Steaming duel on tracks

They huffed, blew their whistles and pulled out of Phulera railway station. Two trains, powered by antique steam locomotives and ‘&#145...

They huffed, blew their whistles and pulled out of Phulera railway station. Two trains, powered by antique steam locomotives and ‘‘dressed to kill’’, made a spectacular exit, both hoping to make it to Jaipur first.

Cheered on by hundreds, bade miyan moved on the broad gauge track while chhote miyan chugged along on the meter gauge line. As the two loaded trains picked up speed, the North-West Railway’s unique train race to celebrate its first anniversary appeared to be a whistling success.

‘‘This event has never ever been tried anywhere in the world,’’ said a beaming R.M. Aggarwal, General Manager of the North-West Railway. ‘‘In fact, it can never be tried because nowhere will you find a broad gauge and a meter gauge track running parallel.’’

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But the 50-km track from Phulera to Jaipur proved to be a tougher stretch than officials imagined. The undisputed winner was chhote miyan, which in true railway tradition pulled into Jaipur two hours behind schedule!

The drama began with both drivers, Jaswant Singh and Radha Kishan, confidently claiming they would win the race.

‘‘Wait and watch,’’ said Kishan, chote miyan driver. Singh was equally confident. At present, a Rajdhani and Shatabdi driver, this veteran drove steam engines till 10 years ago. ‘‘One doesn’t forget how to drive these things,’’ Singh said.

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