Yesteryear musings(6) - Travel

Travel by train was an ordeal. If you had a window seat and the wind direction was toward you, you will be fully immersed in coal particles by the time you arrive at the destination. The hair will be full of coal, the clothes will be black. At wayside stations, the trains will stop for taking in water (remember that water is needed to produce steam and these were steam engines). The schedules were unhurried. I remember that on many occasions while traveling Mumbai – Chennai (Bombay – Madras in those days) and vice versa, I have taken a shower at the waiting room of wayside stations without missing the train. On several occasions I have had a good shower in the train itself. At other times we used to walk up to the engine and have a chat with the driver. We used to deem it an honor if the driver offered us a ride in the engine till the next station. Traveling by first class was indeed a luxury. We had cabins with a drawing room, bed room and so on. Liveried waiters will deliver decoction, milk and sugar separately.