George FilesThe truth, one post at a time

Ooh Trains - Fast Ones

February 5, 2008 by roshan.george in Tech

Alstom AGVI've loved trains ever since I was a kid. I remember running/cycling down to the station just to wave at the trains going by, and pestering my dad to take me to the engine. I did get in a steam engine once and even pulled the thing that makes it go toot, a very nice experience. So it gives me one hell of a thrill to hear about new trains, especially these beautiful high speed ones that make my 18km train journey to college seem like a walk to the refrigerator.

The Alstom AGV, 360 kilometres an hour, I could go from here to Delhi in a day! Right across the country! There's something about a train journey that a flight can't replicate, being able to walk around all the time, not have to worry about turbulence and leg room, lots of leg room. If they could get a train that was at least go at half the speed consistently would really make my day. Of course there's the usual problem with people insisting on crossing the tracks when overbridges are clearly present. I can understand if they did it because they can't climb the bridge but I can hardly imagine someone climbing the 3-4 foot high platform while being unable to climb the stairs to the bridge.

In other news, the chair I was sitting on broke while I was typing this.

24 comments

ArunFebruary 5, 2008

How much is that broken chair? I'll double it.

roshan.georgeFebruary 5, 2008

You want broken chair? Whatever for?!

ArunFebruary 5, 2008

My grandpa likes that kind of chairs. Maybe you will get to know each other, old man.

roshan.georgeFebruary 5, 2008

It's bad for the back man, broken chairs.

IshaFebruary 6, 2008

Reminds me of Diwali breaking one of Sam's chairs.
Only... Diwali's and Gee's body build are not very similar..

roshan.georgeFebruary 6, 2008

Yes, that is rather much more believable than this. In fact, I wouldn't believe it but for the photograph.

SathyanarainFebruary 6, 2008

True. Trains cant replace planes when it comes to sily pleasures!
And you didn't mention spying for chicks in the compartment on the pretext of going to the loo! ;)

MarcFebruary 6, 2008

I used to bicycle five kilometres with my friend to watch the trains go past at the station in my grandparents' town.

IshaFebruary 7, 2008

Sathynarain, just one question. What kind of chicks do you mean? Bangalorian Stella Maris chicks?

AdithyaFebruary 7, 2008

Sitting on any chair for long hours is bad for your back. Arun's back is already broken.

ArunFebruary 7, 2008

By Ragha's Jump-Somersault-Kick move.

KarthikFebruary 7, 2008

I like train journeys myself. However there are times when train journeys can be hell. Especially if it's morning trains without berths and if you are travelling alone. For instance my recent day train from Coimbatore to Madras was as bad as it could get. My copassengers played the "ladies" card on me and asked me to exchange my window seat for some other middle seat. To my either side I had giants and I was squeezed in. Other things that can make your train trip annoying

1) Lack of leg room on morning trains
2) Seat close to the loo. (Man I always get something like 2 or 70's. Always the ruddy stinky close to the loo seats.)
3) Annoying co-passengers who converse loudly and wont even ignore you.(Not even the good looking in your age group types.)
4) A

KarthikFebruary 7, 2008

4) was, A child younger than 3 years. They have the energy to wail all day and then all night. If you are unlucky enough, they might even take a piss on you. :D

SathyanarainFebruary 7, 2008

@ Isha,
Beggars cant be chosers! :P
I say whatever available. They should also meet my 'international' standards! :D

roshan.georgeFebruary 7, 2008

Ha ha Isha. Sathyanarain, in Bangalore there is this poultry store called Stella Maris - Hence, Stella Maris 'chicks'.

Marc: The station near my place wasn't that far away. It was a couple of minutes by cycle and it was on a tree lined road in Goldenrock (where all the diesel engines are from :) ) A superbly beautiful place to live in.

Adithya and Arun: Holy jesus! Poor Arun. I'm sure Ragha volunteered to fix his back too? :)

Karthik: Fortunately the only times I've travelled alone, I've travelled in 2nd AC, so it's okay. When I travel with a bunch of people we can easily handle any trouble that comes our way, and we usually get a bunch of seats to ourselves that are close together so we don't have to deal with nutcases nearby.

They won't ignore you? Is that a bad thing or a good thing? Kids, man. There were these two crazy kids on my trip to Calcutta, the guy kept claiming that I was "not smart" and the girl kept stealing my god-damn pillow.

SathyanarainFebruary 7, 2008

@ Isha,
Very funny woman! very funny!
hmph!
:P
BTW, I am veggie! ;)

roshan.georgeFebruary 7, 2008

Oh shit, why?

IshaFebruary 8, 2008

Sathyanarain, your loss. I bet the chicks are nice :D

Georgeous...
"and we usually get a bunch of seats to ourselves that are close together so we don’t have to deal with nutcases nearby"
You've gotta deal with yourselves first :)
I remember Git's one message when you folks went to Bangalore for the Picasso play; "These nuts have got stoned in the loo! Roshan's gone all funny and Ranjitha's stopped trying to make us practise. Now she's asleep."

Man, I wish I'd have been around. Why do I miss all fun events?!

roshan.georgeFebruary 8, 2008

Oh yes, and that was the time we got seats next to the damn toilet too. And the floor was wet, I think, and damn transvestites came for money. Wow, that was a whack time.

ArundhathiFebruary 11, 2008

Then there are those train journeys in which certain people fall asleep in the middle of conversations and refuse to move to middle berths...

ArundhathiFebruary 11, 2008

And that's Arundhathi, and not Arundathi :)

roshan.georgeFebruary 12, 2008

Ha ha, heh heh, yes, those times too. The middle berth is an abomination, it is a horrible idea. I was just boycotting it.

Fixed :)

ArundhathiFebruary 13, 2008

Thanks :) For some reason I'm all touchy about spelling my name right. I suspect it's because often my name was spelt Arundati (how?!) and then some annoying juniors in school started calling me Dirty.

roshan.georgeFebruary 13, 2008

It happens. Got to keep the h's coming then. Will remember.