Design on tracks: Serampore priest builds miniature trains
The Statesman | 26 June 2025
Tucked away in a narrow bylane of Serampore, a modest room, barely spacious enough for two to stand, an entire railway world comes to life, albeit a miniature one.
Provash Acharya, a priest by profession and a model train maker by passion, spends hours breathing life into intricate replicas of India’s locomotives.
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At 68, Provash hasn’t let age or adversities derail a dream that began when he was a curious schoolboy watching thundering trains roar past the Serampore station.
“I used to imagine myself as the train pilot… or the guard waving the green flag,” he recalls with a quiet smile escaping his face as his hands fine tune a battery-powered Vande Bharat model.
Someone who has studied till higher secondary, Provash had little formal technical training but his childhood fascination with trains pushed him to explore the basics of electrical circuits on his own, often working late into the night after a long day performing pujas and rituals.
“This isn’t just a hobby. It’s an exciting experience,” the sexagenarian said.
And it shows. His room, albeit cramped, is transformed into a miniature railway station. Toy-sized EMUs, electric engines, and even a meticulously designed Vande Bharat train glide along a custom-laid track. As the signal blinks green, the three-compartment Vande Bharat model, powered by tiny motors, begins to roll, mimicking the real train.
Provash’s creations have drawn admiration from far and wide. School and college students frequent his home, fascinated by his craftsmanship and the simple yet ingenious science behind it. Educational fairs, exhibitions, and local science meets often feature his trains—crowd-pullers that never fail to amaze.
“Whatever I know about electric motors, I owe to my electrician friend who patiently explained the basics,” he shares, adding, “The rest I learned through trial and errors and pure love for trains.”
“I get joy watching others, especially children, watching these trains run. That’s enriching,” he says.
But Provash is distressed about recent acts of train vandalism.
“Trains are the lifeline of our country. They connect people, cultures, and economies. It breaks my heart when I see them set on fire. For some of us, they’re not just machines, they’re symbols of dreams.”