How should I proceed with photographing or videotaping trains, locos, etc.?
For a comprehensive account of all that is involved in photographing IR, and suggestions on equipment, etc., please see A railfan’s guide to photography on the Indian Railways by S Shankar. IR is skittish about anybody photographing or videotaping anything at supposedly strategic locations such as railway stations, bridges, workshops, etc. Technically, a permit is required for almost all photography or videotaping done on or near railway premises. However, in practice, this rule is often used by the railway security persons (RPF, GRP, etc.) just as an opportunity to extract bribes. More often, a security person might just be operating under an antediluvian notion of “security” and harass photographers with or without permits. Other railway staff (drivers, station masters) are sometimes quite sympathetic to railfans while others (shed foremen, particularly) might insist on following the rules and seeing a permit. Lineside photography in general does not require a permit (unless near a b
