Travelling by train in Burma year 1987

It was year 1987. I needed to get from Rangoon to the central Burma.

Flying was the most logical option, but due to the unsecure and unreliable domestic flights the company I worked for had decided to avoid flying and use rail transport which had a long, over 130 years history in Burma.

It was overnight shaky – up and down, left and right, back and forth – and slow ride on rails to Thazi, a railway junction just before Mandalay. Nothing much to see during that dark night, but some weeks later on the way back to the capital I travelled by day train. Most of these pictures are from that trip.

(You might be interested of my earlier photo blogs about childen in Burma and armed men in Burma.)

Track 3 on Thazi station.

Simple hides on paddy fields were a common view.

Snacks were served at every stop and station.

Though the train was already moving, a lady was selling custard apples.

A computer, especially a portable one, was something speacial late 80's. My local help and interpretor Ko Ko Zaw used that during the train ride.

DF 1609, a Chinese diesel locomotive is pulling a long and crowded train.

The top class passengers greeted me happily.

Enjoying the scenes of the valleys of Burma.

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