
additions came from Italy, Japan, Germany and Switzerland, including
stock for the Calcutta lines"
Although WR received only 12 4-car units, all British made, it did
operate Hitachi and Breda (both Japanese, one rake of two units each,
with one rake from each maker) for a year or two, until all
allocated British units were physically received. These Japanese
units were borrowed from CR.
In addition to Hitachi and Breda, CR also had Italian "Ansaldo"
units in her fleet.
3000 V DC units transferred from ER to WR were made by MAN.
Since only three Railways, WR, CR and ER received shipments during
1951-3 period and the next orders appear to have placed in 1958
(according to Continental Railway Circle book), is it possible
that SIG were initially deployed on ER and WR initially
borrowd one EMU and adding two more later?
Can anyone shed any light on what the makers were on other ER
stock?
I have a picture of SIG (from the cover of Dr. Arora's book.
Not a great one but okay. I would be glad to fax it to
anyone who would like to look at it and refresh the memory.
Prakash
(Please reply to prakash@us.email so that I can read it
during day time)
From: Shriram Revankar <revankar@wrc.email
Subject: Konkan Railway time table
Date: 04 Nov 1997 05:06:00 -0500
HI,
I am planning to go to India in a few days. I was
wondering if there were any regularly scheduled trains from
Bombay to Panjim to Karwar/Kumta etc.
Would you please post or mail me the schedules
of those trains?
Thanks
Shriram
From: Jishnu Mukerji <jis@fpk.email
Subject: Re: Trainspotting from Trains
Date: 04 Nov 1997 12:35:00 -0500
Prakash Tendulkar wrote:
> > For several years there was a shortage of AC
> > EMUs, and intially EMU trailers with an AC electric
> > locomotive in the middle of the rake was a common sight.
>
> Jishnu,
>
> I am confused. All the EMUs that came in after 1950,
> in Bombay had EP (Electro-Pneumatic) brakes whereas the
> older EMUs had conventional vaccum brakes. That's why
> CR used to ply EMU for weekend to Poona that was pushed
> by DC loco on the way to Poona and pulled by DC
> loco on the way to Bombay between Lonaval - Katjat
> Ghat section. When those EMUs retired, that option
> was over. (Actually CR discontinued the practice long
> before retiring those EMUs.)
>
> Did ER EMUs use vaccum brakes or EP? At least the 1.5 KV
> EMUs transferred to Bombay used EP. If EP, were those
> AC locos modified to provide compressed air and controller
> / cable connectors to power switches and to operate them?
>
I was refering to what transpired in and around Calcutta. There was an
acute shortage AC motor coaches for EMUs at various times. At these
times the workaround was to form rakes consisting of what looked like
two EMU rakes with an electric locomotive coupled in the middle
providing traction.
The general consist looked like:
driving trailer
trailer
trailer
driving trailer
AC locomotive (usually WAP1 or WAG1)
driving trailer
trialer
trailer
driving trailer
These hybrids were controlled from the driving trailers at either end,
which were connected through train lines to the tandem control of the AC
electric locomotive in the middle. The coaches used in these rakes were
otherwise identical to trailers in AC EMUs, and were absorbed in the
regular EMU fleet as sufficient motor coaches became available.
Essentially one of the trailers in each half was replaced by a motor
coach to form a full-fledged EMU as motor coaches became available.
Jishnu.
--
Jishnu Mukerji
Systems Architect
Open Systems Software Division
Email: jis@fpk.email Hewlett-Packard New Jersey Labs
Tel: +1 973 443 7528 MS D283, 180 Park Ave., Bldg. 103
Fax: +1 973 443 7602 Florham Park, NJ 07932-9998, USA
From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: WCM6!!!
Date: 04 Nov 1997 17:29:00 -0500
On Tuesday night, I had been to a friend's place in Ghatkopar, Mumbai.
As I stood on platform #4, waiting for a fast local to take me back
home, a small whistle became audible. I turned my attention to platform
#3, and saw a pale cream WCM6!! It was heading a freight train, and I
could not catch the loco shed/manufacturer inscription, for poor
illumination. This is the first instance in my railfanning life, thet I
have seen such a locomotive. It has NO resemblance to any of its cousins
in the WCM class (the yellow/blue livery, receding and slanted front
windows,the powerbeam light mounting centrally below the windows on the
front .. etc). It is more like a modern WCG2/WAM4-P, but with DC
Traction equipment.
