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The Ghan Railway

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  • #1

    The Ghan Railway



    The Ghan is a passenger train operating between Adelaide, Alice Springs, and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin railway in Australia. Operated by Great Southern Railway and with locomotives provided by Pacific National, the entire journey takes 48 hours to travel the 2,979 kilometres (1,851 mi) and around half that (24 hours) to the midpoint at Alice Springs.

    The service's name is an abbreviated version of its previous nickname THE AFGHAN EXPRESS , unofficially bestowed on the "express passenger" service of the Commonwealth Railways in 1923, by one of its crews. The train's name honours AFGHAN CAMEL DRIVERS who arrived in Australia in the late 19th century to help find a way to reach the country's unexplored interior.
    Last edited by Toramana; 09-11-2012, 09:39 PM.
    Tags: ghan, railway
  • #2
    This is old
    "Revenge is a dish best served cold".

    -Old Pashtun proverb




    "My Pashtun Pride i will not hide!"

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    • #3
      Why did they change the name?
      Even Adobe Photoshop can't change me.

      A line[Durrand line] of hatred that raised a wall between the two brothers -Hamid Karzai

      For generations, the Hindus of India prayed for deliverance from "the venom of the cobra, the teeth of the tiger and the vengeance of the Afghan."


      The men of Kábul and Khilj also went home; and whenever they were questioned about the Musulmáns of the Kohistán (the mountains), and how matters stood there, they said, "Don't call it Kohistán, but Afghánistán; for there is nothing there but Afgháns and disturbances." Thus it is clear that for this reason the people of the country call their home in their own language Afghánistán, and themselves Afgháns. The people of India call them Patán; but the reason for this is not known. But it occurs to me, that when, under the rule of Muhammadan sovereigns, Musulmáns first came to the city of Patná, and dwelt there, the people of India (for that reason) called them Patáns—but God knows!

      -Ferishta, 1560–1620

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      • #4
        i don't know. not all the cameleers were from afghanistan though.

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        • #5
          just found a terrific article about the afghans in south australia, giving names, dates and details. apparently, the town where many cameleers lived, marree, was nicknamed ghan town.
          article is "history of the afghans in south australia" at nettime.
          also gives recent information about the descendents still living in marree. someone may find a relative.
          Last edited by faye; 09-12-2012, 05:14 PM.

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