Archive for July, 2008
Train Engines
Ever wondered what those WAPs and WAGs and WDMs meant on the train engines? Well, finally, I have found what they mean. Thanks Wikipedia.To see the source and lots more information, go here.
Classification syntaxes for Locomotives in the Indian Railways.
The first letter (gauge)
- W-broad gauge
- Y-meter gauge
- Z-narrow gauge(2.5 ft)
- N-narrow gauge (2 ft)
The second letter (motive power)
- D-Diesel
- C-DC electric (can run under DC traction only)
- A-AC electric (can run under AC traction only)
- CA-Both DC and AC (can run under both AC and DC tractions), ‘CA’ is considered a single letter
- B-Battery electric locomotive (rare)
The third letter (job type)
- G-goods
- P-passenger
- M-mixed; both goods and passenger
- S-Used for shunting (Also known as switching engines or switchers in United states and some other countries)
- U-Electric multiple units (used as commuters in city suburbs)
- R-Railcars
For example, in “WDM 3A“:
- “W” means broad gauge
- “D” means diesel motive power
- “M” means suitable for mixed(for both goods and passenger)service
- “3A” means the locomotive’s power is 3,100 hp (‘3′ stands for 3000 hp, ‘A’ denotes 100 hp more)
Or, in “WAP 5“:
- “W” means broad gauge
- “A” mean AC electric traction motive power
- “P” means suitable for Passenger service
- “5″ denotes that this locomotive is chronologically the fifth electric locomotive model used by the railways for passenger service.
Cooking Chronicles
Lots of things have happened in the last week. Major among them are my trip to Wayanad, IBM’s offer letter not reaching me, me learning how to cook (status: still rudimentary, but fast reaching expert levels) and me envying all the people in the world who don’t have an infected boil on their backs (IT SUCKS).
Last week, I was learning to cook. Because of my erratic waking and sleeping hours, I inevitably ended up missing breakfast everyday till Amma finally got sick and stopped making breakfast for me altogether. And so we came up with this idea of making breakfast, at night!
Now, before I entered the kitchen, I delivered a strict warning to Amma in which I asked her to stay in the kitchen but to touch NOTHING during the course of my cooking. Nothing at all. I would do everything. I almost ended up regretting this warning.
First day was Dosa day. Now, the batter was already prepared (thankfully, because making the batter is a really messy work). So all I had to do was pour a ladle full of batter onto the pan and then with the base of the ladle make it into a round shape. It then that I discovered that my unbelievably pathetic skill as an artist/painter had over the years, through my school days and college years, not changed one bit. It was still pathetic. In the pursuit of layering the batter in a round shape, I ended up making maps of India and Africa. One piece even looked like it had an ocean inside it (characterised by a huge area within the layer conspicuous by its absence of batter).
The next day was also Dosa. The same shape creating festival continued, but at the end of it, Amma announced that it was much better than the Dosa the day before. What!! That means the Dosa I had made the day before was BAD???
The next day was Chappati day. Chappatis and some curry made of tomatoes. As usual, Amma could not touch anything once I entered the kitchen. The curry preparation went off peacefully but the chappatis were a different story altogether. No mater what I tried, they just refused to take the round shape we all know chappatis should have. I ended up experimenting in geometry and managed to create lots of shapes except the round shape. I distinctly remember a triangular chappati, a rectangular and a trapezium shaped chappati. But in the end, with lots and lots of ghee and Amma’s impeccable instruction, even this turned out good.
Last day of my cooking before I left for the wedding was Appam-stew day.
Nothing much to report except that the combo tasted DELICIOUS.
Of course it should. I made it!!
Out of Station
Am currently on a tour of Wayanad.
Will reach home tomorrow evening (hopefully, if my cash does not run out).
Boom
Anger. Stubbornness. Irritation. Frustration. Helplessness. Explosion. Senseless. Loss of reason. No more logic. Scream. No more cooperation. Sarcasm. No more obedience. No more manners. No more good boy. No more good son. No more help. Fire. Heat. Inferno. Volcano. Words. Words. Words. Stupid words. Harsh words. Out of control. Wrong words. Rude words. Fear? Sick of fear.
After a long time, I finally lost control. Did something without thinking it over. Spoke words upon words without thinking them over.
I guess it had to happen sometime.
No, I am not going to apologise for what I did. But I just thought how it would be if I apologised. Shit, it is impossible. To imagine and to do.
Is it because I am a guy or because I am an asshole?