Its surprising that development is still going on on DC Exclusive locos,
even though CR has embraced BHEL built WCAM2/3's in a big way!!!
I'm really afraid of the future of existing WCM1/2/5's. Previously, the
Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen was the MOST romantic train on CR. Partly,
because a matching white colored WCM1/5 would power the train. Even on
the name boards of Deccan Queen, you can still see the drawing of a
tunnel with a white WCM5 pulling a white train emerging out of it..
Today all DQs are hauled by a grim unromantic mauve WCAM3 that looks
totally out-of-place. It has a what-am-I-doing-with-this-train look,
even though it is more powerful than its more presentable WCM colleague.
Now, WCAM2/3s are replacing WCM/WCG's in a big way....
CR should paint a couple of WCAM3's in the same color as the train..
It goes a long way in building railfan courage and train presentability.
Also, CR should immediately discontinue the practice of having a
mixed-colored train! It looks absurd, when a white/blue Deccan Queen has
a maroon AC chair coach in the middle!!! This train has spawned many
frienships and even marital alliances!!!
Calling all IRFCA members to mail their experiences on the Deccan Queen,
if you've travelled on the Mumbai-Pune route!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~sundari">http://members.tripod.com/~sundari</A>
-------------------------------------------Today is the day of glory
-----------------------------------------The Code is the whole story
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From: Peter Mosse <pjcm@worldnet.email
Subject: Books about Indian Railways
Date: 05 Nov 1997 08:28:00 -0500
Can anyone suggest how someone living outside India can get information
about books published in India about Indian Railways - and then, of course,
buy any of those books that are of interest ?
For example, does the railway museum in Delhi publish a list and accept
orders by mail from overseas, as most western railway museums would do ?
The books that I have seen about Indian Railways have been written by
foreigners and published outside India (like the Indian Locomotives series
published by Continental Railway Circle in London). I would like to find
some material written from the perspective of India, not overseas.
Peter Mosse
From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: Runaway IR.. Your train's gone!!!
Date: 05 Nov 1997 20:19:00 -0500
Train runs backwards for two stations as driver watches
Adapted from the Times of India, Mumbai, Nov 1 1997 p3.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
One has heard of runaway trains - some years ago, a train in North India
sped over 100 km (does anybody on the mailing list have details on
this??) - but on Thursday, a train ran backwards for two stations with
the driver and assistant driver unable to stop it(!!)
The 6636 up Netravathi Express, which was on its way to Mumbai from
Mangalore/Cochin Harbor Terminus, developed a problem around 2 a.m. and
suddenly started going backwards after crossing Kurduwadi and Wadsinghe
stations and stopped before Mada, which is on an incline.
"This was a loco failure", admitted a CR spokesperson, adding that a
high-level probe team had already left for the site.
According to him, the engine of the train was changed at Kurduvadi(377
kms from Mumbai) and the new engine developed some problem, The driver
and the assistant driver were in the train when it started reversing, he
added. "Their failure to stop the train is being probed," he said. The
train had a diesel engine and an air brake.
According to the spokesperson, the train did not reverse at breakneck
speed but at a fairly slow pace. There was no accident as the control
tower had alerted all the staff; level crossings were kept closed and
all other train traffic was halted.
In December 1994, passengers aboard the Pune-Mumbai Indrayani Express
had a miraculous escape mwhen the train hurled down a stretch between
Lonavla and Karjat without a driver(!). The driver and guard had got
down to inspect a minor fire when the train started moving on its own
and hurtled down at blistering speed on the steep down-gradient without
control. Fortunately, the train stopped on its own before Karjat
station.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Any comments ?!???
