IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 8181 - 8200

From: Jishnu Mukerji <>

Subject: Status of Srinagar Rail Link?

Date: 03 Sep 1999 11:53:28 -0500


What is the current status of the Jammu Tawi - Udhampur - Banihal -
Srinagar - Baramula rail link? The 1997 map shows that track is in place
upto Bajlata. How far is Bajlata from Jammu Tawi? What is the status of
construction of the rest of it. When completed it should be a
spectacular piece of railway engineering.

BTW, this summer when I was in Tibet for a week I heard that the Chinese
have pretty much given up on constructing a rail link to Lhasa from
Golmud. Instead they are now seriously consideraing constructing a link
almost directly to the East from Lhasa (well actually first South along
the Lhasa River valley to its confluence with Yarlung Tsangpo, and then
East), along the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) valley and then East
South East to connect to some rail head East of Burma (I forget the
exact name). What is interesting about this proposed alignment is that
it passes through Tsetang on the south bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo,
which has a relatively direct and relatively good quality road
connection to the Teesta Valley through Yadong in Tibet and the Nathu La
Pass. The road follows an old traditional trade route, and was upgraded
considerably by the Chinese in preparation for the 1962 operations in
NEFA.

Currently foreigners are not allowed to travel on this road very far
south of Tsetang, but some have on occasions made it as far south as
Yadong. The border at Nathu La Pass is currently closed, except for
local folks. From the Indian side it takes a special permit to get
anywhere near Nathu La Pass.

Anyway, perhaps with fantasy hats tightly on:-), this opens up
interesting possibilities of the construction of a spectacular piece of
railway engineering to get a track from say NJP/Siliguri across numerous
bridges and tunnels upto the Tibetan plateau around Yadong, basically
tunnelling under the Nathu La Pass, and then onto Tsetang. Unfortunately
politics will probably prevent this from ever happening, but such a link
would be a real boon to Tibet SAR, China and India in terms of a trade
link.

Jishnu.

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: Re: Braithwaithe company

Date: 03 Sep 1999 12:18:28 -0500


Hello Samit,
Interesting!
I thought Braithwaite, Plasser and one more (I cannot remember which)
were the few private sector companies selected by the IR in the early
1980s to manufacture track maintenance machinery.
Ah yes, of these, Braithwaite has been around for a while. I remember an
article about their building freight cars for the IR, as well as for
export to Vietnam.
Cheers.
Shankar


Samit Roychoudhury wrote:
>
> apurva!
>
> i believe braithwaite is one of those old pre-independence companies,
now
> just lagging on.
> i probably saw bad days and was taken over by the govt (like burn
standard).
>
> cheers
> samit

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: Re: Train names, Queens and Godesses

Date: 03 Sep 1999 12:21:28 -0500


Hello,
Whoops! Point # 1 (expressing political opinion) is well taken.
Sorry all.
Thanks for the other points.
Cheers.
Shankar.



Prateep Chatterjee wrote:
>
> Hi !
>
> > >Such bastards like Bal Thakeray,
> > > L.K.Advani etc.should be shot.
>
> Though I agree with your point of renaming trains, wouldn't it be
better if we
> refrain from expressing our political opinions in this forum (even if
they are
> quite accurate) ? The Bal, I must say is mad as a hatter, but Advani
????
>
> > > If you talk of weird names, then Gharib Nawaz Link Express and
> > > Matsyagandha (smell (or stench!) of fish) Express will take the
cake.
>
> Garib Nawaz Link Exp. : The link express was the extension of Pink
City Exp.
> (between Delhi and Jaipur) to Udaipur and the name probably came
because it used to
> pass through Ajmer.
>
> > > Incidentally, why is the Poona-Varanasi train called Gyan Ganga
Express
> > > (Sea of knowledge), and the Poona-Howrah Azad Hind (independent
India)?
>
> Maybe the name Gyan Ganga was chosen because of the Ganga flowing in
Varanasi ?????
> Azad Hind can be attributed to Subhas Chandra Bose and his INA (the
Azad Hind
> Fauj) ???
>
> > >Not to
> > > mention Chauri Chaura Exp. (what does that mean?)
>
> Chauri Chaura is a place between Kanpur and Gorakhpur (near to GKP, I
guess) which
> became famous for the burning of a police station in pre-independence
India (or am
> I wrong ??).
>
> >> Politics too apparently plays a role in train names,
........................
>
> If I remember correctly (Samit/Jisnu correct me if I am mistaken), the
HWH-Asansol
> Exp. is informally called the Bidhan Exp. (after a former Cong. CM of
WB) even
> though in TAAG just the name ASN-HWH Exp. is retained. Isn't it
politics again ?
>
> Regards to all.
>
> Prateep
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------
> Prateep Chatterjee
> Graduate Student
> Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
> and Engineering Mechanics
> University of Missouri-Rolla
> Rolla, MO 65409
> Phone : (573) 308-1542
> --------------------------------------------------

From: Prakash Tendulkar <>

Subject: Re: Train names, Queens and Godesses

Date: 03 Sep 1999 12:34:58 -0500


Hi !

