A Scene at a Railway Station
Travelling by a train is very common. It is cheap also. Railway stations are therefore one of the busiest places. There is always a crowd of passengers, coolies, hawkers and railway servants. People are seen buying and selling things. There is always a large crowd on the station.
The scene at the train time is worth seeing. Passengers crowd on the booking windows to purchase tickets. The second class booking windows have the thickest crowd. If the constable is not present there, they do not form a line and there is much pushing elboing and quarrelling. At such times pockets are picked. After purchasing tickets people rush to the platforms.
On the platform there is a great noise. Some passengers sit on benches. Some surround the book-stall or tea stall. Children are often seated on bundles. Then a bell rings. All eyes are turned to the outer signal. Soon the train steams in and halts by the platform. The coolies stand in a line.
The waiting passengers rush to the doors of the compartments. Then the scene before second class carriages becomes pitiable. There starts a struggle between those trying to board and those trying to come out. The young and the strong climb on to the windows and get-in. But the ladies the old and the weak are shut out. They get a chance only if some kind passenger helps them. After a few minutes the guard blows a whistle. All the doors of the carriages are closed then. The guard then gives his signal, with his flag in day time and with his lamp in the night. The train moves away with a shrill noise.
After the departure of the train the platform becomes a deserted place. Then only a few hawkers are seen counting their money or the ticket collector marking the tickets he has collected.