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~sundari">http://members.tripod.com/~sundari</A>
-------------------------------------------Today is the day of glory
-----------------------------------------The Code is the whole story
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From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: CLW Exhibition
Date: 05 Nov 1997 20:39:00 -0500
The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) is organizing a public
exhibition of ABB WAG9 3-phase AC Electric Locomotives, and its
components that can manufacture and supply more than 2000 items
regularly. This exhibition will continue upto 30th Nov, at Centre for
Design & Development, CLW, Chittaranjan, Burdwan Dist, West Bengal. Pin
: 713 331. Write to the above address (snail mail) for more information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~sundari">http://members.tripod.com/~sundari</A>
-------------------------------------------Today is the day of glory
-----------------------------------------The Code is the whole story
______________________________________________________
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From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 08 Nov 1997 06:45:00 -0500
A trainhopping query on Yahoo reveals a few sites on the American Art of
Hoboing and riding in freight trains as stow-aways. I can recollect a
few scenes for freight trains in Indian Movies.
Some observations :
1. A freight/passenger train is usually hauled by WDS4 locos in l recent
movies - all hits! Examples: Yaadon ki Baraat, Ram Lakhan, Dilwale
Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge or the more recent Barsaat and Daraar. The
producers look at these neglected shunters as good omen???
2. Nothing can match the beauty or romance of a steam locomotive in a
movie or a song! Recollect the Sholay raid in the start. (The scene
where the meter gauge(?) loco ploughs through wooden sleepers/logs is
mind blowing.) The dacoits have a free-for-all with Amit & Dharam on the
wagons.
3. The song "Haathon ki chand lakeeron ka" in Vidhaata starred Dilip
Kumar and Shammi Kapoor as driver & fireman on a steam beauty. I have
recorded the song on VHS. It is probably one of the very few songs
featured in locomotive.
4. "Hum dono do premi" from some Rajesh-Zeenat starrer had a steam
whistle adding music to Panchamda's music.
5. "Deewan Dil Deewana" from Kabhi haan Kabhi na had the herione
Suchitra travelling in a single train heading for Goa that alternately
was pulled by WCM, YDM4 (yes!!), and finally a WCAM1 that brought it
into Bandra Terminus, masquerading as Vasco Da Gama!
6. Baaton Baaton mein had Tina Munim and Amol Palekar falling in love as
daily commuters on a local train!!
7. The hero/heroine invariably walk close to the railway tracks in
songs, at Lovedale / Coonor / Ooty and wave at the Blue Mountain
express. Examples - Ram Lakhan.
8. Shah Rukh Khan gets into a local train (ladies) in Chamatkar, but the
interiors are those of the Rajdhani IInd AC!!
9. Who can forget the heart rending climax of Mondram Pirai / Sadma,
that shows a tearful Kamal Hasan waving back at Sridevi in the Ooty
train(again!).
10. "Hoga tumse pyara kaun" from Zamane ko Dikhana Hai has Rishi Kapoor
and Padmini Kolhapure sitting on top of the Darjeeling Train. This train
is also featured in "Jiya Ho" from Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, as well as
the megahit "Mere Sapnon Ki Rani" from Aradhana.
11. Contrast with Rajesh's morose "Zindagi Ke safar mein" from Aap ki
Kasam. He boards a train, and they show the boilers of the steam
locomotive, and Thakurli station as it whizzes by.
12. Dharam does a song, "Badal Jaaye agar maali" from Bahaaren Phir Bhi
Aayengi, sitting on the door of a quaint passenger train. It has an
offbeat tanked steam locomotive. Can anybody tell me what??
13. Dev Anand goes "Phoolon ke rang se" in a European train. Its
Switzerland I guess.
14. Romances bloom on foreign trains. Check "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le
Jayenge". The story of train anticlimaxes .. The first scene when they
actually meet is on the British Rail HST. They enjoy the Eurail saga on
Swiss trains and quaint electric locomotives. The last scene where they
leave the viewer is on a WDS4 hauled Punjab passenger (Ha Ha Ha)
(actually, the station - Apta is near Panvel, Maharashtra and lies on
Konkan Railway Jurisdiction)
15. Lastly, THE ONLY RAILFAN to be ever featured in a Hindi Movie -
Vinod Khanna as a railway engineer, playing with model trains and
ignoring wife and family for the flagship Rajdhani in B.R. Chopra's The
Burning Train (wonderful movie... only for the trains, not for the
story/actors, whatever!!!)
Please add and contribute more instances of trains in movies. Anybody
heard of a Vijaykanth Tamil Movie - Sendhoora Poove where the last
half-hour of the movie is a train delight as they embark on a freight
fight and frenzy? There is another gory Andhra movie where Vijayshanti
batters and bashes the villain in a WAG locomotive on a bridge, in the
climax. Please get the name???
