Having served the country for more than a century and a half, the Indian Railways has taken apathy in its stride. Politicians whims, and not economic planning, have dictated its existence. But now, the tracks on which the giant moves have begun to show signs of stress. The health of this ailing mammoth needs to be restored. Arnab Pratim Dutta and Anupam Chakravartty trace the network's ailments and examine ways to bring it back on track