Railways transformed warfare in the 19th century. Large-scale mobilisation became possible and innovative use was also made of railroad cars as weapon platforms. In the 20th century, motor and air transport improved immensely, but even today the railways are the cheapest and most efficient means of large-scale military movement.

During mobilisation for war, military special trains get “White Hot” priority over goods and passenger trains, but in peacetime, they have a lower priority status and move at a leisurely pace of 250-300 km per day. Travel by a military special train is a unique experience, complete with military pomp and show.

Let me take the readers through the experience by narrating the movement of an Infantry Battalion by a Military Special Train from Pathankot to Ramgarh Cantonment (Cantt) near Ranchi, covering 1800 km in seven days.

My unit, 4 Sikh, was located in the operational area of Punch and in April 1971, we had to move to our peace station at Ramgarh Cantt.

The preparation for the rail move began two months in advance. A demand was placed on Army Headquarters for various types of rail bogies for troops, kitchens, stores and vehicles. A draft schedule was forwarded for meal halts, collection of supplies and to meet and greet our veterans and sister units on the way. As soon as the unit concentrated at the base, complete ‘dress rehearsals’ were carried out for train travel. A full scale ‘plan view’ of the train was drawn on the ground to rehearse entraining/detraining at halts, seating in troop compartments and loading of heavy baggage. Letters were sent out to veterans and widows who would meet the unit in Punjab. Presents were prepared for them.

The unit concentrated at Pathankot, which was the railhead for J&K, in the first week of April. At Pathankot, the families of officers and jawans who were to travel with us joined us. When the train arrived at Chakki Bank military siding, it was formally taken over after due checking for breakages/damages. Under the unit Quartermaster, the entire train was marked and signposted for distribution to subunits. Telephone line communications were established with the engine and guard compartments. The engine driver, guard and maintenance staff travelling with us were won over with rum and food for cooperation in “bending the rules” as per our needs, a process to be repeated whenever they changed. A similar action was taken with station masters at stations of scheduled halts to control the duration.

Officers and JCOs had first-class bogies of old style with built-in toilets and individual entry/exit. One bogey each was earmarked for officers’ mess and JCO’s mess. Each company had a kitchen car and vacant bogey as dining car apart from old-style second/third class compartments for seating/sleeping. The accommodation was surplus due to excess demand placed by bending the rules. This is a military tradition to ensure that we do not repeat “for want of a nail ….”.

I was the Adjutant of the unit with 2.5 years service and had six junior officers under command. To give us experience, the Commanding Officer handed over virtual command to me for the duration of the move. Duty officers, JCOs and NCOs were earmarked, security ensured and rest were directed to enjoy the train journey except for mandatory daily fitness training at halts and lectures to counter-Naxalite operations in the moving train.

The loading and entraining went through like clockwork. Tons of ice had been loaded in each compartment both for cold water and to create the AC effect with fans. Sentries were posted for a set of bogies, bugles were sounded and the steam engine gave its screaming whistle to commence the move.

As per the plan, the first 48 hours were for parties and festivities. We had sister units at Jullundur and Ambala and our Regimental Centre was at  Meerut. Halts were planned to have lunch/dinner with them. There were a number of other halts to meet veterans and widows. Some veterans got into the train to enjoy the hospitality of sister units. I will describe just one event at Ambala.

We chugged in at 7 pm at Ambala railway station. Our sister unit had taken over the entire platform. Shamianas had been set up for bars and food. The unit band was playing. We were dressed in crisp uniforms. At the sound of the bugle, we dismounted and formed up on the platform. Our band came out in their ceremonial dress. We smartly marched to the tune of the regimental march to reach the enclosures. Both the Commanding Officers addressed the troops and regimental battle cry — Jo bole so nihal, sat siri akal — rented the air. Then the party began. When sister battalions met on such occasions, old rivalries based on hard-fought battles on sports fields and military reputation come to the fore. One way to settle the score was, to “bust” the bars of the host to send them scurrying for reinforcing it from the unit lines. The scheduled halt was of three hours and soon it was time to wind up. But the festivities were in full swing. The station master, a wizened veteran of pre-Partition days, was attending the function and was many rum pegs down when he heard me barking orders. He walked up to me and broke out in chaste Urdu, “Jab saiyaan bhae kotwal phir darr kahe ka?” (Why worry when the enforcer is one of your own?) The halt was extended indefinitely.

After three such events in 48 hours, on the third day, we settled down to a typical military special routine. A morning halt for physical training and breakfast, one or two lectures and arms cleaning in moving train, followed by lunch and dinner halts. Halts were scheduled for 1.5 hours but could be extended with the cooperation of the engine driver, guard and railway staff. We were self-contained and supplies were replenished from military stations. Only partial cooking was done in the kitchen cars. As soon as we halted there was frantic activity as open-air cook houses were set up to prepare delicious army fare. Everything worked like clockwork to bugle calls. Military efficiency is not only in battle but it is a way of life. A coordinating party was sent ahead in passenger trains to liaise with the station staff. Areas were earmarked for all activity and for the duration of the halt, the platform looked like an extension of a military cantonment.

The most interesting part was the physical training or drill we organised on the platform and adjoining open areas on wayside stations. On one occasion, we had long morning halt of three hours for breakfast. We arrived pre-dawn and while the breakfast was under preparation, 700 soldiers, in squads of 30 each, went for a short cross-country run. Since it was still dark, we caught the village folks literally with their “pants down”. This was long before the era of “a toilet in each home”, the people panicked on seeing sprinting soldiers in their “jungle pani” area. It was quite some time before order was restored. Luckily, we had ventured into the area reserved for men, otherwise, there would have been an embarrassing situation to handle.

There was never a dull moment. The band played during lunch and dinner halts and we organised small demonstrations to familiarise the public with the Army. The present move was not during the hunting season, on other occasions we had even ventured out for partridge shooting during wayside halts. As per an old tradition, the unit Gurudwara was always established in an old style 6-berth first class bogey. Round the clock recitation of Gurbani continued for safe journey and well-being of the unit. The concluding bhog ceremony was held during a long halt on a railway platform.

After seven eventful days, we arrived at our destination. As per tradition, the unit marched into Ramgarh Cantt in ceremonial uniform to the beat of drums. In three days all this was history, as were deployed for anti-Naxalite duties in Burdwan, West Bengal. In six months time, we were in thick of battle in erstwhile East Pakistan.

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