Google Doodle Celebrates Indian Rail
It was exactly 160 years back, that the first passenger train ran from Mumbai to Thane. On 16th April, 1853 the first passenger locomotive was run from then Bori Bunder in South Bombay to Thane.
The foundation for railways in India was laid much before the first passenger train was run. The plan for a rail line in India was first proposed in 1832 and by 1836, the first rail line was set up in India near Chintadripet Bridge in Madras Presidency (presently in Chennai). The line was a purely experimental line and post its success, a 5.6km long railway line was set up the next year between Red Hills and St. Mount Thomas in Chennai.
It was in 1844 that then Governor-General of India, Lord Hardinge decided to allow private investors to set up an elaborate rail network in India. However, the companies would be allowed to run railways on a lease with the Government having the authority to buy them much before the stipulated lease ended.
After using railways for transport and commercial purposes for nearly 2 decades, in 1853 two new companies were set up to explore the possibility of passenger railways. While the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) set up the experimental line in Mumbai between Mumbai and Thane, East Indian Railway (EIR) set sights on bringing the now-beloved train to Kolkata (then Calcutta). Covering a distance of 34 KM, the first passenger train was hauled by three locomotives: Sahib, Sindh, and Sultan in Mumbai.
Post the inauguration of the first locomotive between Mumbai and Thane, the first passenger line of North India was inaugurated between Allahabad and Kanpur. However, this line came much after the Bombay line on March 3rd, 1859.
The Google Doodle is a static doodle which shows the engine clearly but the bogies are hazy as they taper and fade away in the background. The engine is clearly visible with the front and the chimney forming the first O of Google. The image does take you back to the past as it has an old world charm with the picturesque painting effect in a gold-gilded frame.