Re: Steam locomotives
by Ajit Birdi on Apr 16, 2013 08:51 PM
There was noting foolish to destroy them. Times have moved on from stem to diesel to diesel electric to all electric. Cole is running out with 60% of worlds coal mines closing down. How would one sustain steam locomotives. Yes one or two could have been saved just as it was done in UK two locos are in steam in summer just for tourism and show purpose. But riding on them is not cheap and tickets are booked well in advance with waiting list as long as an arm and a leg. Same could have been done in In India, but is there any demand and will any one pay for a ticket just to ride on stem. I doubt very much.
Re: Re: Steam locomotives
by Argumentative Indian on Apr 17, 2013 11:18 AM
Some steam locomotive should definitely have been preserved.
We neglect our historical artefacts, monuments and indeed anything which is not an immediate requirement.
On a visit to Texas a decade ago I was surprised to find that they have preserved in good working condition, many historically relevant things.
I spent a night in a beautiful bed & breakfast, in a 150 year old house! The house is not glamorous, it is a middle class person's mid sized home. However, it is just beautifully maintained, freshly painted, very small but well laid out garden, clean rooms with antique furniture, creaking floor boards, the works!
What is interesting is that even in the US, Texas' history is a few decades younger than the East Coast that was 'settled' earlier.
I have had similar experiences in London, which is not surprising because that is an old city.
What is sad is that in India, I have never had the privelege to stay in a historical building / house, travel in a historical train, watch some old public traditions, in a country with a history that stretches back thousands of years!
I know that the Taj Hotel at Mumbai is 100s of years old, but who can afford to enter there? Definitely not me, unless my company has a meeting there or something. I had a cup of coffee at their coffee shop in 2007, and it cost Rs. 200 (which was my entire day's allowance at the time)!
