One of the great loves of my life...
It would sound strange to some, eccentric to the curious and downright stupid to regular passengers, but yes, I am crazy about those lines of steel zig zagging their way about the country and monsters of metal screamng past with almost unbecoming grace at speeds that... well your bike can do too ;-).
Heck, IR was never about speed. I suppose mandarins in IR know that too. IR has always been about experiencing travel in a way you could never do by any other form of transport. It has had the right blend of exclusivity and at the same time, common-ness. It makes you reach out to the people and yet keeps some of them a safe distance away. That is what makes people around the world go crazy about IR.
Heck, IR was never about speed. I suppose mandarins in IR know that too. IR has always been about experiencing travel in a way you could never do by any other form of transport. It has had the right blend of exclusivity and at the same time, common-ness. It makes you reach out to the people and yet keeps some of them a safe distance away. That is what makes people around the world go crazy about IR.
I am sure this was never intended by those at the helm of affairs. Had it been so, they would never have been able to do it so beautifully. I hope they keep not intending to do much else either. It might be the only way IR can be saved.
Keep reading for some views on how things on IR really work these days. And for those of you interested, you might make a little visit to www.irfca.org to see lots of Indian Railway action.
posted by Alok Patel @ 3:19 AM
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