In love with the shape of trains

Railfans are fascinated by the look, feel, speed and network of this locomotive

May 25, 2017 11:49 pm | Updated 11:50 pm IST - Bengaluru

Trainspotting: Over a lakh across India have connected via social media to share their passion for trains.

Trainspotting: Over a lakh across India have connected via social media to share their passion for trains.

Familiar with the term ferroequinologists? They are a growing tribe of people for whom trains are not just a mode of transport, but a fascinating machine on wheels gliding over undulating railway tracks for hours and hours.

This passion — which spans photos, videos, information, discovering locomotives and wagons — has been growing over the years among ‘railfans’. There are close to 200 railfan groups on Facebook (‘The Railfan Junction’, ‘The Railfans’ Association’, ‘The Ferroequinologists’ Club of India’ etc.), while over a lakh people across India have have connected over this shared passion.

In Bengaluru, a ‘medium-sized community’ for railfans, the number is estimated to be over 1,000.

Shoubhik Ghosh, an undergraduate economics student in Bengaluru, says: “It is not just the trains that fascinate me, but their traffic management too. I began taking an interest in the kind of locomotives that haul these coaches and the speeds they achieve.”

With the advent of social media and online groups, it has been easier for Mr. Ghosh to connect with those with similar interests. Acquiring knowledge is much easier and it fuels his fledgling obsession with the Indian Railways.

What enthuses ferroequinologists in India is the complexity of our Railways with its 21,000 trains that run over 1.15 lakh network of rails, carrying around 2.2 crore passengers a day. The intricate movements (coordinated through station codes, train numbers, locomotive sheds...) as well as 10,500 locomotive engines that haul hundreds of thousands of coaches is an incredible network in itself.

“There is even a growing interest in understanding how trains are scheduled, with timetables being studied thoroughly. For me, rake links (how coaches are attached) and loco links (the engine hauling the trains) are most fascinating,” says Ashraf Ahmed Khan, a Bhopal-based railfan.

The railfan’s preferred method of observation is sitting in large stations (with platform tickets) and observing trains making their stops, for hours. Or, at small stations to see trains whizz by at high speeds.

“If we get a chance to meet a loco pilot, it is equivalent to meeting a celebrity. We ensure we express gratitude,” says Arun Pandian, a software engineer in Bengaluru.

For railfans, each new train inducted adds another dimension to their passion. A few months ago, Hamsafar Express (connecting Bengaluru to Kamakhya in Assam) pulled out from Bangalore Cantonment Railway Station during its maiden run, with little fanfare and no media attention to speak of.

But for Kabir Joshi, a human resources professional, who assembled there with two other friends, the event was a memory to cherish.

This enchantment with the railways grows into a deep attachment. For anniversaries of popular trains, even cakes are cut and mementoes are gifted by the ‘railfans’.

Vanishing tickets

As Railways speeds towards digitisation, collectibles such as tickets are rapidly disappearing.

“Because of e-tickets, the old airline-style tickets of Rajdhani and Shatabdi have gone. These booklet-type tickets used to be a fascination for us, but these have become extinct,” said Harsh Vardhan, a railfan.

Another more serious concern — one that has started a debate among railfans — is the use of cameras to capture this passion. In many areas, taking photos is prohibited inside stations or of trains. This has led to arguments between railfans and the Railway Police. As railfans get closer to the railway set-up, often confidential information — including, crew management — is leaked.

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