Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 1998
• Run Time: 111 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304474873
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,783 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The British Empire's legacy to India is the subcontinent's railway system. The largest railway under single management in the world, it covers 40,000 miles and has 7,000 stations, with 11,000 trains running every day and 80 million people depending on the train for their livelihood. With a staff of 1.6 million, India's railway is also the largest employer in the world. Steam trains and other locomotives are nostalgic reminders of a time gone by. This video, released in 1995, is in widescreen format and has a feature-film feel to it, with re-created scenes in sepia contributing to its extremely atmospheric mood. Though not a profound presentation, the video is an introduction to a fascinating railway system in a complex country. --Cristina Del Sesto

Product Description

A puffing steam train climbs into the Himalaya, a rolling rumble echoes over the holy waters of the Ganges, an astonishing five million commuters rush daily through the Bombay Victoria Terminus - join National Geographic as we journey on one of the world's largest railways. Since 1853, India's railway has been a unifying force. Not only did it physically link distant regions, it also connected the myriad of castes, languages, and religions that comprise India. It's a rich history, riding the sumptuous Palace on Wheels through Rajasthan or the "toy train" to Darjiing, but sadly, the age of steam is dying. At the Black Beauty contest, the beloved steam engines are admired for the last time. From the driver in the steaming locomotive to the station master in the sleepy village, from the family traveling to a wedding to the commuters in the large cities, this great institution reflects the country itself. Many are the faces, and varied are the stories, on THE GREAT INDIAN RAILWAY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the real thing?, March 28, 2001

By 

Eric Krupin (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic's The Great Indian Railway [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Not only is this the best video travelogue I've ever seen, I suspect that it's one of the best National Geographic productions of any kind. The photography is absolutely breathtaking in its detail - just as good as the still images you'll find in the magazine. Linda Hunt's narration occasionally crosses the line into pomposity but is more often poetic and affecting. And the crew takes you places that only the most intrepid traveler would ever make it to on their own.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely walk through the world of Indian Railways, April 11, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Menlo Park, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic's The Great Indian Railway [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a really neat film for anyone interested in either India or trains (and if you're interested in both, you'll find this a treat). It is very well-made and as someone from India I felt that it tried to be honest and did relatively little sanitizing, which is what you have to usually do to portray the harsher realities of India. The film wanders through various parts of the country and manages to be comprehensive in its coverage without getting dull at all. Next time I go to India I must try the Palace on Wheels !

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Thumbs (& a toe) Way Up!, April 1, 2003

By 

"smabu" (Yahoo Junction, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic's The Great Indian Railway [VHS] (VHS Tape)

One of my all-time favorite National Geographic videos. A journey on an Indian train is not unlike the journey of life itself - but one must be awake to the experience. If you haven't yet been experienced, you need to see this video.