How the Indian Train Chugged into Our Collective Soul
Trains may seem like just a way to get from Point A to Point B — but in India, they’re so much more. This episode rides through the tracks of history, from colonial steam engines to chai-fuelled friendships and Bollywood farewells. Packed with pop culture, unsung heroes, and a whole lot of nostalgia, it’s a journey through the sound, soul, and stories of the Indian Railways.
More than 23 million passengers travel daily in India. With one of the largest railway networks in the world, the train is said to be the lifeline of our country. So many stories are made in those coaches — friendships struck over chai, shared benches, and Bollywood tunes humming through the window grills.
But the story of the Indian train isn’t just about getting from Point A to Point B. It’s a story of invention, of colonisers and freedom fighters, of unsung heroes and unforgettable pop culture moments. It’s the clickety-clack that runs through our movies, our memories, and even our myths.
In this episode of That’s The Thing, Jimmy, Kavya, and Atharva board this journey — tracing the roots of the railway, unearthing oddball trivia, and discovering just how deeply the train is embedded in India’s story. From the smell of hot vadas at a dusty platform to the drama of missed connections (both literal and emotional), this conversation chugs through laughter, nostalgia, and insight.
What does a train with no engine sound like? Why are certain Bollywood scenes burned into our collective memory? And how did this mighty machine come to carry more than just people — but history, emotion, and everyday chaos?
The trio wander through everything from 19th-century steam engines to high-speed electric trains, from toy trains winding through the Nilgiris to concept journeys like the Lifeline Express and Jagriti Yatra. Along the way, they bump into Raj and Simran, swap IRCTC memories, and make space for a little antakshari and a lot of masala. There’s history here, yes — but also humour, memory, and that very specific Indian energy that only a train can contain.
The Indian Railways isn’t just one of the world’s largest employers or longest networks — it’s also where some of our most iconic movie moments have played out, where romances have bloomed, and where lakhs of lives intersect every day. In a country this vast, the railway doesn’t just connect cities — it connects stories.
Hop on and find out. Because sometimes, to understand where we are, you have to go back to the tracks.
Credit: Produced by Jimmy Xavier
Radio Azim Premji University: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bruce Lee Mani, Gorveck Thokchom, Kishor Mandal, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Ram Sheshadri, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar.
Explore Further
Documentary
The Unreserved| Directed by Samarth Mahajan
https://youtu.be/fWvoCicq9eo?si=x‑xvQQg96RAvSpmx
National Geographic: The Great Indian Railway (1995)
Book
Halt Station India — The Dramatic Tale of the Nation’s First Rail Lines by Rajendra B. Aklekar.
Indian Railway by MA Rao
Penguin Book Of Indian Railway Stories edited by Ruskin Bond.
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