I have thought about sharing my travel experiences with you all here on this site, but I never had any out of the world experiences. All of them were on a broad-gauge train going from one place to another. So, I thought of sharing my first clear memory of a train journey that made me a railfan. Let's travel back in time, to June of 2005.
I was 6 years old at that time and that memory is etched in my mind and I can never forget how impressed I was by...
more... Indian Railways and its trains.
I have a faint memory of myself as a kid/toddler standing in a train but no matter how much I try, I can't remember it more than that. I tried asking my parents about it but they don't remember it either.
So, a little background about me and my family. We live in Punjab, Jalandhar district. My father always had a job outside the state, mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. So, we used to spend our summer vacation where he was working and I used to get supper excited just to travel in trains, an excitement that is still the same when I am 25 years old.
We used to live in a village that is not too far from where I live now. The nearest major railhead to our place was and still is Jalandhar City/Jalandhar Cantt. We used to board the train from Jalandhar City mostly because it was easier to reach there in a train. We took the last DEMU train coming from Pathankot to reach Jalandhar City JN. It was around 8 in the night and after boarding it, the train departed and after a couple of minutes, I felt a sudden jerk and the train stopped. My father went to check and found out that a man was about to be hit by the train but nothing serious happened. The train departed and after almost an hour, we had arrived Jalandhar City railway station. It was crowded and I was stunned to see so many people waiting for their trains. I still remember, Jammu Mail (JAT-DLI) used to go to City station and have a reversal there before continuing its journey towards Delhi.
The clock was ticking, and I was getting impatient while waiting for our train. It was the 4632 ASR - DDN Lahori Express, quite a unique name for me at that time and interesting one too. Yes, at that time train numbers were 4 digits only as you know. Anyways, the train arrived, and we boarded the sleeper coach of the train. As, it was almost midnight, my parents put me on the middle berth of the train, but it wasn't moving, turns out, the train used to halt at JUC for about 20 minutes or so and I was impatient because I wanted the train to move. So, I did what any curious kid would do, I bombarded my father with hundreds of questions about trains and railways and I was falling in love with trains with every answer I was getting.
I felt a sudden jolt and the train started to move. It was picking up speed and was giving the vibes of an amusement park ride with all the sideways motion and track sounds. I was mesmerized. The ASR - UMB - DLI route was electrified long back, and our train was hauled by a WAP-1 of GZB as it was the regular link of the train at that time.
Soon enough I slept and woke up in the morning. We were to get off at Roorkee, Uttarakhand. So, I was woken up by my parents, mostly after Saharanpur JN.
I still remember, I used to get scared whenever a railway bridge came as it produces a lot of noise, and you see nothing but water when you look down. Well, I am not scared by them now but it's always interesting going down the memory lane. We deboarded the train at our destination, Roorkee (RK) and the name Lahori was etched in my mind forever as it was the only train whose name and number I remembered for the first time. I was talking about the train journey with my family and my father's colleagues for days.
And that's how a railfan was born. I have a lot of other interesting stories to share with you guys. So, stay tuned.
Thanks to Mr. Arnab and Mr. Kumud for inspiration 😊
Until next time
Gagan
please wait...Translate to EnglishYo, peeps! So, I was thinking of spilling the tea about my travels with y'all on this site, but to be real with ya, I ain't had no crazy experiences. It's all been regular train rides from one place to another. But let me hit ya with my first memory of being a hardcore train fanatic, back in June 2005.
Picture this - I was just 6 years old back then, but that one train journey left a mark on my soul. I was livin' in Punjab, Jalandhar district. Daddy was always working out of state, mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. So, we used to tag along during our summer breaks, and I was always hyped AF about riding them trains, a feeling that still hits me even at 25.
We used to reside in a village close to where I'm at now. The go-to train spot was Jalandhar City/Cantt. Boarding the train from there was a breeze. We'd hop on the last DEMU from Pathankot to Jalandhar City. One time, there was this close call with a dude almost gettin' smacked by the train, but all good.
Finally, our train - the 4632 ASR - DDN Lahori Express, pulled up. We hopped on the sleeper coach. I was put on the middle bunk, but the train hit a stop at JUC, and I was all antsy for it to get a move on. So, I bombarded Dad with questions about trains, falling deeper in love with 'em with every answer.
The train finally started chugging, giving off them amusement park vibes. The WAP-1 loco from GZB was pullin' us through the electrified ASR - UMB - DLI route. I dozed off and woke up near Roorkee, Uttarakhand.
The sound of bridges used to freak me out, but I'm over it now. But man, reminiscing about those times is a trip. Stepped off at Roorkee (RK), the memory of Lahori Express forever etched in my mind. Soon, I became a total railfan, and I got more tales to dish out - so stay tuned!
