Aravind V S visits the Mysore Railway Museum and is transported back in time to the glorious era when the railways began.
Located behind the Mysore railway station is the impressive railway museum with its priceless locomotives, coaches, collection of paintings and photographs narrating 'railway stories'.
Though there are several railway museums in India, the Mysore Railway Museum bags the top spot for its unique collections - the Maharajas of Mysore contributed their royal carriages enriching this treasure trove.
The railway museum in Mysore was established in the year 1979 by the Southern Railways. At the entrance is the reception cum ticket counter converted from an old brake van, which used to carry a guard and had a hand brake.
On the left is an engine in a model railway station. Here you can find a good collection of locomotives, photographs, information and objects related to the development of the railways. The prize exhibit here is the Maharani's Saloon, which was built in the United Kingdom.
For those who have children or want to take a ride, a battery-operated toy-train, which goes around the grounds is the main attraction.
NWR 119-E is the first locomotive at the entrance, the next is the 1922 model, a beautiful ES 906 narrow gauge engine, brought to India from England at the cost of Rs 57,791. It had the privilege of carrying passengers between Yelahanka and Bangarpet.
There is also a Continental Lever Double Wire Close Pet used from 1910 to 1920 in the Mysore-Bangalore section. One can see a steam pump used to raise water to great heights, a coach with three-line parallel seating arrangements, an old inspection car as well as an E class engine No 37224 (M G), which was made in England in 1920 and used by Bhadravathi's Vishveshwaraiah Iron and Steel Limited company. Another interesting locomotive is a 1925 model, Austin Rail Motor Car, which looks like a normal car from the old days but runs on track.
According to the story, it was a car made to run on a road, but later sold to a scrap dealer. A railway employee bought this car from the scrap dealer and restored it. He fitted rail wheels onto the car, removed the steering and made it a railcar. It was used for carrying inspection officials on the track and could carry six people. Surprisingly, it is still in a running condition.
Next to the railcar is the traditional steam engine with a huge space for storing coal (9.5 tonnes), a water capacity of 3,000 gallons and a large steam tank. It was built by Telco Tatas in 1963. It is a typical engine of the time and can haul 14 coaches at a maximum speed of 75 km per hour with a 700hp super-heated boiler. Another important locomotive is the Automatic Buffer Coupler used in the metre gauge rolling stock.
Chamundi gallery
A circular gallery, called the Chamundi gallery, exhibits photographs, series of paintings showing the development of the railways and signaling systems right from its inception. There are exciting collections - photographs of the E class 0-1-2 engine built in 1877, YP Pacific on Banikui between Agra and Jaipur, a horse van with hand signal, ball signal of 1837, bar signal, primitive arm signal etc.
The gallery also has a specimen of a railway employee's service records, various railway journals like Locomotive and Carriage Superintendents Volumes and loco rule books.
The pictures of the old third class double decker of Mumbai and Baroda as well as a new version of the double decker and its the development till the electric train are displayed.
Ranga pavilion
The main attraction of this museum is the Sri Ranga Pavilion. This pavilion incorporates in its construction beautifully carved wooden pillars, doors and balustrades from the old Srirangapatna Railway Station. You can find two royal coaches, which belonged to the Maharani of Mysore, reflecting the era of bygone splendour.
The eight wheeler 'Maharani's saloon' carriages have a kitchen, dining car unit with cooking stoves, stone grinders, hot water boilers, royal toilet and a separate wing for servants. These date back to 1899 and were run on both the broad gauge and metre gauge. They give us an idea about the grand manner that royalty travelled in.
These carriages were manufactured by Hurst and Nelson of England and the body was elegantly carved at Central Workshops in Mysore South at a cost of Rs 29,508, quite a large sum for that period. It is fitted with a bedroom with delicately gilded ceilings, replete with chandeliers, fans, card tables, dressing tables, writing tables and all the necessary comforts.
The first steam engine that was built is exhibited here and has been preserved very well. Most of the exhibits in the museum were once housed in the Mysore Palace. One of the sections displays various small items relating to the then Mysore State Railways, including the telephone used by the late Maharaja of Mysore, Mysore Station Railways clock made in New York, various types of pendulum clocks, different kinds of hand signal items, teak wood dressing table of Sagar Railway station, a model of Loka Pavani bridge, a model of the longest bridge in Hassan-Mangalore Railway Projects, and a working model of the steam engine.
