Indian Monorail in the Early 20th Century

[murrayec]

Did you know India had a rather strange Monorail System in Patiala in the Punjab, pulled by mules?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patiala_State_Monorail_Trainways

 

It was a mad looking affair with a single ground rail, double flange ground rail wheels and an outrigger wheel to balance the thing. Designed like this to save on cost and time in laying track, primary set up to move concrete from the works to site, when the building was complete they took up the track and installed it at the new site. Steam locos were brought in later which were stronger than a team of mules pulling five coaches rather than two for the mules!

 

Thought I'd seen it all!.....

 

The modeller could save 50% on the cost of the track!!

 

Eoin

[Garfield]

I recall JHB171achill telling me he saw stock from that line 'in the flesh' at an Indian museum.

 

Any photos JB?

[murrayec]

That wikipedia link has a photo

 

and I read about it in 'Railway World' Feb 1962 of all places. It's got loads of B&W photos but I wanted to stick to the rules!

 

Eoin

[Broithe]

The modeller could save 50% on the cost of the track!!

 

I wonder if the real reason they did it was to avoid modellers in the future arguing about the correct scale gauge?

[murrayec]

Broithe

 

It's called 'NO Gauge'!!

 

Looking at the photos in the mag, they show a picture with the passenger frame removed from the running gear, the deck is slung very low on the ground rail wheels. These wheels would stick up between the seats- imagine getting the seat beside the wheel.... crunch!

 

Eoin

[jhb171achill]

I saw the sole surviving engine in steam in Delhi Railway Museum nearly forty years ago, and it's still there, though not workable any more. There is a carriage too, and I had a ride in it round a circuit of track (rail!) they have there. It was indeed a MOST peculiar thing - naturally the ride was somewhat rough, and that was with a "road" which was smooth. Where it originally ran, the road was a dirt road, anything but smooth. It would have been an extremely uncomfortable, and very slow thing to travel in. I have colour pics of it somewhere, in fact I may have old cine film of it in operation...must look....

 

Having said that, I wonder if any other IRM folks have ever travelled in an 0.3.0 on a railway with no gauge? Anyone here ever travel behind it?

[josefstadt]

Having said that, I wonder if any other IRM folks have ever travelled in an 0.3.0 on a railway with no gauge? Anyone here ever travel behind it?

 

Sadly it wasn't operational when I visited the museum back in 1981.

[jhb171achill]

It was very much on its last legs when I travelled on it. The loco boiler was leaking like a sieve.

[David Holman]

At the St Albans show in January, there was a chap showing progress on his Lartigue layout. Unlike the French layout [which just goes round in a scenic circle], this will be part of one of the terminus stations, complete with turntable points and so one. A frames for the track were very nicely etched and the whole thing looked very promising. He brought a L&B wagon to compare with my Sligo ones & it was surprising how big the former were. No loco to show yet, but it is a bold project that deserves to do well.

[murrayec]

Hi David

 

Interesting, any pictures? It would be great to see

 

Eoin

[jhb171achill]

When I can find my Indian pics, I'll post some of the Patalia State Monorail Trainway (to give it the correct title!)