Railway station to host permanent heritage photo gallery

Pictures of steam engines bring nostalgic moments

With 110 photographs displaying the bygone era of steam engines on display, the gallery provides the elder generation nostalgic moments and the younger generation the fleeting moments in history.

President Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s visit to Mysore in 1962, Gandhiji Special train used to carry his ashes, steam engines and diesel engines is a perfect for rail enthusiasts. Several photographs of railway stations including the Meerat, Lahore, Howrah and Mumbai can be seen at the exhibition.

David Lean’s ‘A passage to India’ being shot at Doddaballapur Railway Station, a bullock cart pulling a small carriage on the railway tracks is also visible.

South Western Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, B B Verma said that the museum is a gift to the residents of Mysore on the occasion of Dasara. He said that exhibition was done up in two weeks by collecting photographs from mediapersons, local people and the Association of Mysore Railway Station. He said that SWR has plans to permanently display the photographs.

Inaugurating the exhibition, CFTRI, Director, V Prakash  said that the exhibition brings about nostalgic moments. Reminiscing a ride in the steam engine, he bemoaned that the next generation would never know the thrill of riding in a train pulled by the steam engine.

Presenting four photographs of former president Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s visit to Mysore, Photo journalist Amardas said that earlier there was only train from Mysore to Bangalore, which started at 7 am in the morning and reach Bangalore at 1 pm.

Reminiscing about the journey during those times, he said that people used rush to buy Maddur Vada’s when the train stopped at Maddur railway station.

A passenger, Chandrashekar who has been travelling in trains for the past 45 years said that when the steam engines were around the engine drivers used to stop the trains if people wanted to board the train.

Senior Commercial Manager Anoop Dayanand Sadhu and Additional Railway Manager, Majumdar were present.