I.S.A.'s Indian Railway Titbits

by: S.SHANKAR

This story tells the sordid tale of the Bombay Port Trust Railway, now in an advanced state of disintegration. In fact, I had visited the BPT Railway along with ISA in July 2000, where I bagged a lot of pictures. Not to be outdone, ISA visited again, and captured scores of more scenes, not all of them as sordid as the ones I'd shot. Here then are ISA's pictures of the BPT Railway:

Bombay Port Trust (BPT) Railway:

(now Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) Railway)

1. BHEL built diesel shunting locomotive of the BPT. This engine # 57 is one of the newer stock (1999), in a bid by the BPT to modernize and reopen at least one line for chemical traffic.

2-3. Two views of the historic 'Cotton Depot' signalling cabin at Sewree, Bombay. Note crow on the post in the picture at left.

4. Another view of the Cotton Depot signalling cabin at Sewree. Note skyscraper in the background: a spoil sport in this period scene.

5-6. Two views: just outside the BPT shed at Wadala are a Bo-Bo diesel electric # 54 built by BHEL, and a Bo-Bo diesel hydraulic # 34 built by Henschel, Germany.

7-8. BPT inspection cars built upon low sided open freight cars. The original freight cars were built in 1916 and 1921 respectively.

9. BHEL built diesel electric locomotive # 56 rests in the BPT loco shed.

10. A view of the BPT diesel shed. Inside the shed (though barely visible) are a BHEL built diesel and a much older Canadian built diesel locomotive.

11. Front view of a Canadian built locomotive # 45, now undergoing heavy repair inside the shed.

12. Another view of the Canadian beast. Much of the machinery has been ripped open.

9. The Canadian built beast # 45 photographed earlier near the shed. Note the cab of a German built diesel, and the diesel crane alongside.

13. Here is the diesel crane of the BPT inside the shed.

14. Another view of the crane. Note the cab of a Henschel (German) built diesel in the foreground along with assorted junk.

15. The historic Reay Road station on the harbor line. The BPT Railway comes very close to the main line at this point. The teeming millions who take the suburban trains at this station do not notice the quaint writing on the marble: GIP Railway (still intact!): Reay Road.

16. An emu speeds alongside the skeletal remnants of the BPT Railway. Note freshly painted semaphore signal.

17. A modern e.m.u. speeds along beside a defunct signalling cabin and a three in one semaphore signal: a stark contrast indeed with the modern e.m.u..