> Such bastards like Bal Thakeray,
> L.K.Advani etc.should be shot.

First of all, IRFCA is dedicated to IR issues and not politics.

Two, I admire both these leaders and I am offended
by your rakeless language. Please be careful next
time.

Prakash
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at <A HREF="http://auctions.yahoo.com">http://auctions.yahoo.com</A>

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: revised index

Date: 03 Sep 1999 13:42:23 -0500


Hello,
To those of you kindly souls who have told me that they have been
generous enought to bookmark some of my webpages, here is the latest
revised index, with the super-railway site added, and the links
repaired.

<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Coast/9896/index.htm">http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Coast/9896/index.htm</A>

Thank you all once again for all the encouragement and support.

Cheers.

Shankar

From: Prakash Tendulkar <>

Subject: Re: Fog likely in December? Also, Footplate Fun!

Date: 03 Sep 1999 13:58:12 -0500


Larry,

I remember an article from local newspaper here
(either NY Times or Washington Post) about chronic
situation of fog in New Delhi during winter. Although
this article was related to airline travel, it's
the same fog that affects railroad traffic, too.

Prakash
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at <A HREF="http://auctions.yahoo.com">http://auctions.yahoo.com</A>

From: Avinash Pandey <>

Subject: Re: Fog likely in December? Also, Footplate Fun!

Date: 03 Sep 1999 14:41:07 -0500



I was in India from Jan to June 1999,
and yes, lots of IR trains all over North
India were affected by fog during Jan-Feb,
running behind schedule by several hours.
I happened to visit Allahabad in January,
when we alighted out of the train at about 4 AM,
the was so intense that, from midway from our
platform, we could not see the over-bridge to
cross over to platform #1. Normal visibility
and sunshine returned at about 11 AM!!

Avinash

Prakash Tendulkar wrote:

> Larry,
>
> I remember an article from local newspaper here
> (either NY Times or Washington Post) about chronic
> situation of fog in New Delhi during winter. Although
> this article was related to airline travel, it's
> the same fog that affects railroad traffic, too.
>
> Prakash
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Bid and sell for free at <A HREF="http://auctions.yahoo.com">http://auctions.yahoo.com</A>

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Avinash Pandey ~ Phone: 650 607 3717
Oracle Corporation ~ Fax : 650 506 7800
500 Oracle Parkway 3OP7 ~ Email: apandey@us.email
Redwood Shores CA 94065 ~ URL : www.oracle.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life has no obligation to meet your expectations." -Osho

From: Samit Roychoudhury <>

Subject: Re: Braithwaithe company

Date: 03 Sep 1999 19:54:04 -0500


shakar...

as i said i dont know much... just guessed... of course i may be wrong.
and
yes braithwaite does make rail stuff. what might have happened was they
might have got sick and after the govt took over made them supply
railways
material.

samit

--------------------------------------

Hello Samit,
Interesting!
I thought Braithwaite, Plasser and one more (I cannot remember which)
were the few private sector companies selected by the IR in the early
1980s to manufacture track maintenance machinery.
Ah yes, of these, Braithwaite has been around for a while. I remember an
article about their building freight cars for the IR, as well as for
export to Vietnam.
Cheers.
Shankar

From: S.B.Mehta <>

Subject: Vasai Road - Diva trip!

Date: 03 Sep 1999 21:19:11 -0500


Hi, gang!

Yesterday, Viraf, Shrinivas and I did the Vasai Road to Diva trip. We
decided to do this one on a short notice.

I boarded the Virar fast local from Grant Road at 0507 hrs. At
Borivali, Viraf caught sight of me and we travelled together to
Vasai. After buying the tickets (Rs.10/- each) we sauntered over to
platform 3 and awaited Shrinivas who was to catch the DMU from Diva.

