posted
I recently saw Slumdog Millionaire, which I thought incredibly powerful and moving and worth seeing (though one or two scenes were so horrible, I had trouble watching those). Anyway, the train station in Mumbai (Bombay) figures prominently in the film, including exterior shots that look like a beautiful old station. I was wondering if this is really the train station; and also if this is the station that was attacked in the recent terrorist attacks and how badly it was attacked.
I must say, train travel in India seems very appealing, from what I've seen in films. I did not care for the film Darjeeling Ltd, but the one thing I loved about it was the train (and scenery it went through).
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I'll bet the print document of the above resembles the size of the Manhattan telephone directory.
The following link is passed without comment other than to note that within such is contained a link to the Seat 61 site.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
There are two terminals in Bombay. The larger one is the former Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus), which is probably the one you saw in "Slumdog Millionaire" and also the one that was shot up by the terrorists last week.
I forget what the other terminal is called, but one is used by the Central Railway and the other by the Western Railway (all government-owned, but organized into regional companies. Both have heavy commuter traffic, but most LD trains use Victoria.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I was at VT, as they called it, 20 yrs ago. It was impressive, as are many of the station in India, falling apart though they may be. The teeming masses of humanity in these places make it difficult to pay attention to anything except attending to your person. I traveled extensively on Indian trains, 2nd class, 1st class and once A/C class which is the highest. All of it was amazing, all of it got me where I was going along with throngs of others which is astonishing in light of the chaos that appears to reign.
My most memorable experience was a 2nd class berth (little more than a plank) on a night train from Udaipur to Ahmedabad which was pulled by a gigantic steam locomotive belching steam and smoke and sparks that had started tiny fires trackside in the night by the time my carriage had come along. It was unbelievably Romantic - I never would have expected to experience something like that in my life.
Posts: 326 | From: San Antonio Texas USA | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Thanks for all the info and links. That first station shown in Mr Norman's links, nee Victoria, was the one in the film.
Alas, I am not planning any visits--maybe if I were younger! But it does seem very appealing, and your post confirms it, City of M. . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
A few years ago just after a fairly serious railroad accident in India, and they have had several, I saw a discussion in which it was pointed out that due to the huge numbers of passenger-km traveled on the Indian system, their safety record was actually better than any of the systems in Western Europe. Maybe someone with the time and interest could go through the statistics and either confirm or contridict that.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
Regarding the movie "Slumdog Millionaire", such was noted in Frank Rich's Sunday Times column. Here is a "brief passage'; sounds like a nice story with a little rail "action" thrown in for good measure.
DURING the Great Depression, American moviegoers seeking escape could ogle platoons of glamorous chorus girls in “Gold Diggers of 1933.” Our feel-good movie of the year is “Slumdog Millionaire,” a Dickensian tale in which we root for an impoverished orphan from Mumbai’s slums to hit the jackpot on the Indian edition of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” It’s a virtuoso feast of filmmaking by Danny Boyle, but it’s also the perfect fairy tale for our hard times. The hero labors as a serf in the toilet of globalization: one of those mammoth call centers Westerners reach when ringing an 800 number to, say, check on credit card debt. When he gets his unlikely crack at instant wealth, the whole system is stacked against him, including the corrupt back office of a slick game show too good to be true.
We cheer the young man on screen even if we’ve lost the hope to root for ourselves. The vicarious victory of a third world protagonist must be this year’s stocking stuffer. The trouble with “Slumdog Millionaire” is that it, like all classic movie fables, comes to an end
I'll be looking for it in about a year on either HoBO or Starz.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Hard to get reliable and consistent statistics on passenger fatalaties per million km travelled as different countries record things such as trespass/suicide as a fatal accident included in statistics; others don't if the train and its passengers suffered no injury.
In terms of train km, India's figures come in at around 0.5 per million train kilometers. Scandinavia varies between 0.1 and 0.4. I've found a figure of 2.3 for the USA (see here) and 1.0 for the UK (see here).
Again, these figures do not necessarily compare like-for-like, and are for train km rather than passenger km.
A bit more digging and I've found a table of passenger-km at this site: India - 575 billion UK - 440 billion US - 87 billion
Make of this what you will: politicians happily manipulate statistics any way they please.
