#24 Railway Photography: Capturing The Timeless Beauty of Steam Trains (Indian Railways Series)

Photo: Pinterest 

Capturing the Romance of Steam Trains 

Do you remember those iconic images of billowing steam locomotives chugging across bridges and mountains? Vintage railway photography beautifully captures the nostalgia and old-world charm of heritage trains in India. These artful photos transport us back to the golden age of steam railways.

Beginnings

Railway photography gained popularity in India when trains were first introduced in the 1850s. Photographers documented historic events like the arrival of the first trains in cities across India. 

Do you know one of the earliest railway photographs is of the 1854 Mumbai-Thane train inauguration? Shockingly, it was clicked by an unknown Indian photographer, not a British studio.

By the late 1800s, publishers like Johnston & Hoffmann commissioned stunning images of trains winding through landscapes. Indians too became avid railway photographers.

Artistry and Nostalgia

Vintage rail images showcase both the artistic composition and the train’s aesthetics. Dramatic angles, lighting, and black and white tones accentuated the locomotive’s old-world allure.

Billowing clouds of steam, intricate engine details, and the scale of bridges created a powerful sense of drama and romance in rail travel. 

You’ll be amazed at how iconic these nostalgic images have become as symbols of adventure and progress.

Pop Culture Connect

Rail photography also popularised trains in Indian pop culture. Iconic calendar art and Bollywood song sequences were shot at heritage rail sites.

Remember the evergreen song ‘Rail Gadi Mein Jhoom Barabar‘ with scenes of a classic steam train? Such images kindled the public’s fascination with railways.

Captured for posterity, vintage railway photography immortalized the irresistible magic and power of iron horses that popularised train travel in India.

Today, vintage rail images are a window into the grand railway heritage of India. They showcase ingenious engineering and design that make train travel aspirational.

More importantly, they highlight the romance, excitement, and joy of exploring India’s diverse landscapes by rail.

These images continue to inspire us each time we embark on our train journeys across India. As platforms for nostalgia, history, and artistry, vintage railway photographs beautifully freeze the timeless appeal of trains in India. 

Source

• Mukul, A. (2020). The unseen Indians who photographed the railways. Live History India.  

• Rahaab, P. (2022). The art of vintage railway photography in India. The Indian Quarterly.

• Joshi, M. (2018). Tracking early railway photography of India. The British Library.

• Roy, R. (2020). Looking back at India’s railway heritage through vintage photos. Condé Nast Traveller India.

• Choudhary, P. (2019). Capturing the railways: The story of early train photography in India. The Better India. 

• Lahiri, T. (2021). Romance of Steam: India’s love affair with heritage train photography. Times of India.

• Sudhakaran, M. (2017). The golden age of railways in India – as captured through the lens. The Hindu. 

• Kaur, M. (2022). How early photography propelled railway dreams in colonial India. The Print.

• Gupta, P. (2016). Tracking the early chroniclers of Indian Railways. Indian Railways History Flashback.

• Singh, K.P. (2009). Nostalgic Images of Railways: An Ode to a Romantic Era. Railway Wonders of India.