In the early seventies, the train was the only means of long distance travel while buses were meant for short distance or where trains did not connect. By now we had moved to Phalodi Quarry near Sawai Madhopur where my father was working as a Mininig Engineer.

We soon received the happy news of a marriage within the family. Unfortunately we received the news a tard late and going from Sawai Madhopur to Nasik was a challenge. We did not get reservation in any train. So my father had to book I Class on Frontier Mail.

The Frontier Mail (now known as Golden Temple Mail) was a class apart in those days. It was a very prestigeous train second only to the Rajdhani Express on WR. Those of you who have seen it today can get no notion of the grandeur of the train. The train was 90% I Class (with two AC coaches). It's livery was light yellow on top (from windows above) and all reddish brown below. It had a restaurant car at the center where you could eat on tables. I still remember it even though I was young.

We boarded the train sometime during the mid-noon at Sawai Madhopur. We met some relatives at Ratlam. The rest of the journey was extremely peaceful and wonderful and I was enjoying the joy of the I Class for the first time in my life. After the train pulled out of Ratlam Jn. late evening, the rest of the journey was uneventful. We reached Bombay (as it then was) in the morning and took a bus to Nasik.

In those days, the electrification was minimal. Most trains were pulled by Steam Engines with tenders as seen below. But the Frontier Mail was pulled by Electric or Diesel Engines, which goes on to prove the importance and prestige of the train.



B&W photo of Frontier Mail, courtsey IRFCA

Sadly today, the Frontier Mail or Golden Temple Mail is just another train. Its 90% upper class coaches have given way to II Class sleeper coach. It is still a Superfast class train which means that it gets priority over other passenger trains outside of Mumbai subarban area. And it is one of the few trains in India that has a AC I Class coach.

Trivia:
To those who may not know, the Mumbai suburban trains (locals) get priority over almost all long distance trains in between Mumbai VT-Karjat (CR), Mumbai VT-Kasara (CR) and Mumabi Central-Virar (WR). There are very few trains that get more priority on these locals. These are:

a) Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani and August Kranti Expresses (WR)
b) Mumbai-Ahemadabad Shatabdi Express (WR)
c) Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen (CR)

All other trains must wait for the common Mumabikar's doing their daily commute.

Steam: Glories of the past


... end of part 2 ...