Trains have always been more than just transportation in India—they’re emotion, metaphor, and magic. Whether it’s a child waving at a passing loco or lovers running alongside a platform in Bollywood’s most iconic scene, India’s relationship with trains runs deep through its culture.
And nowhere is this nostalgia more alive—in miniature form—than at Joshi’s Museum of Miniature Railways in Pune. Within the museum’s compact wonderland, these pop culture moments seem to chug to life, unfurling like a reel of moving memories. Whether you’re 5 or 50, the “chhuk chhuk gaadi” still pulls at your heartstrings.
So hop aboard as we trace the tracks of Indian trains in pop culture, cinema, childhood and beyond.
A Country Moved by Trains
India’s rail network is the fourth largest in the world with over 68,000 km of track. But beyond its sheer size, it’s the emotional terrain it covers that matters most. From lullabies to comic books, from patriotic songs to viral memes—the train is a constant character in the Indian story.
The average Indian has their first “train memory” by age 3. For some, it’s peering out of barred windows; for others, it’s the chaiwala yelling “garam chaiii” at dawn. Trains mean family trips, platform goodbyes, and window-seat fights.
At Joshi’s Museum, those collective moments are distilled into a mesmerising, moving miniature city, where toy trains wind through tunnels, stations, farms, and towns—capturing this very essence of life on the Indian rails.
Trains in Bollywood: Romance, Drama & Destiny
Few things have the cinematic power of a moving train. Directors have long used them to symbolise change, urgency, fate, or escape. And no film industry has done this better than Bollywood.
Let’s look at a few legendary train moments that every Indian can recall:
1. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
No list is complete without the famous climax: Simran running through the foggy platform, hand extended, as Raj reaches out from the moving train. Shot at Apta Railway Station near Mumbai, it became a timeless symbol of love and rebellion.
At Joshi’s Museum, kids and adults alike recreate this moment with the platform models and running trains, jokingly re-enacting the DDLJ moment with their friends.
2. Sholay (1975)
The film opens with a rugged steam engine and Jai-Veeru in handcuffs. This scene set the tone for an epic. In fact, most of Ramgarh’s dramatic entry points revolve around trains and their tracks—catalysts of trouble and heroism.
3. Jab We Met (2007)
When Geet boards the wrong train and sparks off an unforgettable journey with Aditya, the train becomes a stage for spontaneity and self-discovery. The line, “Main apni favourite hoon”, wouldn’t exist without that train compartment.
4. Aradhana (1969)
“Mere Sapno Ki Rani” was filmed with Rajesh Khanna in a jeep alongside Sharmila Tagore on a Darjeeling toy train. It remains one of Indian cinema’s most joyous visuals—romance on the move.
At Joshi’s, the hillside toy train routes often remind visitors of this scene, with parents humming the song to their kids.
5. Chaiyya Chaiyya – Dil Se (1998)
Shot atop a moving train through the Nilgiri hills, this iconic song is etched into our cultural memory. The visual daring of Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora dancing on the roof of a speeding train became legendary.
Visitors to Joshi’s Museum often cite this scene when watching the freight trains winding through the hills of the miniature landscape.
Trains in Childhood Rhymes & Pop Music
Before Bollywood, Indian children first meet trains in rhyme and play. Songs like:
- Chhuk chhuk gaadi chali…
- Rail gaadi rail gaadi… (immortalised by Ashok Kumar)
These playful melodies are often the first pieces of music toddlers remember. The train is a symbol of movement, excitement, and fun. Even now, on a school visit to Joshi’s Museum, you’ll hear kids singing their versions of these songs while watching the train models loop through tunnels and level crossings.
Miniature Worlds, Giant Emotions
Walking into Joshi’s Museum feels like walking into a live-action memory box. The lights dim, music plays, and suddenly, you’re in a bustling railway town complete with:
- Express trains gliding through stations
- Farmers crossing tracks on bullock carts
- A cinema hall mid-scene
- A wedding baraat right beside a train route
These moments aren’t just technical marvels—they are micro-stories pulled straight from Indian life and screen. They let you live out those Bollywood moments—scaled down, but no less magical.
Some Fun Stats You’ll Love
- Over 600+ Indian films have featured trains as a critical element.
- DDLJ’s train scene has been spoofed or referenced in more than 25 Indian films.
- India has 18 mountain railway lines, many featured in songs and serials.
- Joshi’s Museum houses over 1,000 ft of track and more than 65 functioning miniature signals, many inspired by actual Indian routes.
Platform of Memories for All Generations
At Joshi’s Museum, it’s common to see:
- Grandparents telling stories of first journeys on steam engines
- Fathers pointing out engine types to their kids, just like their dads did
- Teenagers filming slow-mo train videos to mimic viral Bollywood scenes
- Couples reminiscing their first outstation trip, usually on an overnight express
This is not just a model train museum—it’s India’s emotional railway map, recreated in HO scale.
Why Trains Still Matter in Pop Culture
Despite bullet trains and flights, the emotional value of trains hasn’t changed. They’re still the preferred mode of symbolic storytelling:
- They show movement without violence
- They mark transitions—between cities, stages, or emotions
- They are public yet personal, where strangers become friends
At Joshi’s Museum, you don’t just see trains—you see how they carry the culture of a nation, one miniature scene at a time.
Final Stop: Relive the Reel Magic
Joshi’s Museum of Miniature Railways doesn’t just showcase model trains. It allows you to step into the reel life of Indian pop culture, powered by nostalgia, sound, and storytelling.
Next time you’re humming Mere Sapno Ki Rani or quoting “Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein…”, just remember: you can relive it all in a miniature world—right here in Pune.
So come visit. Bring your memories, your camera, and your imagination. Because at Joshi’s, every 1:87 train tells a full-sized story.
