The Deccan Queen is 75 years old today.
Fondly called DQ, the faithful train has been the home away from home for passengers travelling between Pune and Mumbai everday.
For the passengers DQ is still young.
The only train in the country to bag ISO 9000 certification and to have a dining car, DQ was started on June 1, 1930.
The train has seen a lot of changes, from coal to electric engines and from red colour to yellow and then to blue.
The train, which departs from Pune to Mumbai at 6:45 am sharp, has never been terminated before its destination, even during heavy rains. The only odd incident DQ has seen in 75 years was its derailment in 1990 at Khandala Ghat wherein no casualty was reported.
"The train does not just carry people but brings happy memories for its commuters. We celebrate festivals, dandiyas birthdays and many such things in the train," said Harsha Shah, chairperson of Railway Commuters Organisation.
"The train has also witnessed love afairs and have united the loving couple who are living a happy married life today. Thanks to Deccan Queen," Shah added.
The dedicated staff which serves tea, coffee and breakfast knows almost every passenger and even sometimes acts as messenger between the commuters.
In the morning, when the train crosses Chinchawad station, one will hear claps from the passengers, which is the signal to start incantations lasting for five minutes.