Sundar
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~sundari">http://members.tripod.com/~sundari</A>
-------------------------------------------Today is the day of glory
-----------------------------------------The Code is the whole story
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From: Peter Mosse <pjcm@worldnet.email
Subject: Re: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 08 Nov 1997 17:29:00 -0500
Sundar Krishnamurthy wrote:
......
> Please add and contribute more instances of trains in movies.
=======
Two Western movies that I can think of have extensive rail sequences from
the sub-continent:
Bhowani Junction, 1956 based on the John Masters novel of the same name;
and
North-West Frontier, ? late 1950's ? (released in the US with a different
name, something like 'Blood over the Plains')
I think that the rail scenes in Bhowani Junction were filmed around Lahore,
but I don't know exactly where N-W Frontier was filmed.
There was also an excellent Indian film '27 Down' which I saw in a festival
of Indian films in London in the early 1970's. The hero was an Indian
Railways guard. Can anyone give me more information about this film - I
would love to track it down and try to get a video ....
Peter Mosse
New York
From: Peter Mosse <pjcm@worldnet.email
Subject: Re: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 08 Nov 1997 19:13:00 -0500
>
> Two Western movies that I can think of have extensive rail sequences from
> the sub-continent:
>
> Bhowani Junction, 1956 based on the John Masters novel of the same name;
> and
> North-West Frontier, ? late 1950's ? (released in the US with a different
> name, something like 'Blood over the Plains')
>
As a postscript to the above, I now think that 'North-West Frontier' was
released as 'Flame over India' in the US market.
Peter Mosse
From: Sundar Krishnamurthy <coolsundar@hotmail.email
Subject: Re: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 08 Nov 1997 19:45:00 -0500
As an afterthought I add to the list,
16. "Hai apna dil to awara" the evergreen number by Hemant Kumar for Dev
Anand, in Solhva Saal, shot in a local train. Also, Dev sang "Uparwallah
jaankar anjaan hai" referring to Waheeda Rehman in the upper berth, in
Kaala Pani
17. In Julie, Lakshmi's father David is a fireman in a locomotive!
18. In Mani Ratnam's tamil movie - Agni Nakshatram, the superhit
Illayaraja "Raja" song, picturised on Kartik, is shot in Madras Egmore
station, I guess. (Is it Chennai Egmore now??) They run on top of an
empty train parked in the siding. Is this the same station where "Chikku
Bukku Rayile" from Gentleman was shot?? I havent seen the station in a
long time!
19. In Coolie, Amitabh is a porter in Bangalore City Station. One of the
most elegant stations. I have passionate memories of the time spent on
platform #1, waiting for various trains. Two things nobody can forget
about Bangalore City Station - The "Flair" Cigarette ad & jingle
constantly being played on the CC TV System mounted on all platforms,
and the innumerable number of road bridges in the route upto
Krishnarajapuram. You get an excellent view of the city on the north end
of the foot overbridge at the Bangalore City station.
20. In Parwane, Amitabh the villain, books a FC (First Class) Ticket
from Mumbai to Howrah, alights the train at Dadar, goes back to commit a
murder, rushes to Santa Cruz airport to catch a plane to Nagpur, and
reboards the *same* train at Nagpur!! He thinks he cannot be convicted,
as he was travelling in the train when the murder occured. Sorry for
killing the suspense, but I think this story deserved mention. It is an
old movie anyway.
21. Speaking about murders, #20 Madras Mail is a nice train suspense
Malayalam Movie starring Mammooty and Mohanlal. A murder occurs in the
train and Mohanlal is held responsible. A nice long train journey where
passengers build friendships, have romances and get murdered. I am not
killing the suspense in this one! This movie was remade in Hindi as
Teesra Kaun.
22. Two DD serials - Yatra and Intezaar have been made on railway life.
The first one examined the interactions among a diverse group of people
as they travelled on the Himsagar Express from Jammu to Cape
Kanyakumari. The other one - Intezaar by Saeed Mirza/Kundan Shah, dealt
with the trials and tribulations of a group of people sustaining
themselves in different professions on the Railway Platform. The station
master, driver, porter, chaiwallah and co!
