Their own train

The Parel workshop was established in 1879 for repair and periodic overhauling of steam engines. The train was introduced for the workers of this workshop and old-timers say there was a time when it used to depart from inside the workshop. “Our retired staff say the administration had provided this special train after a protest by workers. No ordinary commuter can board this train. Even if they have passes,they will be treated like those travelling without tickets,” said Gajanan Vaiti,a painter at Parel workshop for the past 25 years.

The nine-rake train was later converted into a 12-rake one like other trains. It has been given two halts at Parel as the platform is short in length. In the evening,it originates from Byculla siding,near the Parcel Depot and Signalling and Telecom Department. A fast train till Thane,it halts at Parel,Matunga,Kurla,Ghatpoker and Bhandup befor terminating at Kalyan. In the morning,it starts from Kalyan but has a halt at Vikhroli.

It terminates at CST. “It is not scheduled from CST. Railway employees who want to travel in it board it at CST before it starts from Byculla siding ¿ its originating point,” said Ravindra K Kutty,a railway driver at Parel. “The train never gets late. And in case it gets late,we won’t be marked late at our offices.”

“We enjoy travelling in the same compartments for 25 years. We all friends sit together and share our views on everything under the sun. We celebrate festivals besides decorating the train during Dussehra,” said Sunil Satam,a shunting master at Parel.    

Unlike the other local trains,it has only one ladies’ compartment as the number of women workers is less. Also,men travel with women in this ladies’ compartment. “After all, we are colleagues — we work together,so there is no hesitation in sitting with them and gossiping,” a woman worker said.

“Sometimes,we allow school students and college-going girl students to travel with us as there is much crowd in the other trains.”