IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 4561 - 4580
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: Wankaner Steam Special!
Date: 03 Dec 1998 21:59:22 -0500
Hello Bharat,
A visual treat was long overdue, and you filled it.
Thanks a lot man, terrific site.
Only, if you could provide 'enlargabale' thumbnails that could be set as
wallpapers, it would be ideal. Also, the print is a bit tiny.
All in all, great.
I read somewhere (was it one of the irfca mails?) that Wankaner too
would
dispense with steam very soon. Is this true?
In that case, your web page has historical value as well.
I've bookmarked it for posterity.
Best regards.
Shankar.
At 04:52 AM 12/3/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi All!
>Sorry for the long absence but my home account
><protip@giasbmc.email was cut off some days back and I had to
>rely on hotmail! Please direct all mail to this account for the time
>being..<bvohra@hotmail.email
>
>Anyways this is to request you all to please visit the new page on
steam
>that I have added to the site...
>
><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~railinindia/wank.html">http://members.tripod.com/~railinindia/wank.html</A>
>
>Please let me know what you think of it!
>Thanking you,
>Regards
>Bharat Vohra
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at <A HREF="http://www.hotmail.com">http://www.hotmail.com</A>
>
From: Shankar <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 03 Dec 1998 22:02:34 -0500
Hello Poras, and welcome back.
I'm sure you are as lucky as Apurva in having your wife a train lover
too.
Anyway you are just married and you can always break her in, orientation
into the train freak syndrome, so to speak.
I have to do most of my railway activities on the sly: my wife just
HATES
trains.
Best regards, and wishing you a long, and happy married life.
I found your lively travelog most interesting.
Shankar
At 02:58 PM 12/3/98 +0530, you wrote:
>Hi friends !
>I am back from a beautiful trip to North India; here is the report :
>
>Started by 2951 dn Rajdhani express from Mumbai, and were given a
welcome
>aboard the Rajdhani Express, and were told that there is a facility for
>phone on board and was available in the pantry car. The train moved at
>good speed till we reached Borivali and then literally went like an
>ordinary express upto Boisar, where I saw that Saurashtra Janta express
>was sidelined and we were allowed to pass thru. After that we felt
that
>we were travelling by Rajdhani express, and wow it was fantastic
standing
>on the door only to be told by GRP pls close the door. These people
were
>really thorns on these superfasts. We however recovered about 1/2
an
>hr and reached Baroda 15 mins late. I was behind the Generator car
>afterthe engine and at Baroda the WCAM 2P was replaced by the ultimate
>loco of this CENTURY, the WAP5. I requested its driver who was in his
>late 50s to let me in at Baroda and the loco is fully automated and
huge
>space in the drivers cabin and cushioned seats, really soft ones.
Infact
>the driver was ready to take me upto Ratlam, but since I was on my
>honeymoon and then just in case if someone did not open the bogie for
me
>at Ratlam then I would have been in Bad shape,plus my wife would have
been
>scared. The train started from Baroda and yo ho !! in about 15 mins
we
>were having an absolute bonanza speedwise and jerk wise, with all a/c 3
>tier coaches being mfd in Kapurthala it was fun. Luckily for me since
I
>occasionaly smoke, I was standing on the door till Godhra when again
one
>GRP told me to close the door, I however told him that I will finish my
>smoke and close the door and he obliged. The train was at full speed.
We
>reached Ratlam bang on time in the process overtaking Paschim exp at
DAhod
>since it was running late.
>
>Thereafter I slept and I felt I was in a plane, so smooth was the
journey.
>At Ratlam I saw the Bhopal RAjkot Express, with a WDM2. Thereafter at
>8.00 am we passed Mathura and bang 9.55 am reached NDLS.
>
>DELHI - KALKA-SIMLA
>___________________
>We were booked on the 2311 Kalka mail from Delhi to KAlka and had A RAC
>1/2 TICKET, I left my wife alone and went to Old delhi stn and got the
>tickets confirmed, and in the process saw a few trains towards Mumbai
in
>the afternoon. Then in the night I left a little early for the Stn
>and when we reached the stn Kalka mail had already arrived and was
almost
>empty. Mussoorie express was ready to depart at 10.35 p.m. with a WDM2
of
>Lucknow shed. Our Kalka mail got a WDM2 from Ludhiana shed and
departed
>on time. One thing I noticed that this train does a lot of time pass
at\
>Ambala and Chandigarh, where it halted for almost halted for 55mins to
>reach Kalka at dot 5.00 a.m. right time. From Kalka there was no RAil
car
>service that day, and Shivalik express the new Premium train from kalka
>was waiting. This train is fully chair car with Upholstery and ticket
>cost RS 310/- per person with the last bogie being a saloon and the
train
>well painted and breakfast included in tkt fare. The only stn it halts
>was at Barog and it took 4hrs flat to Simla. Taken a lot photographs
in
>the moving train.