23. Actually, Apta - the station featured as a Punjabi one in Dilwale
Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge is near Panvel and under CR jurisdiction at the
present. I think KR governance will begin from Roha upto Mangalore.
24. In one movie - "Heeralal Pannalal", a steam train derails, travels
for some distance and stops before a temple. I saw this movie when I was
a kid, I have vague memories. Any details?? Such a derailment and
pursuit scene was enacted in "Criminal" the Nagarjuna adaptation of
Harrson Ford's "The Fugitive"
25. Another suspense movie is the Hindi one - "The Train" starring Manoj
Kumar and Nanda. Its again the same murder and suspect story, but
Igatpuri station gets featured. Its a unique station on IR, as the
electric traction system changes in this station. I think, a 1.5KV DC
shift is given to the single-phase 25KV AC 50Hz voltage, before
isolators separate the two incompatible systems from one another. This
shifting from zero causes both, DC as well as AC locomotives to travel
into the platform and get themselves detached before the other
locomotive can take over and continue the journey. I think, equipment on
the locomotive blocks one voltage while allowing the other. I have
walked from Igatpuri to Ghoti, the next station to inspect the
distribution equipment but the railwaymen are not cooperative. You can
see a dead zone, also at kms. 63/16 on the electric support pillars, in
the Virar-Vaitarna stretch on WR where this AC/DC conversion occurs. Can
somebody explain how this works?? I have no proper idea, even though I
am an electrical engineer (Shame and fie on me).
26. I also recollect Bengali actor Victor Bannerjee hosting a three part
series on life on Indian Railways, in March 1992. It dealt _totally_
from a lifestyle perspective, exploring lives on stations, temples,
yards and quaint railway spots. It dealt with _passion_ of the IR and
how trains change lives. I have recorded one of the episodes. DD is
totally unhelpful in fielding enquiries on the same.
27. You cannot miss the DD briefer on the Railway Budget, presented as a
half hour capsule every February end, and featuring standard shots of
twin WAG5-HB hauled freight trains in Jamshedpur, the sea of Humanity at
New Delhi station (half of the station is being temporarily closed now
for renovation) and the Rail Bhavan exteriors.
Has the BBC program "The Great Railway Journeys of the World" featured
IR?? The National Geographic video on IR is also not available in India.
Sundar
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sundar Krishnamurthy ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
9/66, Welfare Hse, Sion (W), `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`)
Mumbai 400 022. INDIA (_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-'
Tel : +91 +22 4071254 _.. `--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,'
coolsundar@hotmail.email (il),-'' (li),' ((!.-'
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~sundari">http://members.tripod.com/~sundari</A>
-------------------------------------------Today is the day of glory
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From: Peter Mosse <pjcm@worldnet.email
Subject: Re: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 09 Nov 1997 06:19:00 -0500
Sundar Krishnamurthy wrote
>
> Has the BBC program "The Great Railway Journeys of the World" featured
> IR?? The National Geographic video on IR is also not available in India.
========
I think so, but I am not sure. However, there was another documentary
about IR made for British television quite some time ago (late 1970's?,
early 1980's?) before the Great Railway Journeys series started. I'm not
sure whether it was made for the BBC or independent TV, nor do I remember
its name.
Re the National Geographic film, if the video systems are compatible you
could presumably buy that direct from National Geographic in Washington, or
from National Geographic in Amsterdam if European standards will work.
National Geographic, incidentally, had a longe feature (50+ pages) on IR
plus some Pakistan and Bangladesh in its June 1984 issue. The magazine is
also, apparently, going to feature the Trans-Siberian Railway sometime in
1998 (though that information, of course, really belongs to another list !)
Peter Mosse
From: Sridhar Shankar <msshanka@gsbmba2.email
Subject: Re: DC traction in Madras
Date: 09 Nov 1997 15:42:00 -0500
MG electification in Madras has been 25kV AC for a long time now. I can't
quite remember when they changed from DC to AC though, It was quite some
time ago.
-Sridhar
****************************************************************
Graduate School of Business Sridhar Shankar
University of Chicago 5345 S.Harper Apt. 205
Chicago, IL 60637 Chicago, IL 60615
USA (773) 752 1131
*****************************************************************
On Mon, 3 Nov 1997, Jishnu Mukerji wrote:
> > I am not sure if they had 1500V DC or 3000 V DC. WR had one
> > EMU made by SIG. Being only one of a kind, (CR had none) they
> > had trouble maintaining it. It was transferred to Madras since
> > they had a fleet of EMUs made by SIG. ICF adopted external
> > appearance of these EMUs in their production.
