Train and real estate

Trains occupy mindspace - and why wouldn't they, given that I travel 3 hrs a day on the train....thats more time than what I spend doing personal stuff, entertaining myself or with my family.....

Space in train is very much like the real estate in Mumbai

First are the windows - the best being the wind side non sunny i.e. you dont get the dhoop and wind right into your face. These seats are grabbed by the fastest and first entrants. These are like the Worlis and Nariman Points of Mumbai - people who came to the city early occupied it......just like a guy boarding a train midway cant dream of a window seat, nor can anyone just starting out dream of a home at any of these places....

Next to get filled up are the other seats - these are typically people who want to sit - wherever they can. But not stand. This can be mapped to the town side areas upto Dadar - they are not seaside but valuable in their own right

While these get occupied, so does the door. The front part of the door actually......this is like the bandra and andheri - for the noveau rich......people who've just come into the train and are willing to bet on their hanging skills to stay on.......

The rest of the door is like Kandivali - Malad - Mulund types....inconvinient but still kewl to be @........

Finally is the gangway - its this squashed place which has nothing - no ventilation, no space, people stepping on each other and stuff......Thats like the real suburbs - apna Thane, dahisar, dombivali, kalyan, virar and the like.......

And what do you make of the odd creature on the top of the train? I would say he's like someone living in navi mumbai and the likes - he has decided to ditch the damn city (the main train compartment) for comforts but is far far from the city center......

Where I end up in the train is not totally under my control - depends on so many things....

But hey I like the comparision :)))