Comments on: My greatest rail-fanning moments on Indian Railways

By: PN Subramanian

PN Subramanian — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:53:54 +0000

i am sad, the videos and photos have disappeared. Kindly do something.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:46:13 +0000

CB Whittemore pointed me to your vids. I just shared them with my 4-year old grandson Jack, since we are taking an excursion today on the NY commuter railroad I ride to work everyday into NYC — Metro North into Grand Central Terminal. There;’s a model train exhibit that we’re going to see. I’ll let you know if I get some vids of our trains to post on YouTube for you.

Best regards and have a happy New Year — a great 2010 Arun.

David Reich

By: George Taylor

George Taylor — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:09:13 +0000

Lovely videos n pics. Am an old railway freak (61 years in Dec !!!!!) Grandad was Chief Loco Inspector – Western Railway, so had the great good fortune to have been able to ride in the huge steam WP & WC locomotives, the former (with the bullet nose) hauling the mail & express trains. Haven’t had the luck to ride a WDM or the WAP.
Cheers.

By: G.S.

G.S. — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:07:34 +0000

Exhilarating, your videos and pics, Arun!
Especially the ones where the encounters are at close quarters. e.g. the goods train near manmad where you were next to an old hut before a bridge. These railway engines look deceptively small, but viewing them at close quarters gives a real feel of these metal monsters. Especially when they’re driving past at high speed. Like that pic near Kollam (after the train bearing the guys singing ‘Laila o Laila’). It reminded me of 3 places around Ottappalam (where I hail from) where one gets to afford a close encounter- most thrilling indeed. The first one is at the level crossing at Lekkidi on the banks of the Nila, E of Ottappalam (Google Earth Coordinates 10N45’11.25″, 076E26″12.75″). The track towards Olavakkod banks N, and hides from view. This makes a thrilling vista of an approaching train from the E. Only the sound of the tooting horn and the steadily increasing deep rumble of the tracks, till the train engine appears, quite so suddenly charging towards the observer. I usually stand at the gate, and even there, the train passes maybe a couple of meters away! the din and the noise and the clatter is most enjoyable. Another such ‘thriller’ crossing is at a level crossing NE of Wadakaanchery in the Trichur district (10N39’56.45″, 076E15’22.64″). The 3rd such spot is on the main road between Shoranur and Pattambi where it cuts across the Shoranur-Nilambur line just at Vaadaanaamkurussi railway station. Even over here the gates are posited such that a standing observer can get to feel the approach of a train from close quarters.
Kudos for an excellent presentation- Keep it up! And please do keep writing more and presenting more pics and videos!