CHENNAI: Trains of bygone years exude a charm that is unparalleled by modern day ones. A visit to the Regional Rail Museum (RRM) in ICF gives a glimpse into the heritage of Indian Railways. Established in 2002, the RRM attracts about 6,000 visitors a month.There are many rare artefacts depicting the growth of the Indian andthe Southern Railways. The live rolling stock exhibits include a hand travelling crane made in 1887, a kit wagon of 1925, a first class wooden body coach of the Ooty train made in 1965, and the more recent Electric Multiple Unit which ran on the Beach-Tambaram line.A micro steam engine and an office-cum-home on rails for the top brassof the Railways (made in 1921) are attractions. The furniture used in the waiting rooms in the 19th century and a perfectly ticking hand-wound clock made in 1878 show the excellence of workmanship in the past.The museum has a hall of fame, with a working scale model of trains in a three-level layout. Built on an area of 6.2 acres, the museum has inaugurated an improved play area for children and has renovated the toy train ride. Plans to establish a food court and other facilities are under way, said the curator of the museum, V Kalyanasundaram.Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the Rail Museum on Thursday Abhay Khanna, general manager of ICF, said, “We want to develop the museum as a place of tourist importance, so that visitors can see the rich heritage of our railways.”The RRM is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 am to 5.30 pm.
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