At 0640 DMU3 rolled in, delayed by 2 mins. because a container rake
away from Mumbai was given the go ahead first. Shrinivas had
befriended the drivers of the DMU already (how adept we are in this
area!) and so, we were given a warm welcome in the cab.

At 0645 we started the return trip. The power plant was WDM2 (Kalyan
Shed). This rake has a 'First Class' too, which is but the ordinary
second class (cushioned benches) of a Mumbai-Pune exp. This is also
only the half of a full coach. A composite you may say.

The first station is Juchandra. In fact, let me list all the stations
here that followed thereafter: Kaman, Kharbau and Bhivandi Road.

About the route itself; it is very scenic and especially so in the
monsoon! The clouds were low in the hills and there was a light
drizzle which cooled the atmosphere to chilling point at times. We
observed that provision is already made for laying of the second
track (it should have been done when the line was laid). We crossed
two container rakes at Kaman and Kharbau. At all these stations
there were 3 loops besides the 2 on each side of the platform.

The route has quite a few 'S' curves and sharp right and left curves.
The signalling system is the mainline type. And there are gentle up
and down gradients. It was sheer fun travelling and engaging in
detailed conversation with the drivers. They has a walkie-talkie set
and we listened to the conversations of all those who were in the
vicinity as we were nearing Diva. The trestled bridge over Ulhas
River looks very quaint. We passed over the CR mainline near
Dombivali and progressed further in a left loop towards Diva.

Just before Diva, the time was 0745, the ASM (Diva) advised our
driver to halt the train outside the station. However, the driver
remarked that he did not want to raise the ire of the travelling
public and that it was also raining so he just chugged into the
station. Good blokes they were, the driver was Mr. Anandkumar S. and
the Asst.Driver was Mr. Rajendra Parmar. Parmar is pretty young and
both of them were very talkative.

Both of them did only this one trip as the evening trip is done by
other pair of drivers.

After thanking them we boarded the fast train back to Mumbai. By that
time, we saw that the DMU was pulled back into the yard. At Dadar, we
spilled out like sardines out of a tincan. I have taken a few
photographs and so has Shri. I shall write on Tuesday how they have
come out. Till then.

Sarosh.

PS: Some of you guys (Pune boys) should do this trip before the
monsoon is over.

From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>

Subject: Diva-Vasai (Big Turn table!!)

Date: 03 Sep 1999 23:14:18 -0500




Hi!


Yesterday , a holiday for Godrej. And myself, Viraf & Sarosh used this
for
a early morning ride on Dombivli-Vasai DMU train & back to Diva.
Already
Sarosh has posted a mail about this trip.

I waited for this train at Dombivli, ( comes empty from Kalyan shed)in
Apurva's
terminology PATAVED the Asst.Driver & Driver. They readily took me
inside the
cab. The train left at 5:35 in the morning . It was dark & light
drizzle.
The distance readings on the poles are from CST as starting point. On
the way there was heavy container train traffic.

It moved to Bhivandi Rd.,covering this distance ,in only 12 minutes.Then
on
to Vasai halting at midway stations listed by Sarosh in his mail.
Reached
almost on time. The distance covered was about 32 KMS. And thru cabin ,
I
saw -Viraf next to the track for a quick response to nature's call.
Then,
Sarosh was waiting on the platform.

After a hot cup of tea offered at the stall by the drivers , we moved to
the driving end. After brief introduction Viraf & Sarosh too boarded the
cabin. And now it was day break, we could see the surrounding hills .
Few basties along the way as well. This route crosses the Mumbai-Agra
highway before Bhivandi Rd. from Dombivli side & Western Express highway
before it approaches onto Vasai.

I carried with me, a printout of a perfect location map posted sometime
back by one of our group member. And handed over this copy to the
Drivers.
They too liked it very much. Now , I forgot the mailer. But many Thanks
to him as well.

They liked the snaps taken by Viraf on his recent trip to Wankaner &
Morbi.
And were surprised to see the steam still in action on that route.

And hence the following observation , I could make.

The train left Dombivli facing the CST direction after taking a big left
side turn crossing over the main line near Dombivli- entered Vasai
facing
the Virar direction. And on return trip the Churchgate side end( which
was
Kalyan end when it left Dombivli) worked as the Drivers cabin & at Diva
it
entered facing CST. And the cabin in which we started from Dombivli now
was facing Kalyan side. So isn't this a act similar to the Turn-Table
act,
where a locomotive is turned around 180 deg.!

The drivers do 2 days on this section & other days of the week on the
Diva
-Roha section .So sometime next week shall meet them again at station &
pass on the snaps we took on this pleasant trip.