Location and price
The museum is situated opposite the CFTRI on KRS Road, close to the railway station. With an entrance fee of Rs 5 and a camera fee of Rs 10, one can enjoy the golden age of the railways. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Located behind the Mysore railway station is the impressive railway museum with its priceless locomotives, coaches, collection of paintings and photographs narrating 'railway stories'.
Though there are several railway museums in India, the Mysore Railway Museum bags the top spot for its unique collections - the Maharajas of Mysore contributed their royal carriages enriching this treasure trove.
The railway museum in Mysore was established in the year 1979 by the Southern Railways. At the entrance is the reception cum ticket counter converted from an old brake van, which used to carry a guard and had a hand brake.
On the left is an engine in a model railway station. Here you can find a good collection of locomotives, photographs, information and objects related to the development of the railways. The prize exhibit here is the Maharani's Saloon, which was built in the United Kingdom.
For those who have children or want to take a ride, a battery-operated toy-train, which goes around the grounds is the main attraction.
NWR 119-E is the first locomotive at the entrance, the next is the 1922 model, a beautiful ES 906 narrow gauge engine, brought to India from England at the cost of Rs 57,791. It had the privilege of carrying passengers between Yelahanka and Bangarpet.
There is also a Continental Lever Double Wire Close Pet used from 1910 to 1920 in the Mysore-Bangalore section. One can see a steam pump used to raise water to great heights, a coach with three-line parallel seating arrangements, an old inspection car as well as an E class engine No 37224 (M G), which was made in England in 1920 and used by Bhadravathi's Vishveshwaraiah Iron and Steel Limited company. Another interesting locomotive is a 1925 model, Austin Rail Motor Car, which looks like a normal car from the old days but runs on track.
According to the story, it was a car made to run on a road, but later sold to a scrap dealer. A railway employee bought this car from the scrap dealer and restored it. He fitted rail wheels onto the car, removed the steering and made it a railcar. It was used for carrying inspection officials on the track and could carry six people. Surprisingly, it is still in a running condition.
Next to the railcar is the traditional steam engine with a huge space for storing coal (9.5 tonnes), a water capacity of 3,000 gallons and a large steam tank. It was built by Telco Tatas in 1963. It is a typical engine of the time and can haul 14 coaches at a maximum speed of 75 km per hour with a 700hp super-heated boiler. Another important locomotive is the Automatic Buffer Coupler used in the metre gauge rolling stock.
Chamundi gallery
A circular gallery, called the Chamundi gallery, exhibits photographs, series of paintings showing the development of the railways and signaling systems right from its inception. There are exciting collections - photographs of the E class 0-1-2 engine built in 1877, YP Pacific on Banikui between Agra and Jaipur, a horse van with hand signal, ball signal of 1837, bar signal, primitive arm signal etc.
The gallery also has a specimen of a railway employee's service records, various railway journals like Locomotive and Carriage Superintendents Volumes and loco rule books.
The pictures of the old third class double decker of Mumbai and Baroda as well as a new version of the double decker and its the development till the electric train are displayed.
Ranga pavilion
The main attraction of this museum is the Sri Ranga Pavilion. This pavilion incorporates in its construction beautifully carved wooden pillars, doors and balustrades from the old Srirangapatna Railway Station. You can find two royal coaches, which belonged to the Maharani of Mysore, reflecting the era of bygone splendour.
The eight wheeler 'Maharani's saloon' carriages have a kitchen, dining car unit with cooking stoves, stone grinders, hot water boilers, royal toilet and a separate wing for servants. These date back to 1899 and were run on both the broad gauge and metre gauge. They give us an idea about the grand manner that royalty travelled in.
These carriages were manufactured by Hurst and Nelson of England and the body was elegantly carved at Central Workshops in Mysore South at a cost of Rs 29,508, quite a large sum for that period. It is fitted with a bedroom with delicately gilded ceilings, replete with chandeliers, fans, card tables, dressing tables, writing tables and all the necessary comforts.
The first steam engine that was built is exhibited here and has been preserved very well. Most of the exhibits in the museum were once housed in the Mysore Palace. One of the sections displays various small items relating to the then Mysore State Railways, including the telephone used by the late Maharaja of Mysore, Mysore Station Railways clock made in New York, various types of pendulum clocks, different kinds of hand signal items, teak wood dressing table of Sagar Railway station, a model of Loka Pavani bridge, a model of the longest bridge in Hassan-Mangalore Railway Projects, and a working model of the steam engine.
Location and price
The museum is situated opposite the CFTRI on KRS Road, close to the railway station. With an entrance fee of Rs 5 and a camera fee of Rs 10, one can enjoy the golden age of the railways. The museum is closed on Mondays.