>
>SIMLA- MANALI- CHANDIGARH -AMBALA WAS ALL DONE BY BUS
>
>AMBALA - AMRITSAR
>------------------
>ALL of a sudden I change my itinery aand decided to go to Amritsar
from
>Chandigarh, since there being no train I went to Ambala by bus and on
>reaching Ambala it was chaos,I was booked on the 2029 dn Swarna
Shatabdi
>from Delhi in the morning and nobody on Ambbala railway stn could tell
me
>on which platform the train would arrive and though I tried to ask
>everyone from STn master to the coolie no one told me and then all of a
>sudden they announced that train standing on platform 7 is SWarna
>Shatabdi for Amritsar, though when we crossed over the train pulled in
>with 2 roaring WDM2's (its a real good feeling seeing 2 roaring jumbos)
>pulling in a train. Both the locos were from Lucknow shed and both
were
>of the same blue livelry. The coaches of the SWarna Shatabdi were
>different from our shatabdi and these were having huge windows and
>concealed toilets though no water in the toilets !!! there were
mirrors
>in the train and we were served breakfast tea and at Ludhiana Junction,
>free FAnta Coke etc.. There were two Lady hostesses welcoming you
aboard
>the Swarna Shatabdi one for Executive class and one for CC coaches, so
>when we climbed on the train we were welcomed aand given hot towels to
>freshen up and friends IR have really improved ! Can You imagine good
>looking hostesses on Indian trains !! I was like thrilled and gazing at
>them till my wife said I am next to you, and now you are married !!!
>
>Whilst I was in Chandigarh I read in the Indian Express DAted 19/11
that
>there is a competition for the new rake of Swarna Shatabdi, is ready at
>Kapurthala and each coach costs 73 lacs as against 50 lacs for an
ordinary
>coach and yo ho ICF at Kapurthala has done a marvellous job of mfg it
>indigeniously. Now they are contemplating whether Chandigarh, ASR, Or
LKO
>will get the same. ASR and LKO are dense routes and Chand. is likely
>candidate though the file is still with the GM of NR.
>
>The line From NDLS to Ludhiana is electrified and at Ludhiana I saw the
>Mumbai Bound Paschim express with a WAP 1 loco from Ghaziabad. The
swarna
>shatabdi reached ASR on dot at 11.55 am .
>
>At Amritsar I read an ad that NR. is the largest and the most
profitable
>rly in the country and it is the only rly to RUN THE WAP 5 AND the
largest
>rly in the country handling 11ooo kms. But all over the NR stns and
the
>trains was written "NR GM MURDABAD" I dont know who this GM is but
>poor chap must be the most abused person in the Railways. During my
stay
>I went to ASR stn in the evening to see the Frontier depart and saw on
the
>TT that there is a train to Lahore twice a week running regularly from
ASR
> Whilst returning we came to Delhi by 2498 Shan e Punjab express and as
I
>told Viraf my bogie was the composite coach and CC had only 35 seats,
>which was suffocating and got more suffocating due to security and dogs
>present on the train. The train departed at 15.45 instead of 14.40
though
>the train arrived on time at 14.00 hours. No make up was done and at
>GAnnaur station after Panipat we were delayed for another 1/2 an hour
to
>LET THE Swarna Shatabdi pass.
>We reached Delhi at 11.30 pm. LATE by 1 1/2 hrs.
>
>NDLS- AGRA - NDLS
>-------------------
>this journey was done by 2001 Bhopal Shatabdi and it was chaos at
around
>5.45 am in the morning as in the next half an hour 3 shatabdis leave
Ndls
>vis a vis LKO, ASR, DehraDun and Bhopal (sorry 4) and I myself got
>confused and seeing a Shatabdi with a WAP5 loco I got into the Lucknow
>shatabdi to later climb the bridge and go to PF 1 for the right train
and
>this train was packed to capacity by foreigners going to Agra as it was
a
>sunday. The train was headed again By my favourite WAP5 loco and in
flat
>1hr 55 mins we were in Agra. Ijumped off the train at Agraa and
clicked
>the loccos 4 times despite heavy security for a British delegation, but
>without any problems, infact whilst clicking the loco I could also
click
>the GT express as It was leaving Agra.
