Amazing trains. Loved the long consists and the Alcos.
The Alcos are always lovely, ain't they?
I was a little disappointed not to see any crazy acrobats running along the tops of the bridge walls while hanging onto the train. :giggle:
Aah, that video seems to have become very popular!
So, do the Indian railways still use a caboose on freight trains?
Yes they do, and there is a guard manning the caboose too. The caboose have zero facilities, not even a light, fan or a toilet. I pity the conditions of the guards. Indian Railways has modernized itself in many ways in the recent past but has a long way to go in this department.
Why didn't you make your way to where the food sellers were? Were the platforms too long or too packed to navigate in time?
Too long
I was in the 21st car of a 24 car long train for one half of the journey and 4th car in the other half (since the train reverses direction at one point) and the food stalls generally tend to be located around the midway point of a platform since that's generally the part of the original station structure and platforms have been periodically extended both ways to accommodate longer and longer trains. I should have walked through the vestibules towards the center of the train before major stations and waited there to alight for food, but smart ideas like this one come to mind too late
Do any of these long trains need to double spot?
Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Most major stations today have at least one (usually more) platform long enough to accommodate 24 car long trains, which is the maximum length allowed as of today. If the platform is not long enough and it is a major halt where hundreds of passengers board, then they do a double stop, if it is a smaller stop, the part of the train that cannot be accommodated in the platform simply "hangs" beyond the platform limit and the passengers are expected to board the train using stairs from there.
Did I miss the photos of the interiors somewhere?
Er..I did not take photos of the interiors because by now I know the interiors of all classes on Indian Railways quite well but here is one photo I did take-
This is what Indian Railways calls a "Side Lower berth" and is my favorite since you get access to the window during the day and night (the other passenger has to sleep upstairs where there is no window). The Side Lower and Side upper berths are arranged exactly like Superliner roomettes but the two berths are sold separately and there is no door, rather only a privacy curtain for each passenger. The sheets, pillow and blanket are provided as a part of the fare.
The staff seem a lot more easy going on the Indian trains.
It is really a matter of luck, like on Amtrak, but generally if you be friendly with them and convince them that you mean no harm, they will be very co-operative. Also, if you are a foreigner and/or give out a small tip to the coach attendant upfront, they will go out of their way to be nice with you. Unlike Amtrak, the coach attendants on Indian trains are not well-paid, it is a very low-profile job, they come from poor families and the only time they tend to be uncooperative is when they feel your actions might affect their job, and thereby their family's income. It is out of fear, not out of arrogance.
Have you ever compared and contrasted Amtrak vs. Indian trains? I'd be most curious to find out what you think the positives and negatives are for each side.
Now this is something I would love to do, but some other time. It's well past midnight here in Texas and I need to wake up in time for work tomorrow
