Mad I & Moody

no caps here, and no grammer. finally managed to get to the national rail museum a few days back. hadn't planned on it. it happened at the spur of the moment. the lace is just the same as i had left it the last time. and people are still at work. the garetta is being overhauled and hats off to those guys who have managed to get its screws out. layers upon layers of paint has meant that everything is tightly jammed. i couldn't find the magazine (ISRS). and yes one more thing...the old line of carraiges is no more there. last time it was told that they would be put to use. think they are out running somewhere. good luck to them, and a big 'thank you' to those who thought of it. hope it is powered by a steam locomotive.

An Idea!

This engine could be running if ...

I was, only a while back, travelling by the Delhi Metro when my friend exclaimed that the Indian railways ought to privatise its operations. "Rubbish", I said, pointing out that the moment the Indians Railways is privatised the whole system will collapse. But I also pointed out that the one thing that ought to be privatised are heritage trains. I just came across a news item that said that the country has 29 steam locomotives working in different zones within the country. A pretty low number considering the size of the country and the sheer number of available steam locomotive stocks. Perhaps what needs to be done is to allow private operators to enter into an agreement with the Ministry of Railways to run steam trains through out the country. A number of enthusiasts would join in making the effort really successful. Can’t say if such a proposition has already been placed before the government. But hope that something will be done to increase the number of heritage steam trains the in country.

Indian Steam Locomotive Stamps

I came across a selection of stamps celebrating steam locomotives in India. Rather interesting some of them are (excuse me for the bad sentence structure), and so here they are:



Issued in 1953 to mark the Centenary of Indian Railways


Celebrating 25 years of the National Rail Museum (1996)


Celebrating 150 years of Indian Railways.


Celebrating 100 years of Railways in the Dehradoon Valley.


Celebrating Darjeeling Himalayan Railways for no special reason.


The F1 Locomotive 1895.


Locomotive GIP No. 1


Steam locomotive WR/1 1963.

India has always had a long and chequered history with steam locomotives. In fact that the oldest working steam locomotive is still running here tells a lot about the current situation of steam travel in the country. Restoration is another matter, and I believe that work is being done about it.

On the other hand I haven't yet managed to go to the National Rail Museum. But will soon.