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: India - 575 billion UK - 440 billion
wow!! One or the other of these would appear to be impossible. Just given the relative size and population of the countries, I would say there is at best a mislocated decimal point. Be interesting to look into.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Geoff M: India - 575 billion UK - 440 billion
wow!! One or the other of these would appear to be impossible. Just given the relative size and population of the countries, I would say there is at best a mislocated decimal point. Be interesting to look into.
(cough, ahem, doh). Oops, you're right - that should be 44 billion for the UK and 8.7 billion for the US! Sorry, I blame it on the late night and statistical number overload.
I would imagine there's a fair bit of underreporting on the Indian figures as fare collection doesn't seem to be their strong point.
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by sojourner: I recently saw Slumdog Millionaire, which I thought incredibly powerful and moving and worth seeing
You certainly are a soothsayer with regards to movies, Ms. Sojourner.
Even if I simply cannot hold similar views, possibly you are the same soothsayer with regards to expansion of the LD system.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I had the good fortune in 1990 to purchase an Indrail Pass and travelled extensively by rail through India with my brother, who at that time lived in Indonesia working for Texaco's Exploration Division.
After leaving Bombay we focused primarily on New Delhi and the Rajastan area, and up towards Darjeeling. In Darjeeling we stayed at a hotel that, every night, dropped off a bucket of coal chunks for your in-room heater. I remember the sunrises at that elevation were spectacular, and seeing the Himalayas and picking out Everest's peak.
My biggest memories of those train trips were of small fans in the upper corners of the room that didn't work, open barred windows for ventilation, and the throngs of people at every station. After each trip, showering was mandatory as we were covered in a fine dust. We stayed at some of the most magnificent and stunning Maharaja-sized palaces-turned-hotel, the Umaid Bhawan Palace hotel and Hotel Shiv Niwas Palace, and I stil remember elephants and monkeys in the streets and around tourist areas. We spent a full day at the Taj Mahal, sunrise to sunset, watching the effect of the different types of light on the stunning marble structure. The soft light of morning making the marble appear a soft pink, the bright light of midday making the marble a striking white, and the evening sun turning the marble yellow. And a wonderful exotic and erotic place called Karjuraho (sp?) with the most amazing structures.
We visited Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Agra, New Delhi, Darjeeling, and Bombay. There was a trip to the abandoned city Fatehpur Sikri, breakfast on balconies overlooking the Lake Palace, the breathtaking Red Fort, and so many other things that I can hardly recall it all.
The people were friendly and gracious, the vistas and sounds a constant attack on your senses, overwhelming and incredible, and the food was nothing short of amazing. It was one of the greatest highlights of my life, and one I will always remember.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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The other station is called Churchgate, and still retains its English name, I think.
I came very close (twice!) to closing a large contract for my consulting firm to develop a major investment program for the commuter railways in Bombay. We had even picked out the hotel we planned to stay in, and were arranging office space. I was looking at where I would travel on the weekends during the several months I expected to spend there.
Alas, Indian politics scuttled the project (which was World Bank funded). I've never regretted losing a job so much! I've always wanted to travel around India, and I'm running out of time (I'm 56 now). Dmwnc1959, your post makes me jealous. That's the kind of trip I had hoped for.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:Originally posted by rresor: Dmwnc1959, your post makes me jealous. That's the kind of trip I had hoped for.
Thanks...I guess? ;-) I have been very lucky in my life as far as world travel is concerned. In addition to the time spent in India I also (in that same trip) spent 3 months in Indonesia and Singapore.
My travels have also taken me to Thailand, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Guam, Kenya (photo Safari), Egypt (the trains there are a whole 'nother story), England (including 8 days in London), 2 years travelling in Europe (2 1-month long trips by Eurail), most of the Caribbean (on about 3 dozen cruises including the Queen Mary 2), Brazil (Rio for Carnivale), most of the United States (Amtrak and car), 5 cruises to Alaska and several to Hawaii, and a few trips into Canada (Vancouver for a month, Quebec, and Montreal).
I have photo albums and memories enough for a hundred people.
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
dmwnc1959, it's nice to see your byline here again.
