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  • More than 30 killed in Indian train derailment

  • Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.
Discussion about railroad topics everywhere outside of Canada and the United States.

Moderators: Komachi, David Benton

 #1409370  by David Benton
 
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/86666 ... derailment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"More than 30 people were killed after an Indian train derailed in northern Uttar Pradesh, the nation's biggest state, in the early hours of Sunday, local media reported."
 #1409453  by george matthews
 
I suspect that the tracks aren't inspected thoroughly enough. I wouldn't be surprised if a broken rail was the cause of the crash.

The tv news has been saying that there is a high rate of train accidents in India. The main cause is poor track.
Last edited by george matthews on Sun Nov 20, 2016 6:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1409482  by george matthews
 
I see no sign of any electrification in the images of the crash scene. There is another photo from another line illustrating overcrowding that shows overhead electrification. The BBC has been saying that a broken rail is suspected as the cause of the crash.
 #1409495  by bellstbarn
 
I agree that there is no sign of electrification in some of the crash photos. I did find a map of electrification dated 2010 (linked HERE). It may explain why some photos around Kampur show catenary supports without wires. Kampur may be found along a green line near the center top of the map. The train was headed southwest towards Ait, but crashed at Pukhrayan before reaching Ait. The top right of the map explains the color codes.
 #1409500  by David Benton
 
bellstbarn wrote:I think I see catenary in the photos. I wonder whether the words on one coach "AC THREE TIER" mean air-conditioned, with three-tiered bunks.
Yes,i think you would be right, evetything except first class is 3tier
 #1409553  by george matthews
 
I have travelled in three tiers in Africa. It's not very comfortable. It was second class. I can't remember whether it was in East Africa or Nigeria or South Africa. Probably not South Africa as whites were expected to travel first or second class, and probably three tiers would have been third class (non-whites only).
 #1410729  by george matthews
 
johnthefireman wrote:At Zambia's Livingstone Railway Museum last week I saw a sign for the 3rd and 4th class waiting room. The mind boggles at what 4th class must have been like!
I have been in 4th class, in Botswana. It was all right for short journeys in the day time. It was just open seating. Not very comfortable. One of the entertainments was arriving in Rhodesia when the white officials would poke the sleeping bag and be surprised when a white face emerged. I think 3rd class was worse as it had six people in a sleeper. I don't think I have been in 3rd. I tried 2nd class sleepers in East Africa. It was ok but later I preferred first for privacy.

Of course the real purpose was that in racist countries 3rd and 4th were for "Non-whites".
Last edited by george matthews on Thu Dec 01, 2016 8:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1410790  by philipmartin
 
Top illustration by A.J.C. Bourne "Third class travel in 1839."
From Spartaus Educatioal: http://spartacus-educational.com/RAthird.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Two other illustratios "Third class on "Le Chemin de Fer" by Honore Daumier."
Last edited by philipmartin on Thu Dec 01, 2016 8:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
 #1410813  by george matthews
 
The term "open seating" refers to a certain layout of seats in a carriage. It does not mean open to the skies. In fact most, perhaps all, carriages in the US are 'open seating' - other than sleeping cars. The other type of carriage has compartments, two benches facing each other, both with three seats (First Class), or four (Second class). Second class carriages in Africa often have this type of seating. The advantage is that the seats can be converted to sleeping places. In Britain almost all trains have open seating, except for the very few sleeping cars. In Africa First Class usually have compartments with two persons and one bed below and one bed above. On the British Rail Southern Region new trains introduced about 30 years ago had compartments for the first class passengers. But these have been withdrawn.
 #1411041  by johnthefireman
 
george matthews wrote:One of the entertainments was arriving in Rhodesia when the white officials would poke the sleeping bag and be surprised when a white face emerge... Of course the real purpose was that in racist countries 3rd and 4th were for "Non-whites".
A story told to me by some of my older colleagues who were missionaries in Sudan during the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium period is that they would travel 3rd class on the railways and river steamers (which, as in many countries, were all part of the same company), as they couildn't afford first class. The officials were horrified at white people travelling 3rd class, so they made a concession and allowed missionaries to travel first class for third class fare.
 #1411083  by philipmartin
 
johnthefireman wrote: The officials were horrified at white people travelling 3rd class, so they made a concession and allowed missionaries to travel first class for third class fare.
The old Charles Laughton film "The Beachcomber," set in Dutch colonial territory, has the Controleur refusing to put the reprobate beachcomber, Charles Laughton, on the road gang because it would scandalize the natives.
http://youtu.be/J94aKQh9O2g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;