Railways, train lovers and their magnificent obsessions

The railway means different things to different enthusiasts. A rail enthusiast could be interested in the history of the railways, in its locomotives, coaches, wagons, its stations, its signalling systems, its ticketing methods, its bridges and tunnels, or even in the food served on railway platforms.

A railway enthusiast can go to any extent to see one's favorite railway operation or one's favorite train. He or she can spend hours idling on a platform just to see the favourite mail rush past.

An enthusiast can spend a whole day in a locomotive shed or perched on the top of a hill, just waiting for a particular express or a heavy freight to come out of a tunnel.

In addition to the Indian enthusiast, many foreigners are deeply fascinated by the strange romance that the Indian Railways can weave around us.

On the one hand, the railway is quite current and contemporary while on the other, antiquated and archaic. Infact, Indian Railways can possibly be viewed in two different ways – a modern way of doing traditional railroading or a traditional way of doing modern railroading.

Railway enthusiasts have diverse passions. Some would like to have a deep knowledge of the technology of trains; some would like to note down loco numbers; while others would like to travel. Some may enjoy dreaming about the nostalgic steam age, yet others prefer to build models.

But yes, one of the most avid and passionate rail enthusiast is the rail photographer.

In spite of this love for the railways, the words “RAIL ENTHUSIAST” seeped into the broader railway culture quite late in India. Though the enthusiasts existed in India for many years and silently went about their passion, their existence was neither noted nor recognised.

An important step in this direction was the formation of the “Friends of the National Railway Museum” which later became the “Indian Steam Railway Society”.

A bigger railway enthusiast movement came through the formation of the IRFCA (Indian Railway Fan Club Association). Though started in USA by a few Indian students, it caught on like fire in India and now boasts a website - “www.irfca.org”.

This website is filled with thousands of photographs of the Indian Railways and a huge amount of technical information and a large number of articles. This is a true treasure trove for the Indian rail enthusiast and even many railway officers take a look at the site.

Now there is a tacit acceptance of this strange breed of men and women coming from very different walks of life with one common interest —their passion for the Indian Railways.