Bye,

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Diva-Vasai (Big Turn table!!)

Date: 03 Sep 1999 23:43:01 -0500





> It moved to Bhivandi Rd.,covering this distance ,in only 12
minutes.Then on
> to Vasai halting at midway stations listed by Sarosh in his mail.
Reached
> almost on time. The distance covered was about 32 KMS. And thru cabin
, I
> saw -Viraf next to the track for a quick response to nature's call.
Then,
> Sarosh was waiting on the platform.

Viraf has usually a strange organic reactions seeing a train !

> I carried with me, a printout of a perfect location map posted
sometime
> back by one of our group member. And handed over this copy to the
Drivers.
> They too liked it very much. Now , I forgot the mailer. But many
Thanks
> to him as well.

The cartographer /mailer is our own dear Rajan Mathew ! He has made not
only the
map of the area but also the route that the various trains take with the
sequence
(the Vasai DMU waits on the Dn loop line,. while the Deccan Queen takes
the main
line etc), in glorious colour, I may add. Maybe Rajan should put these
great maps
on his website. I had also requested him to make similar maps of the
intricate
suburban and dockyard system, maybe the New Mumbai / Turbe lines too.

> They liked the snaps taken by Viraf on his recent trip to Wankaner &
Morbi.
> And were surprised to see the steam still in action on that route.

Good to find friendly drivers, the sweetest community in the world. Now
that you
have pataoed them, maybe a foray into the KR (on the footplate of
course) is not
too far away.

> The train left Dombivli facing the CST direction after taking a big
left
> side turn crossing over the main line near Dombivli- entered Vasai
facing
> the Virar direction. And on return trip the Churchgate side end( which
was
> Kalyan end when it left Dombivli) worked as the Drivers cabin & at
Diva it
> entered facing CST. And the cabin in which we started from Dombivli
now
> was facing Kalyan side. So isn't this a act similar to the Turn-Table
act,
> where a locomotive is turned around 180 deg.!

Does this mean that a loco leaving short hood leading returns as long
hood leading
?

> The drivers do 2 days on this section & other days of the week on the
Diva
> -Roha section .So sometime next week shall meet them again at station
&
> pass on the snaps we took on this pleasant trip.

As much as the Godrej gang is cut up with me about the slow progress of
their
Wankaner webpages, I would again volunteer to upload all these pics to
the net on a
separate webpage. Their WKR pages should be up by tomorrow I guess. Is
is the 135
pictures and the juggling between 2 tripod sites that is taking so much
time.
Please send me all the Diva - Vasai pics, I am relatively free now.

Apurva

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: 3019 HWH-Kathgodam Express runs 5km without engine!

Date: 03 Sep 1999 23:58:18 -0500


lwebber@planetmail.email wrote:

> But if the rake's brakes came on, it would have been stopped (from the
approx. 70kph at most at which it was travelling) in MUCH less than 5
kms....

The 5 Km figure would increase as the number of hands telling the the
folklore increase.

> PS: Apurva, Please remember I cannot read any email at present except
that coming directly from irfca (due to this damned filter!) so I have
missed any replies except those to the list. If you have any more info
re the AC/DC supply, please could you make it here? Thanks!

I have sent a reply to Larry already but I suppose he has not got it due
to email problems. It is confirmed that the supply in the reading lamp
(most accessible point) is 110 VDC in case of self generated coaches and
110 VAC in case of HOG/EOG coach. The HOG/EOG supply is in
some doubt.
As far as the medical device is concerned, I gave up downloading the pdf
file as this is over 1 Mb. But from the looks of it, this device could
not be guaranteed to work from a reading light socket. A bigger danger
is burning the device out and not being able to use it
anywhere in India later. I hope the rocking motion would be a
tranquilized enough for your friend.
I do not know if I am a minority here, but I would love to take long
circuitous journeys in AC sleeper just for the wonderful dreamless sleep
that are just not possible on my own (land) bed. I love sleeping in a
train !

Apurva

From: S.SRINIVAS <>

Subject: Re: Vasai Road - Diva trip!

Date: 03 Sep 1999 23:59:45 -0500


DEAR SAROSH

LUCKY GUYS - ALL THREE OF U. AND THANKS FOR SHARING THE EXPERIENCE
WITH ALL OF US. HAD I BEEN IN MUMBAI, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO JOIN THE
GROUP. INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT I AM A LATE RISER AND YOUR TRIP WAS
VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. BUT THEN, MAYBE THE CAB OF A DMU IS TOO SMALL
FOR FIVE OR SIX PERSONS.