I've got to ask....did your Indian trip include a ride on the iconic Darjeeling Himylayan narrow guage railway?
If so, I would love to hear more about that.
Thanks,
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Thank you Mr. Pressley, very kind of you to say. I peek in to RailForum once in a rare blue moon (posting only once or twice in almost a year), but rarley have anything to add anymore.
Alas, of all the segments we took in India the trip to Darjeeling was by air from New Delhi, the stunning Himalaya's out of my window in both directions. The aerial pictures I have would make National Geographic green with envy. We flew into Bagdogra and from there, taking a Taxi ride up to the city.
I came away from this trip with over 60 rolls of 35mm film, making several massive photos albums which I love showing off.
quote:Originally posted by notelvis: dmwnc1959, it's nice to see your byline here again.
I've got to ask....did your Indian trip include a ride on the iconic Darjeeling Himylayan narrow guage railway?
If so, I would love to hear more about that.
Thanks,
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I only just saw my old strand re-invigorated here. Mr Norman, when you praised my soothsayer qualities, I presume you meant because the film has now won the Academy Award. But when you say "Even if I cannot hold similar views," you are referring to long-distance trains, right? Or did you mean you could not hold similar views about the movie??
With regard to my views about resurrected and expanded long-distance passenger trains all over the place, and my possible soothsayer talents, I have no idea, . . . except I do see that Obama is very much into developing high-speed rail, which could bode well for my future visions, who knows? . . . But I must say, when I hear some of the speeds being spoken of, I don't know if I'd LIKE my trains going quite that fast. I mean, it's fine for going through NJ on the NE Corridor, and through the flats of Illinois and parts of the stretch into Chicago from the east . . . but I wouldn't want to go that fast up the Hudson, or along Lake Champlain, or on any of the scenic bits anyplace!!!
DMWNC, I marvel at your travels; how very lucky you are indeed. I think my stomach probably couldn't handle a trip to India any more; I sometimes get indigestion just from all that Amtrak cheesecake! But I'd love to go.
I (previous to Slumdog Millionaire) saw the film Darjeeling Ltd simply to see the train, which was wonderful. Some of the scenery and local people were delightful to see as well. However, the overall film was to-me stupid (I hated the 3 leads and their Dumb & Dumber antics), and so I actually left the theater not long after the train ride part was over. . . . But between that and the train station in Slumdog, I get very wistful to hear about all those Indian trains. Even though I am sure they would be far too crowded for me, even if I could deal with the stomach matters.
I am told one must bring one's own water when traveling in India, even for brushing one's teeth. I do not know how this impacts on the food? I absolutely love Indian food, it is my favorite "ethnic" cuisine, and when in NYC even changing trains for a few hours, I always try to have lunch or dinner in my favorite place in Curry Hill, which for me is walking distance from Penn Station. . . .
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I can't speak for India's water but speaking from general experience in Asian and South American countries, you do NOT drink the tap water! You don't brush your teeth with it, you don't eat salad that's been washed with it, and you take your drinks without ice that's been made with it.
The solution is actually quite simple: cheap, filtered water. Not mineral water like Evian but just sealed bottles you can buy on the street for pennies. Upmarket hotels often supply a couple of bottles per day included in your room.
Some will say avoid the street vendors selling hot food. I tend to disagree: you can see their "kitchen" and you've got a rough idea of their hygiene. Never had a bad stomach from them. Compare that to a five star hotel's restaurant from where I and several others had gastroenteritis due to sloppy hygiene.
None of that would stop me boarding a train in the 3rd world though!
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
"Slumdog Millionaire" is now being aired on HoBO. While the rail footage would appear authentic (I'm not about to chasing over there to find out first hand), with regards to the rest of the movie....well let's just say 'I've seen it'.
Gotta ask: since he was not the third Musketeer, then who was D'Artegnian?
Oh well: just my one Rupee's worth (check INR USD exchange for a more colloquial analogy)
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I cannot imagine liking Slumdog on a small screen; much would be lost. I liked it very much, although not as much as some other pictures in the same year, esp The Visitor and a German film about Turkish immigrants whose name escapes me, had some trains in it too
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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