Walking the Railroad…

On a lazy winter Saturday morning in Delhi, what would you do? Few would jump with excitement at the thought of a visit to the National Rail Museum. I faced a similar predicament in trying to convince my mother to let go of her plans to bask in the sun after a hectic week. With this pressure to entertain, we headed for an unlikely mother-daughter outing to the Rail Museum in New Delhi. 

As one entered the parking lot, the ocean of children aged between 4-10 years in colorful school uniforms was a welcome change from our usual haunts with staid adults dressed in their finery. One spotted a few expats with children in tow and occasional groups of young people (perhaps college goers). In the cacophony of shouting, laughter and playful banter, one bought the entry tickets along with the Joy Ride tickets, which promised a train ride through the museum exhibits. 

A customary Indian Railways engine with the national flag at the entrance makes many stop to pose for the perfect picture. Spend a minute on the Guide Map to plan your trip before making your way through the manicured pathways and onto the Museum Junction. The expanse of engines, coaches, tracks and the familiar sound of trains on tracks is bound to make you nostalgic. Old or young, urban or rural, rich or poor, we all have our stories about train journey. There is something that makes the railways an inextricable part of our Indian identity. As one spent the next hour and a half at the museum, one tried to unearth how and why the railways were such an essential thread in the tapestries of our lives. 

With erstwhile machinery laid out in all its past glory, leisurely make your way through these exhibits. While I was busy reading about the steam engine, my mother nonchalantly asked, “Tell me the last movie to be shot here?” I was amazed by the speed at which my brain had processed that question and produced the winning answer i.e. Ki & Ka. Of course, Bollywood has immortalized railways by making it a part of both our fears and our joys. Didn’t we all cringe while watching Gadar as it used the railways to recreate the gruesome aftermath of the partition? Similarly, didn’t the iconic scene from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenga and the dialogue ‘Ja Simran Jee Le Apni Zindagi’ leave an indelible mark on our dreamy memories? Film after film, Bollywood’s romance with the railways has been carefully nurtured giving Indian Railways a pan-India flavor. 

Many magnificent engines and coaches later, one came to a unique exhibit in the form of the Railway Park. Covering a sizeable area, it was a miniature replica of the major railway stations and the rail tracks leading to and away from them. Starting with New Delhi, it traces the journey of cross-country trains to Lucknow Charbagh Station, Victoria Terminus, Chennai Central and Howrah Station, among others. With toy trains plying the tracks, one is transported to the erstwhile Toys “R” Us store in Time Square, New York. Much like the stores, this display will enamor the young and old alike. 

Looking back at history, it is not an exaggeration to say that Indian Railways has helped mold the fabric of our society. An inherent part of our country over 150 years now, it not only made transportation rapid and affordable, but also offered an experience in itself. From summer holiday trips on the Shimla and Darjeeling toy trains to various overnight journeys on Rajdhanis and Expresses, we all have that memory of train journeys with food trays and railways station announcements embedded somewhere in our DNAs. In creating these memories, the railways has inadvertently contributed to consolidating a national identity that is accepting, aware and curious about Indian diversity. 

Jolting one back from these thoughts was the sight of the Joy Train. As it passed by, the noise of the engine was muzzled in the sound of excited schoolchildren, their patient teachers and a few lost adults. The euphoria was no less than that of a rollercoaster ride. Here, in that moment one realized that the railways epitomizes that giddy feeling of adventure, the joy of travel and the smell of the unknown experience that intrigues the inquisitive mind. As is the case with socialization, we evolve to identify with the railways from the very beginning. So do hop onto the Joy Train for a ride down memory lane!

At the end, before heading to the colonial-style cafeteria for a first-floor view of museum, visit the indoor museum as well. While it will seem restrictive when compared to its counterparts outside, it helps narrate the story of Indian Railways from the beginning. For novices, it will help trace the organic growth starting with the first train from Bombay to Thane in 1853 to the modern day cross-country trains traversing distances from Dibrugarh (Assam) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) through one of the world’s largest railway networks. With antique displays and interactive platforms, it’s a pleasant walk through history culminating with a panel that unveils the future of railways. 

 

While my mother reminisced her childhood, I found myself wondering how bullet trains, internet of things and artificial intelligence would transform our conventional interface. Indeed, it would be interesting to trace how this new landscape carves out its niche in the heart of young Indians, while gaining acceptance with the old guard. 

Edward Pease famously remarked, “Let the country make the railroads and the railroads will make the country.” A day at the National Rail Museum will tell you how true the railway pioneer had been!