chasing trains in the new millenium |
by: S.SHANKAR |
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16 Apr.1853 - 16 Apr. 2002 |
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MYSORE / BANGALORE AREA:
There are two sides to the Mysore/Bangalore area in the new millenium. The saddest part is the demise of the meter gauge between Bangalore and Mysore on one side, and Hubli/Miraj on the other. All those elegant mg engines and stock have given way to more powerful and bigger bg monsters running right into Mysore direct, from faraway places like Nizamuddin (Delhi), Mumbai (Bombay), Chennai (Madras), Tirupati, Thanjavur (Tanjore), Shimoga etc. The result is, the town of Mysore too has lost its charm as a quiet, friendly, laid back and sleepy little town: its now as chaotic, crowded and unnerving as any large city, with bloodsucking touts out to prey on unwary tourists at every street corner.
The positive side is: its still possible (2000) to catch little whiffs of mg at Mysore itself, for the Mysore-Nanjangund/Chamarajnagar line has not yet been regauged to bg. Also, Bangalore is a haven for diesel freaks. Barring the line to Chennai (Madras), all the other lines out of Bangalore are diesel worked, and diesel freaks can be assured of a hearty meal of diesel action.
Here then is a look at the railways in the Mysore/Bangalore region.
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1. WDM/2 # 16854 in Erode livery with an empty rake of an unidentified Bangalore-Mysore Express. I could have got a better shot by moving closer and avoiding the catenary mast altogether, but for the two RPF (Railway Protection Force) constables whom I considered better kept at a respectable distance behind me. The RPF is the railfan's worst enemy: no amount of reasoning can make them see light as to why a railfan is photographing in railway territory. Most of the constables are absolute idiots whom its impossible to reason with. In the past I have even been accused of contemplating suicide, standing next to the tracks for so long! |
| 2. A Kazipet WDM/2C baldie # 14007 running LHF readies to leave Bangalore with an unidentified (most probably Bangalore- Hyderabad) Express. The train in the foreground is the newly introduced Bangalore-Tuticorin Express (just arrived). This train has a ac first cum ac sleeper composite car. |
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3-4 Two views of some of the many curves on the Mysore-Bangalore route. The WDM/2 running LHF is heading the Mysore-Tirupati Fast Passenger. The speed of this train could put many an express to shame. Note the culvert a good distance away from the train, probably denoting that the bg line had to be aligned to more gentle curves as compared with the earlier mg. |
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5. Encounter with another train on the opposite track. Night falls as WDM/2 # 17437 heads an express in the opposite direction from Bangalore to Mysore. |
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6-7 Much of the earlier mg alignment is still visible on the Mysore-Bangalore line as can be seen in these two views. Note disused level crossing gate pillars to the extreme right in the photo on the left. One can also see some disused culverts and bridges en route, but these were long gone before I could pull out my camera and shoot them. |
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| 8. Encounter with mg at Mysore. It is still possible to catch a glimpse of mg at Mysore, as the line to Nanjangund and Chamarajnagar is still mg. This peaceful pic with mg in the foreground gives a very wrong impression of Mysore. With direct bg connections to Madras, Shimoga, Nizamuddin, Tirupati and Bombay, this small station gets desperately crowded and chaotic at departure times. |
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9-10. The changing face of Mysore. In the pic on the left, a YDM/4 # 6308 rests serenely against a backdrop of a bg push pull train and an ordinary express. On the right, the push pull is seen leaving Mysore for Bangalore. Here is a push pull in true European style: loco at one end with driving trailer at the other. No mid-rake loco here as in other areas on the IR. |
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11. Another example of the changing face of Mysore. Wife and son pose next to the end-on generator car of the Madras (Chennai)-Mysore Shatabdi Express which has just come into Mysore. We rode this train from Bangalore. All arrivals into Mysore were by leisurely paced mg trains till 1999 or so. |
| 12. Gauntletted track (bg/mg) at Mysore. The Mysore - Nanjangund / Chamarajnagar line is still mg. Platforms 1, 2 & 3 at Mysore are bg, Pf. 4 is gauntletted and Pf. 5 is fully mg. Note mg stock after Pf. 5. This is shot from a bg train (Mysore-Tirupati Fast Passenger) on Pf. 3. Note WDM/2 running LHF at the lead. |
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13. Whiffs of mg at Mysore. YDM/4 # 6200 in green/yellow livery does some yard duties as she backs into Mysore station with the empty rake of the Chamarajnagar Passenger, while sister unit YDM 6130 receives attention inside the shed. Note the large amount of bg stock in the backdrop at extreme right. All YDM/4s at Mysore are fitted with twin roof mounted horns and sound very much WDM/2-ish. |
| 14. A disused mg 10 tonne diesel crane with match truck at Mysore. Note that the coupler has been removed from the match truck, probably denoting that the crane will not be going anywhere for a while now! With regauging rampant all around Mysore, this mg patch is virtually isolated, and stock has to be moved on bg flat cars for major repairs and overhaul, with the local shed looking after minor and routine work. |
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15-16. Arsikere Junction: change here for Hassan, Krishnarajasagara and Mysore. This exclusively mg station is now exclusively bg. Pic. on the left shows the station sign, the one on the right shows the previously gauntletted track at Arsikere with the mg line removed. |
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17. With much re-gauging still underway in the Hassan-Mangalore area, departmental trains like these are a common sight. This construction train at Arsikere Jn. has cars with connotations like 'Engineering Tool Van', 'Mechanical Tools-Kitchen Van' (odd combination?), 'Generator Van' etc. The train is of course bg. |
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18-19. Picture at left
is a peek into the driver's cab of WDM/2 # 18599 at Birur Jn. The train had just brought
in the passenger from Shimoga Town, and the driver planted his engine plop in front of
where I was. I narrowly missed shooting the driver talking on a walkie talkie. On the right, WDM/2 18599 provides foreground for another WDM/2 # 17751 running LHF as she pulls into Birur Jn. with the Hubli Bangalore Intercity Express. The Intercity is a replacement for the Hubli - Bangalore Shatabdi. |
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| 20. Here is a more modern version of the track inspection trolley. Apart from seats for four instead of two, and disk wheels, this one is also fitted with splashers (mudguards) and a basic petrol engine. Note also battery between the seats and the mechanical brakes. This one was shot at Harihar on the Bangalore-Miraj line. |
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21. Part of a departmental train is this open low sided car class OMT (never heard of it before) at Belgaum. |
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