Big shoutout to Mr. Arnab and Mr. Kumud for the inspo 😊
Catch ya later,
Gagan
please wait...Translate to HindiMaine socha hai ki main apni safar ki anubhavon ka baant chuka hoon aur iss site par sabke saath share karunga, par maine kabhi kisi asli tajurbey se guzra nahi tha. Sabhi safar to ek jagah se doosri jagah jaane waale broad-gauge train mein hi hue the. Isliye, maine socha apni pehli train yatra ke saaf yaad ko share karne ka jo mujhe ek railfan banaya tha. Chaliye samay machine mein chalte hain, 2005 ke June mahine mein.
Main uss waqt 6 saal ka tha aur wo yaad meri zehen mein chhap gayi hai aur main kabhi nahi bhool sakta ki main kitna prabhavit tha Indian Railways aur uske trains se.
Mujhe bachpan mein khade hote ek train ki halki yaad hai par kitni bhi koshish karu, zyada yaad nahi aa rahi hai. Mene apne parents se puchha par unhe bhi wo yaad nahi aa rahi hai.
To thoda sa background meri family aur meri. Hum Punjab ke Jalandhar zile mein rehte hain. Mere papa ka kaam hamesha state ke bahar hota tha, mostly Uttar Pradesh aur Uttarakhand mein. Isliye, hum uss jagah pe jate the jahaan wo kaam karte the aur main trains mein safar karne ka beshak utsahit hota tha jo aaj bhi 25 saal ke hone par waisa hi hai.
Hum ek gaon mein rehte the jo aaj bhi mere ghar ke paas hai. Hamare ghar ke najdik ka major railway station Jalandhar City/Jalandhar Cantt tha aur ab bhi hai. Hum Jalandhar City se train mein chadhate the mostly kyunki wahan pahunchna aasan hota tha. Ham Jalandhar City shahar se aane waali akhri DEMU train lete the jo Pathankot se aati thi tak pahunchne ke liye Jalandhar City JN mein. Lagbhag saat baje tha aur train chadhne ke baad kuch minute ke baad, mujhe ek achank jhatka laga aur train ruk gayi. Mere papa gaye check karne aur pata chala ki ek aadmi train se takraya tha par kuch serious nahi hua. Train chal di aur lagbhag ek ghante baad hum Jalandhar City railway station pahuch gaye. Wahin bheed thi aur main hairaan tha dekhkar itne log apni trains ka intezar kar rahe the. Main yaad karta hoon, Jammu Mail (JAT-DLI) City station jaati thi aur wahan aage ki yatra ke liye reversal karti thi.
Ghadi tez gati se chal rahi thi, aur main besabri se humari train ka intezaar kar raha tha. Wo thi 4632 ASR - DDN Lahori Express, wo waqt mein mere liye kaafi alag aur rochak naam tha. Haan, uss waqt train numbers sirf 4 digits hi hote the jaise aap jante hain. Udaaharan ke taur par, train pahunch gyi, aur hum train ke sleeper coach mein baith gaye. Kyunki lagbhag raat ke 12 baje the, mere parents ne mujhe train ke beech wale berth par rakh diya par train nahi chal rahi thi, baad mein pata chala ki JUC mein yakriban 20 minute ke liye rukti thi aur mujhe besabri thi kyunki main chahta tha train chale. Toh maine kiya woh sab kuch jo koi curious baccha karta hai, maine apne papa ko train aur railway ke baare mein saare sawalon se bomb bard kar diya aur har jawab se mujhe trainon se pyar ho raha tha.
Maine ek achank jhatka mahsus kiya aur train chalne lagi. Wah tezi se badh rahi thi aur aise hi ek amusement park ride ki feeling de rahi thi sab sideways motion aur track ki awaz ke saath. Main bas dekhta raha. ASR - UMB - DLI route ko pehle se hi electrified kar diya gaya tha, aur humari train uss waqt GZB ke WAP-1 dwara khinchi ja rahi thi kyunki wo train ka regular link tha uss samay.
Thodi der baad main so gaya aur subah utha. Humein Roorkee, Uttarakhand mein utarna tha. To, mere parents ne mujhe jagaaya, zyadatar Saharanpur JN ke baad.
Main yaad karta hoon, mujhe dar lagta tha jab bhi kisi railway pul aata kyunki wo bahut shor machata tha aur neeche dekhte waqt sirf paani dikhta tha. Haan, ab mujhe unse dar nahi lagta par hamesha yaadein taaza rehti hain. Hum apne manzil par, Roorkee (RK) mein utre aur Lahori ka naam meri zehen mein hamesha ke liye chhod gaya kyunki yeh wahi train thi jiska naam aur number maine pehli baar yaad kiya tha. Main apne parivaar aur mere papa ke saathiyo ke saath train yatra ke baare mein dinon tak baat karta raha.
Aur aise hi ek railfan ka janam hua. Mere paas aap sabke saath share karne ke liye aur bhi kai rochak kahaniyaan hain. Toh bane rahiye jude hue.
Mr. Arnab aur Mr. Kumud ko prerna ke liye shukriya 😊
Agli baar tak
Gagan
