Meter Gauge Magic

A deficient monsoon in 2015 meant that water levels in the river were woefully low for that time of the year - Rajit Kumar

The bridge is more than a century old but is in very good shape. Locos accelerate hard on the bridge and can reach speeds of nearly 50 kmph while on it - Shashanka Nanda

Omkareshwar Road is the railhead for the famous pilgrim town of Omkarweshwar, around 15km east of the station

A train, a bridge and a wide angle lens - what more can one ask for? - Vikas Chander

Rewa Resorts on the Narmada's banks is a railfan's delight. One can indulge in their passion from the comfort of the balcony with a drink in hand.

But a massive overnight storm transformed the river, swelling it up by morning - Rajit Kumar

A Khandwa - Mhow train crosses the Narmada at Omkareshwar on a typical monsoon morning (Shashanka Nanda)

A fairly long downhill grade leads to the southern entrance of Omkareshwar Road station. It is pleasure to hear the howl of the dynamic brakes of the YDM4s as they close in - Shashanka Nanda

Train brakes are applied raising a small cloud of dust as the loco prepares to switch tracks to the platform - Shashanka Nanda

The third and final stop for us was the famed Dhulghat Spiral - a 270° loop that allows trains to ascend in a small geographic area. The shallow valley near Dhulghat station necessitated the construction of this spiral. Trains come over this bridge, loop

The bridge loop is set in picturesque surroundings - but sees only 3 trains in daylight hours, limiting photographic opportunities - Vikas Chander

A Dhulghat bound train rolls across the Sprial Bridge - the end section of the loop can be seen on the bottom left - Vikas Chander

Having crossed the bridge, it begins the descent across the loop - Vikas Chander

Thick vegetation covers the entire loop - here a Dhulghat bound train has descended the loop and is heading towards the bridge.

In this composite image, a train from Akola passes over the bridge, loops around and passes below the first span a few minutes later - Shashanka Nanda

An Akola bound train begins the ascent of the loop - Vikas Chander

An Akola bound train has looped around and makes a dramatic entry on to the Spiral Bridge

Having looped around, the Akola bound train emerges from dense foliage on to the bridge

Gauge conversion would lead to the abandoning of this alignment, leaving this unique spiral as footnote in the rich railway history of this section - Rajit Kumar