LET ME HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER SO THAT DURING MY NEXT TRIP TO MUMBAI, WE
CAN TRY FOR A REPEAT. FOR ME, OF COURSE, IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME. I
HAVE SEEN THIS TRACK TWICE FROM THE WR MAIN LINE WHILE TRAVELLING TO
BARODA FROM MUMBAI AND I COULD MAKE OUT THAT IT WILL BE LOVELY TO TRAVEL
ON IT. WHAT WITH THE TRACK GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE HILLS CLEARLY VISIBLE
FROM THE WR MAIN LINE ! IS THERE A TUNNEL ?

S. SRINIVAS


S.B.Mehta wrote:

> Hi, gang!
>
> Yesterday, Viraf, Shrinivas and I did the Vasai Road to Diva trip. We
> decided to do this one on a short notice.
> ...............................
> .............................
> After thanking them we boarded the fast train back to Mumbai. By that
> time, we saw that the DMU was pulled back into the yard. At Dadar, we
> spilled out like sardines out of a tincan. I have taken a few
> photographs and so has Shri. I shall write on Tuesday how they have
> come out. Till then.
>
> Sarosh.
>
> PS: Some of you guys (Pune boys) should do this trip before the
> monsoon is over.

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: IR links

Date: 04 Sep 1999 00:20:50 -0500


I liked your link page very much. You should put this up on the IRFCA,
the
comments of the whole gang is always enlightning. You could remove my
webpage from the catergory of IRFCA (current) homepage to the
'photograph'
pages. I am just an ordinary member of the IRFCA. You would also consult
Vijay Balasubramanian on the links issue, he has a HUGE set of Indian
railway links. He is one of the founder members of the group. Also talk
to
Shanku Niyogi who has actually developed 'our' own website and a domain.
The
email addresses of these two members are in the header. Vijay's Vaigai
Exp
and many other pics are missing in your link ?

Apurva

Prateep Chatterjee wrote:

> Hello !
>
> I was hoping if you would be able to go over to my homepage once and
> check out a links page that I have compiled. I didn't want to send
this
> mail to IRFCA because I felt that the page is in an embryonic stage
and
> it would be better for me to keep it in wraps till I get something
> useful (photographs etc.). The page is :
> <A HREF="http://www.umr.edu/~prateep/links.html">http://www.umr.edu/~prateep/links.html</A>. Please write back what you
think
> about the page and suggest changes/additions etc. I would be really
> thankful if you would help me in evaluating the page. Also, I would
also
> like you to see <A HREF="http://www.umr.edu/~prateep/faq.pdf">http://www.umr.edu/~prateep/faq.pdf</A>, which I compiled
> from the IRFCA faq gzipped html file (I used html2ps and ps2pdf to
> convert it). The PDF file has hyperlinks and therefore is easier to
> browse compared with the html files. It can also be downloaded easily,
> takes up less space and offline & instant referencing is possible.
>
> Best wishes.
>
> Prateep
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------
> Prateep Chatterjee
> Graduate Student
> Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
> and Engineering Mechanics
> University of Missouri-Rolla
> Rolla, MO 65409
> Phone : (573) 308-1542
> --------------------------------------------------

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Train names, Queens and Godesses

Date: 04 Sep 1999 00:38:21 -0500


> Until it became so slow that they extended it
> beyond Delhi and renamed it Toofan Udyan Abha Express or some such.

I love long train names - Toofan Udyan Abha Express is one of my
favourite. I also
love names of station with a 'road' in it - Mantralayam Road etc. These
are usually
smaller stations with their own character.

> I think the ultimate slow and circuitous routed train between Calcutta
> and Delhi was the now discontinued Upper India Express,

This trains sound great. What is the modern avatar of this train ? Are
there any
trains today out of Sealdah that go to New Delhi ? I can see only the
3111 Lal Quila
Express in the taag which merges with the trunk at Barddhaman.

> .............
> >
> > If I remember correctly (Samit/Jishnu correct me
> > if I am mistaken), the HWH-Asansol Exp. is informally
> > called the Bidhan Exp. (after a former Cong. CM of WB)
> > even though in TAAG just the name ASN-HWH Exp.
> > is retained. Isn't it politics again ?

Even the 1st WAM 1 (or one of the first AC locos) was named as Bidhan.

