Mysore rail museum a model to emulate

Kochi: Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore were among the legendary personalities to travel through the Ernakulam Old Railway Station built by the British funded by Maharaja Rama Varma XV of Kochi.
Starting operations on 16 July 1902, the station lost its relevance after Ernakulam Junction railway station came into existence in 1932 and Cochin Harbour Terminus in 1943. While the old railway station is damaged beyond renovation, Harbour Terminus remains inoperative. But, then how Railways is operating a Museum at Mysore.
is an example of making revenue from railway exhibits of different hues.
Though, small in area, the museum has all that suits to the taste of a visitor. Over century old engines, inspection trolleys, model trains for tourists, photos, documentary films, cafeteria inside a heritage rake, museum among others and lot more.
Entry fee to the museum is Rs 50 for adults and at any given point of time the museum is brimming with tourists from across the country.
A visit would take one to the glory of bygone era when the railways operated services with limited resources and facilities. Steam engines, poor telecommunication facilities,
Established in 1979, it is the second such museum after the National Railway Museum in Delhi.
An Austin rail-motor car, two royal coaches of Maharaja of Mysore, Maharani Saloon carriage that has a kitchen, dining car unit and royal toilet dating back to 1899 would make people nostalgic.
The upkeep of the museum is done meticulously with everyone doing their duty flawlessly.
Still a question that comes to one’s mind is why the railways is not taking the initiatives to set up similar museums across the country for the benefit of the people and railways.
Atleast, they should makeover the dilapidated old railway station Ernakulam as a tribute to the royal family and the luminaries who had travelled through it.