Train

A train is a form of rail transport consisting of a series of vehicles that usually runs along a rail track to transport cargo or passengers. Motive power is provided by a separate locomotive or individual motors in self-propelled multiple units. Although historically steam propulsion dominated, the most common modern forms are diesel and electric locomotives, the latter supplied by overhead wires or additional rails. Other energy sources include horses, engine or water-driven rope or wire winch, gravity, pneumatics, batteries, and gas turbines. Train tracks usually consist of two running rails, sometimes supplemented by additional rails such as electric conducting rails and rack rails, with a limited number of monorails and maglev guideways in the mix. The word 'train' comes from the Old French trahiner, from the Latin trahere 'pull, draw'.

There are various types of trains that are designed for particular purposes. A train may consist of a combination of one or more locomotives and attached railroad cars, or a self-propelled multiple unit (or occasionally a single or articulated powered coach, called a railcar). The first trains were rope-hauled, gravity powered or pulled by horses. From the early 19th century almost all were powered by steam locomotives. From the 1910s onwards the steam locomotives began to be replaced by less labor-intensive and cleaner (but more complex and expensive) diesel locomotives and electric locomotives, while at about the same time self-propelled multiple unit vehicles of either power system became much more common in passenger service.

Local (comics)

Local is a twelve-part Oni Press comic book limited series written by Brian Wood and illustrated by Ryan Kelly. Each issue is intended to be a stand-alone short story, taking place in a different town across North America. A recurring character, Megan, provides a thread for readers who follow the series in sequence. Megan is the main character in some issues, while in others she is a spectator or background figure.

Local resembles a previous series of Wood's, Demo (published by AiT/Planet Lar), which also spanned twelve issues, each of which was a self-contained story. As Local went on, it became more of a coming of age story for the lead character.

The first issue was released in November 2005, and the series concluded in June 2008.

Issues

Local (novel)

Local is a novel written by Jaideep Varma.

The book was first written in 2001 (with subsequent drafts) and published by Indialog Publications in 2005.

The book recounts the story of a white collar employee Akash in Mumbai choosing to live on a local train as a homeless man. He does this to solve his accommodation and commuting problems (both massive problems in Mumbai) but also to get succour from a personal pain that being constantly in motion provides him. The contradictions of his two lives (as a multinational employee during the day and a homeless man with no possessions in the night) change him forever.

A striking feature of the book is its format – the above main narrative is punctuated by short stories about characters Akash meets both on the train and in his office, with those characters taking centrestage in those stories.

The book received good reviews when it was published in 2005 but has subsequently gone out of print.

References