My pictures with their little stories

Life as seen from Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - 4 This picture is part of my Photo Essay : Life as seen from Darjeeling Himalayan Railway See my blog :  My pictures with their little stories

Shoving coal into the boiler of the steam locomotive The sight of the coal fired boiler of the steam locomotive with its door open is a rare sight. The loco staff opens it before the journey to top it up with coal. It is the moment when the lid of the boiler is opened, that the sight of the yellow orange dancing flames make you realise the power they hold and will soon unleash to make this loco pull the coaches of the narrow gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway . ( Darjeeling , 2017) 

Getting ready the steam locomotives of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Getting ready the steam locomotives of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) is an extremely elaborate and long drawn process. The preparations begin several hours prior to the journey. These locomotives are vintage and this means that the loco shed technicians and the drivers need to take extra care of these locos. Here these two beauties are being readied at the loco shed just outside Darjeeling railway station . ( Darjeeling , April 2017) Here is my blog post on Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Romance of Steam Steam, smoke and sound - together they make a heady cocktail. From my childhood, I have looked with great admiration every loco driver that came by. Steam locos have had a special place. These drivers have been my heroes. Would never miss an opportunity to chat up with this special tribe.  (Coonoor, 2007)  ‪

Nilgiri Mountain Railway with steam locomotive Some amount of walking around and climbing gives you the vantage points you have been looking for. The steam locomotive puffing with full force on the gradient on this lovely route of Nilgiri Mountain Railway that passes through dense forest and the Nilgiri mountains . At a spot like this, it is all very quiet and the sound of approaching steam engine gets you in a state of high alert and excitement no less than what was felt by the brother-sister duo in the film Pather Panchali by Satyajit Ray , when they heard the whistle of the steam locomotive from a distance and ran through the fields to catch a glimpse of the approaching beauty - one of the most enchanting cinematographic sequences ever filmed. (somewhere near Lovedale , 2007) Here is my blog post on Nilgiri Mountain Railway

A stop for Nilgiri Express This stop for Nilgiri Express is meant for water to refilled in the steam locomotive. The cute little stations and surroundings are so pretty that you cannot but resist getting down at each station where the train makes a stop. There are vendors selling crispy vadas and chai at each of these stations. (2007 ) Here is my blog post on Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Black Beauty up close The X class steam locomotives that power trains between the stretch of Coonoor to Mettupalayam of Nilgiri Mountain Railway are wonderful machines which are kept running by equally wonderful technicians of Indian Railways who work diligently at the steam loco workshop at Coonoor. Unlike the Light and Sound shows at various archaeological sites, watching these beauties is a Sight and Sound show. Mechanical engineering at its best ! Any youngster who watches these Swiss origin machines up close is bound to be inspired to be a fine mechanical engineer or a technician. (2007)                        Here is my blog post on Nilgiri Mountain Railway

The Man and The Machine It is the love, care and dedication of the technicians at the steam loco workshop at Coonoor that has kept these beautiful X class vintage steam locomotives running on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway . Whoever I spoke to at this workshop - the technicians as well as the engine drivers, they were all proud of the fact nowhere in the world you can find such relics from the past up and running. (2007) Here is my blog post on Nilgiri Mountain Railway