Prelude: As we wait for our train to Udhampur at New Delhi. This Kanpur WAP4 brings another journey to a dazzling end.

Prelude: At NDLS, a Shakur Basti WDS-4 shunts a departmental coach.

Prelude: On the 1077 Jhelum Express - We cross the LDH WDM-2a hauled, Indore bound, Malwa express at Ghagwal.

Prelude: Just exiting Jammu, the beautiful summer palace looms large. The dry river bed below the palace is of the Tawi.

The Begining: We start from Udhampur, the northernmost station in Indian Railways (for now)

Bharat is feeling lucky - having made it to Udhampur after two years of planning, researching and almost spoiling the whole thing in the end by virtue of my stupidity :D

Shanx all happy and beaming to be at UHP. After all the struggles during the previous night, it was a relief!

So this was the plan. We pick up a piece of ballast from Udhampur, travel all three gauges only by diesel and deliver it to Kanyakumari. As simple as that !!

Full view of the UHP yard. The single line from Jammu splits just before the FOB from where this picture was taken and forms the yard lines. In the distance are mountains the track needs to tackle on its way to Srinagar. Pay special attention to the middle of the frame - there is a big surprise!

Tughlakabad's WDM3A #18542 waits patiently with the rake of the Uttar Sampark Kranti. The beast will roar to life in the evening to begin the journey home.

This Ludhiana Alco had brought up the Mail from Delhi with the help of another friend. Now it is waiting to start its run downhill with the return train.

And here is the surprise! Behind the diesel from LDH, WAP-4 22524 from HWH looks lonely without wires. Apparently, the lazy folks at JUC thought it wise to send 120 tons of dead weight all the way up. The train is the NDLS-UHP A/C special.

Look Ma no wires !!! Looks like IR is doing experiments in wireless electric transmission. Good for us all, not catenary but still we get electrics to shoot :D

While the whole view looks lovely, the weather was sticky as hell !!

Udhampur or Kanniyakumari, their jobs are the same.

This the crowd at Jammu station AFTER more than half the platform has deposited itself inside the Puja Express to Ajmer.

And Delhi is no exception. A coolie looks exasperated as he waits for the arrival of the Avadh Assam express from Bikaner. Pic by Shashanka.

At Old Delhi. Gonda WDM-3a 16018R in its snazzy looking livery brings in the Awadh Assam Express. Fittingly, the loco was called "Awadh" too!

Any train that goes towards the eastern side of the country is jampacked and the AA is no exception. The crowd in GS hangs on as we take a curve at 90+ after Hapur.

The AA express curls round some rich fields to cross the Ganga at Garhmukteshwar.

As is usual in UP, a big crowd greets the arrival of the Uttaranchal SK at Moradabad. Loco in charge is WDM-2a 18675 from Mughalsarai.

Pretty flowers on the platform at Rampur as the Awadh - Assam Exp. takes a breather.

My dream come true! I had always wanted to see or pass by this station. Notice the way the name is spelt in Hindi. Pic by Shashanka.

The MG side at Bareilly Jn. is slightly deserted at this hour. The BG side though featured non-stop diesel action.

Waiting passengers are silhouetted by the beam of the incoming YDM4, in charge of a passenger train to Bareilly.

At Mailani Jn. this passenger trains glows brightly in the station lights. The yellow bulbs illuminating the passenger bays brought back memories of a bygone era.

Fishermen going about their business as we cross the Ganga at Kanpur.