Visitors’ entry from tomorrow; Rail Coach Cafe, an added attraction

Mysore/Mysuru: Depicting the rich history and the progress of the 150-year-old Indian Railways, the ‘Mysuru Rail Museum’ set up in 1979,  which was closed for a while for renovations and refurbishment, was inaugurated this morning at 10.30 am. As a mark of respect, South Western Railway (SWR) General Manager Ajay Kumar Singh asked the oldest employee of the Railway Museum, H. Ashwathnarayan, to inaugurate the newly renovated museum. SWR AGM Prashant Kumar Mishra, Mysuru Division Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Aparna Garg,  South Western Women’s Welfare Organisation President Sujata Singh, who is also the wife of Ajay Kumar Singh, and all the employees of the Museum were present on the occasion. 

Lauding the efforts of workers involved in Rail Museum renovations, Ajay Kumar Singh said that 13 selected employees will be awarded Rs. 5,000 each for their efforts and a special cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh will be awarded for the entire team work. To mark the inauguration, a special commemorative postal cover, in association with the India Post, was released. The museum website www.mysururailmuseum.com was also launched. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mysuru Division DRM Aparna Garg said that the Rail Museum, spread over 3 acres, is eco-friendly and no trees were cut during the renovation process. Also, dustbins have been kept at many places across the museum premises and an information kiosk has been set up for the benefit of those visiting the museum. The museum also has toilets inside the premises.

The museum is a repertoire of some unique collections including lamps used by Guards during the meter gauge era, a Austin rail motor car from England which was used by Railway officers while on track inspection during 1925, exclusive Indian Railway posters which have been compiled as a collection in the Indoor Gallery, telephones used during the 19th century at the Signal and Telecommunication Gallery. 

The newly-renovated museum has a lot of added attractions including the ‘Rail Coach Cafe and Cafeteria’; an old railway coach which has been remodelled into a restaurant-style seating area where visitors can purchase snacks, other food items and beverages. Another attraction, especially for kids is a model Railway Station at the museum entrance named ‘Central Park’ with a model ticketing counter. The kids will be allowed to ride in a battery operated Toy Train on a round trip from this ‘Central Park’ station. En route, they will be greeted by a ‘Toy Band’ created from scrap materials by the staff of Mysore Workshop, a tunnel, model railway crossing and railway signals. Each gallery has a touch-screen monitor with information about the collections there and the history of these collections at the museum.

The most prized possession of the Mysuru Rail Museum is the ‘Maharani’s Saloon’ coach of 1839, which was used by the wife of erstwhile ruler of Wadiyar dynasty, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Visitors can get a glimpse of the royal bedroom, dining room, the royal bathroom, servant’s room, study and dressing tables, which were set up inside the coach for her Highness. 

Other attractions include metal sculpture of a young girl treading carefully on the tracks, steam locomotive engines, boilers, hand-cranes, steam pumps, trolley car, sleeper-coach manufacturing, Station Master, dressed in white. with his telecommunication systems, a MG (Meter Gauge) Bus which was run between Shivamogga and Talaguppa in 1939, Inspection Coaches, a model of Railway Turn Table and a scroll nailed to one of the trees at the museum, with messages on environment protection.

The Mysuru Rail Museum is the second oldest rail museum of the Indian Railways. The museum was open for visit to the employees and their families today and will be open for general public from tomorrow from 10 am to 6 pm. The entry fee is Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 20 for children.