India: Running out of Steam (part 4) : The Sad Story of Palur & the Last Run of Pondicherry Special

These are excerpts from National Geographic's "The Great Indian Railway"(1995), probably the best documentary ever on the Indian Railways. As a young boy, I used to travel to Grandma's place by the Howrah Mail from Madras. In 1989, on one such trip, My dad pointed out to a gigantic engine puffing smoke in the shed at Madras central as our train was leaving and said: "Manu, look, that's a steam engine". I forgot about steam engines later. In 1999(10 years later), I watched the National Geographic's special screening of this documentary on TV. I remembered my encounter with the puffing beasts in 1989. I couldn't stop crying by the end of this documentary. Starting in the early 80's the Steam engines of the Indian Railways have been slowly phased out of all the main lines in favor of Electric and Diesel locomotives due to economic pressures. By the turn of the 90's, it had become a rare sight to see a Steam-driven train. You can buy the DVD or VHS of this 115 minute documentary on nationalgeographic.com. It costs $15 including US local postage.

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[tennantesque]

Similar small station were closed in England in the 1960's, due to ecenomic reasons.

However, there is now pressure to re-open these stations to ease pressure on our roads.

India would do well to maintain and susidise its smaller stations.

We must learn the value of things not just their price!

[binoyrakesh]

The fast growing economy and new demands for faster transportation means that in India, these forgotten railway stations will be renovated and re-opened for traffic very soon. :) the bad news is - it is not thee steam powered trains that will connect these remote stations.

[nprakashprasad]

can i get to see the 3 part and any other steam vedios that you have? its really nice and i too travelled by steam for a long time during my youngage. we had to travel for 2 days and ur coach used to be attached first to a diesel loco and then a steam engine took our train upto guntur. our coach was just next to the engine while going and the last one while returning

[binoyrakesh]

part 3 : watch?v=INE2dXUoByU

please look at the related videos :)

[binoyrakesh]

The file is huge. I have a short version of this documentary(which contains all the videos i uploaded here) I can load it to rapidshare or something and give you a link if you want. Pls let me know.

[tannydevil]

this is one of the best docus of the NGC

[anirudhf2004]

steam loco yg no 2424 is at Mysore Rail Museum

[jghgfghj]

wow, this is a proud documentary, the indan railway has seen lots of changes since this films been shot. it is much more profitable and cheaper for Indians to travel. it has become more efficient but still its slow compare to other countries but much more reachable to the rural India. We all love traveling on these trains, hanging by the doorways seeing the beautiful country side, felling the wind roll by.

[KJH24oktober1952]

I think that steam engineering is out.

But why not let it go on with diesel and el engineering.

We have seen the same i Europe. Companies leaded by economist and not idealist.

If it cant survey it must day.

[metamaggot]

there used to be a steam train with a regular service that used to pass near wher i grew up in the south of france

they withdrew it sometime in 1997 i think

no it's become a cycle track...i think the train went to a museum...

[superstarprithviraj]

WOWWWWWWWWW GREAT DEAR, THANKS FOR YOUR KIND TO POST THIS

[trainlover658]

ya know why countries like india have always been so kind and cheerful? its cause steam was kept around, now that diesels are introduced.... it'll never be the same...

[Shipwright1918]

A simply amazing set of videos. I had no idea a driver was assigned an engine for life... I feel very sad for the men and women of the railways, those who loved steam only to see it vanish. I hope some of these engines may see a new century, so the younger generations may see one at work.

I wish I could be a driver on the Darjeeling Railway, or any steam locomotive for that matter...A fellow can dream, can't he?

[sonicxthomasexpert]

A fireman on the same line had commited suicide when he didn't make it to engineer. You should never commit suicide because God gave you your life therefore killing yourself means forever punishment. If you don't make it to engineer then you must keep going as a fireman and you will make it some day.

I think the Indian Railways had a great custom to give not just Kamakshi but any widow a job after her husband died.

[jcarroll249]

The best railway documentary I have ever seen, and by a considerable margin. The camera work, editing, narration, and music are all first class.