> >
> Wasn't the DC electrification in Madras on the MG section? If so, how
> did they manage to transfer a BG train from Bombay to Madras?
>
> Jishnu.
>
> --
> Jishnu Mukerji
> Systems Architect
> Open Systems Software Division
>
> Email: jis@fpk.email Hewlett-Packard New Jersey Labs
> Tel: +1 973 443 7528 MS D283, 180 Park Ave., Bldg. 103
> Fax: +1 973 443 7602 Florham Park, NJ 07932-9998, USA
>
>
>
>
From: S. Kumar <s.kumar@qm.email
Subject: Great Railway Journeys
Date: 10 Nov 1997 15:17:00 -0500
Sundar Krishnamurthy writes:
"Has the BBC program "The Great Railway Journeys of the World" featured
IR?? The National Geographic video on IR is also not available in
India."
To the best of my knowledge "The Great Railway Journeys" has not
featured IR. However, it did feature the journey on the Khyber Mail
from Karachi to Peshawar and then onto Landi Kotal on the Khyber
railway in Pakistan. There was also, I believe, a side trip to
Quetta from Rohri Jn/Jacobabad. The episode was hosted by the BBC
correspondent in S. Asia (it might have been Mark Tully, I am not
sure). But the correspondent speak did speak fairly fluent Urdu.
I also remember a British series before the "Great Railway journeys"
which involved the train travel from Mumbai (then Bombay) to Kerala
(I think to Kochi, then Cochin) of two Britishers. They travelled on the Dadar-Madras
Express; I remember they travelled in first class and admired the
system for delivering hot meals on the train via telegraphic
communication to place the order. However, when they asked their
fellow Indian travellers how the meals tasted, pat came the reply "like
cardboard" followed by all of them laughing. I think they changed
trains in Madras (now Chennai) and went off to Ooty via
Metuppalaiyam. In Metuppalaiyam, they went to a coffee stall and
admired the uniquely South Indian way of cooling the sizzling coffee
by pouring the coffee repetitively from one container to the other
from a large height. They then made their way to Kerala and the
episode ended amid the backwaters near Kochi.
Kumar
From: Prakash Tendulkar <prakash@us.email
Subject: Books about Indian Railways
Date: 10 Nov 1997 13:48:00 -0500
>Can anyone suggest how someone living outside India can get
>information about books published in India about Indian Railways
>- and then, of course, buy any of those books that are of
>interest ? For example, does the railway museum in Delhi publish
>a list and accept orders by mail from overseas, as most western
>railway museums would do ?
>
>The books that I have seen about Indian Railways have been
>written by foreigners and published outside India (like the
>Indian Locomotives series published by Continental Railway Circle
>in London). I would like to find some material written from the
>perspective of India, not overseas.
>
>Peter Mosse
Peter,
I received the following reply to my query to publisher /
distributor in India. I've not seen this book.
Prakash
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Indian Railways has not attracted much attention from the
publishing community in India. The only book I can think of is the
"History and Development of Indian Railways". Details are as
follows:
History and Development of Railways in India/Aruna Awasthi. New
Delhi, Deep & Deep, 1994, xiv, 277 p., maps, tables, $27.50 (less
library discount 30%). ISBN 81-7100-530-6.
Contents: Introduction. Preface.
1. The railways: the beginnings.
2. Introduction and development of railways in India.
3. Formation of the great Indian peninsula railway company and
running of the first railway train--1853.
4. Large scale expansion and development of an administrative
system: 1854-1899.
5. socio-economic impact and performance analysis of the great
Indian peninsula railway.
Part A: Socio-economic aspects of the GIPR.
Part B: Performance analysis.
6. Socio-economic aspects of the suburban services in Bombay.
7. 1900-1924: changes in management practices: from state
ownership and company management to state ownership and
state management.
8. 1925-52: reorganisation of Indian railways.
9. A profile of Indian railways: 1951-52 to 1991-92.
Bibliography. Index.