Apurva

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: PW manual

Date: 04 Sep 1999 00:46:45 -0500


The 1986 permanent way manual on the IRICEN site:
<A HREF="http://www.iricen.com/pway.htm">http://www.iricen.com/pway.htm</A>

From: Samit Roychoudhury <>

Subject: Re: Diva-Vasai (Big Turn table!!)

Date: 04 Sep 1999 01:12:42 -0500


if anyone wants any maps done, just send me a sketch of the same and i
shall
do a graphical representation of it. i like maps myself and always
wanted a
nice bombay suburban section one. doing one myself is even better...

samit

From: S.B.Mehta <>

Subject: Re: Vasai Road - Diva trip!

Date: 04 Sep 1999 01:21:38 -0500



On Sept.04 S. Srinivas wrote:
> DEAR SAROSH
>
> LUCKY GUYS - ALL THREE OF U. AND THANKS FOR SHARING THE EXPERIENCE
> WITH ALL OF US. HAD I BEEN IN MUMBAI, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO JOIN THE
> GROUP. INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT I AM A LATE RISER AND YOUR TRIP WAS
> VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. BUT THEN, MAYBE THE CAB OF A DMU IS TOO
SMALL
> FOR FIVE OR SIX PERSONS.

Ummm, surprisingly the cab is pretty large enough for 5-6 standees!

> LET ME HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER SO THAT DURING MY NEXT TRIP TO MUMBAI,
WE
> CAN TRY FOR A REPEAT. FOR ME, OF COURSE, IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME. I
> HAVE SEEN THIS TRACK TWICE FROM THE WR MAIN LINE WHILE TRAVELLING TO
> BARODA FROM MUMBAI AND I COULD MAKE OUT THAT IT WILL BE LOVELY TO
TRAVEL
> ON IT. WHAT WITH THE TRACK GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE HILLS CLEARLY
VISIBLE
> FROM THE WR MAIN LINE ! IS THERE A TUNNEL ?

You can contact me at my office for that's where I am for the
better part of the day. The no. is 577 3535, Extn.No. 3917.
No, there are no tunnels, however, the track cuts through quite a few
gulches, thats the word I think for open-headed tunnels. As I said,
the first ride should be during the monsoon.

Sarosh.

> S. SRINIVAS
>
>
> S.B.Mehta wrote:
>
> > Hi, gang!
> >
> > Yesterday, Viraf, Shrinivas and I did the Vasai Road to Diva trip.
We
> > decided to do this one on a short notice.
> > ...............................
> > .............................
> > After thanking them we boarded the fast train back to Mumbai. By
that
> > time, we saw that the DMU was pulled back into the yard. At Dadar,
we
> > spilled out like sardines out of a tincan. I have taken a few
> > photographs and so has Shri. I shall write on Tuesday how they have
> > come out. Till then.
> >
> > Sarosh.
> >
> > PS: Some of you guys (Pune boys) should do this trip before the
> > monsoon is over.
>
>
>
>

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Bhel website

Date: 04 Sep 1999 01:40:45 -0500


Gang !

The BHEL website mentions a 4200 HP DC locomotive in their
product range, any idea which one is this ? WCM 6 ?
<A HREF="http://www.bhelis.com/home/bhelpg/loco.htm">http://www.bhelis.com/home/bhelpg/loco.htm</A>

Apurva

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Vasai Road - Diva trip!

Date: 04 Sep 1999 02:09:55 -0500




"S.SRINIVAS" wrote:

> DEAR SAROSH
>
> LUCKY GUYS - ALL THREE OF U. AND THANKS FOR SHARING THE EXPERIENCE
> WITH ALL OF US. HAD I BEEN IN MUMBAI, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO JOIN THE
> GROUP. INSPITE OF THE FACT THAT I AM A LATE RISER AND YOUR TRIP WAS
> VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. BUT THEN, MAYBE THE CAB OF A DMU IS TOO
SMALL
> FOR FIVE OR SIX PERSONS.

Speaking of the DEMU (not the push pull rake that our friends
took from BSR
to DV), the cab next to engine is quite small. However the cab
in the DTC
(driving trailer car) is huge. It can hold 10 standees is
required. The DTC
is a standard day coach with converted ends. So the cab is the
area between
the end door and the toilet block, which is a large area.
It is a great feeling to be able to travel at speed without
any sort of engine sound, only the sounds are the hissing of
leaking air at the brake and horn controls.
I remember seeing the Push Pull's cab and I think it is also
quite large.
Sarosh, was the loco at one end or was it in the middle with
four (five ?)
coaches on either side ?

Apurva