"From a humble beginning on April 16, 1853 the Railways in India
have become the largest and one of the most well managed
organisations in the country. The introduction of steam traction
on steel rails was a quantum jump in the transportation
technology which brought about significant and far reaching
socio-economic and political changes. The railways were brought
to India explicitly as a form of colonial imperialism tailored to
the needs of the British empire. Every possible attempt was made
to deny the consequential benefits to the Indians; Indian
initiative was snubbed; industrialisation was curbed; employment
of Indians was restricted to the lower categories; racial and
communal differences were generated. However there were plenty of
benefits reaped by the country.
"With the help of massive documentation from the original
sources in India and England the author has traced in detail the
saga of the construction and development of the Indian railways
from 1840's to modern times. The struggles, the frictions, the
efforts and the achievements at the apex level through to the
lowest hierarchy for constructing and managing the mammoth
organisation have been illustrated with great detail in lucid
style." (jacket) No. 9405
Best regards.
Sincerely,
achal
=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D=
-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D-=3D
Achal Madhavan
Partner
Vedams Books International
12A/11 W.E.Area, Post Box 2674
New Delhi 110 005, India
<A HREF="http://www.vedamsbooks.com">http://www.vedamsbooks.com</A>
e-mail: vedams@vedamsbooks.email
Fax: 91-11-574 5114
Notes Address: Prakash Tendulkar/Santa Teresa/IBM@IBMUS
VM Address: IBMUSM50(PRAKASH)
Internet Address: prakash@us.email
Phone: (408)463-3536
=
From: Auroprem Kandaswami <kandaswa@apple.email
Subject: Re: Trains in Indian Movies
Date: 10 Nov 1997 07:56:00 -0500
Discussion on "Trains in Indian Movies" is probably incomplete without
mentioning a couple of goodies from Tamil movies.
Here are a couple of ones, which I enjoyed and would like to share :
1. This is from the classic, "Thillana Mohanambal" - a Sivaji Ganesan
-Padmini starrer, where a music/dance troup travels in an unreserved
coach (seats are laid long along the windows, rather than
face-to-face).
There is a famous comedy scene on this train journey, where
all the actors "emulate" a train journey by moving their bodies
up and down, comedian T S Baliah snores and falls repeatedly on
Manorama, pick up a quarrel, etc...
2. This is another one from a popular old Sivaji starrer, "Raman
Ethanai Ramanadi", where Sivaji travels on a MG passenger train
(steam) on Dindigul-Tiruchi section. "Pudur" station is shown
where he gets down, waking from a dream - where he sees K.R.Vijaya
singing "Theril Vantha Raja rajan enpakkam ..."
3. "Pachchai vilakku", where Sivaji stars as a Guard/Station Master
(can't remember exactly)
4. Bombay-Madras train journey by Sujatha in "Avargal", covering
Renigunta, Arakkonam stations.
5. Journey from Tirunelveli Jn. - Madras Egmore pictured for about
half an hour where Y.G. Mahendran carries lots of cash in a
suitcase, dies of heart attack in Villupuram station, Sivakumar
(comes as villain, -ve character in this movie) swaps his suitcase
with the "heavy" one and becomes rich by the end of the journey
at Madras Egmore station. Rajini watches this helplessly and
disapprovingly.
6. Coimbatore Jn. being shown couple of times in the movie "Ilamai
Kalangal".
Talking of more recent ones, I can recollect,
7. Mohan and Revathi travelling on Tamil Nadu (TN) express in
Manirathnam's debut "Mouna Ragam"
8. "Kaadhal Kottai" - where the hero and heroine eventually meet
for the first time, when the Kovai express is about to leave
from Chennai Central station.
Can someone recollect other interesting train clips ?
Auro
From: GlynThomas <GlynThomas@aol.email
Subject: Railway books
Date: 10 Nov 1997 15:31:00 -0500
Peter,
I have copies of the following books from the Delhi museum:
Jodhpur Railway
Kalka-Simla and Kangra Valley Railways
Exotic Indian Mountain Railways
all by Bhandari.
I also know of two other books from the Delhi museum that are now out of
print:
Meter Gauge Railways
Indian Steam Locomotives
In the UK, the top three books are available from the British Overseas
Historical
Railways Trust. I can E-mail you with further details if you need them.
Glyn Thomas