>
>Whilst going to FAtehpur, crossing a railway crossing by car I saw the
>Lucknow Agra fort Mail with a YDM from IZN loco shed, Believe me till I
>talked to Viraf this morning I couldnt Realise where IZN shed is. It
is
>IZZatnagar.
>
>On return from Agra we caught the 2137 dn FRom Mumbai i.e. Punjab Mail
>with a WAM4/6p from Bhusawal loco shed. On the way we passed the
Mumbai
>raj with a WAP 4 loco passing at Mathura, followed by the Paschim.
>
>In DElhi I went to the RAil museum and I went Berserk seeing the Black
>Iron Horses standing mute, and clicked photos like mad man whilst my
wife
>got bored.
>
>Here I enquired about Our FRiend Mr HArsh Vardhan and was told that he
>visits the museum only on Sundays, I was Given his phone no. but there
I
>couldn't contact him. Harsh sorry but when youu receive this message I
am
>sure you will reply. In the meantime I will try and call you up
sometime
>to enquire about getting enrolled.
>
>You can please write back to me on this email address.
>
>Before I forget whilsst returning to Mumbai by RAj headed by a WAP4
from
>GZB, was a sad experience as the train did not go into top speed at any
>point of time and at one place before Mathura, it halted at a STn
called
>Kosi Karan, even thouugh the signal was green we were delayed by 30
mins
>and further at Baroda we halted for 45 mins.
>
>So friends I hope you like my trip report and your comments are eagerly
>awaited, especially on the WAP locos and the WAG9 ABB locos, especially
to
>start a conversation after a month long gap. Come on Guys !
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>
Subject: Unsubscribe please!
Date: 04 Dec 1998 01:13:20 -0500
Hi!
Anurag ,
Next full week I am away for some training. So, please remove me from
the
mailing list. Shall join for sure after 14th Dec. Till then happy
surfing!
on the right tracks.
Thanks
Bye,
Shrinivas
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Katwa steam loco sent to UK
Date: 04 Dec 1998 01:47:31 -0500
Gang !
Check out this page scanned for the IR mag of July/Aug 1997)
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~ApuB/Katwa/Katwa.htm">http://members.tripod.com/~ApuB/Katwa/Katwa.htm</A>
Apurva
From: Sachin P Keshavan <>
Subject: Loco being shifted to UK
Date: 04 Dec 1998 02:40:33 -0500
Hi all,
I saw Apoorva's mail which had the picture of a loco being transported
back to UK. Why did the government allowed it to leave the country, and
then why did'nt it transfer the loco to the Railway Museum.
Bye,
Sachin.
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From: Harsh Vardhan <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 04 Dec 1998 02:53:16 -0500
Dear Porus,
Hi! And what a fascinating tour report. Really
sorry
that I
missed meeting you both at Delhi. I would have been great. That is one
big
problem with my constant travelling that I miss a lot of people visiting
Delhi and also am not able to check my emails regularly to give a timely
reply. Anyway I look forward to see you next time Iam at Bombay about
which
I'll keep you informed.
>In DElhi I went to the RAil museum and I went Berserk seeing the Black
>Iron Horses standing mute, and clicked photos like mad man whilst my
wife
>got bored.
>
>Here I enquired about Our FRiend Mr HArsh Vardhan and was told that he
>visits the museum only on Sundays, I was Given his phone no. but there
I
>couldn't contact him. Harsh sorry but when youu receive this message I
am
>sure you will reply. In the meantime I will try and call you up
sometime
>to enquire about getting enrolled.
>
>You can please write back to me on this email address.
>
It is great to know that you enjoyed the visit to the museum. Pls let me
know if you have any specific suggestions for improvement or any sore
points
that you noticed and would not like to see again.
I will shortly send you the details about FNRM and the membership form.
Regards,
HARSH
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 04 Dec 1998 08:42:12 -0500
Thanks Poras,
A very entertaining report in your own breathless energetic style. Happy
married life to you.
One of my friends was lucky enough to get an old 1st class coupe for his
honeymoon trip !
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: In praise of a YP/YG
Date: 04 Dec 1998 09:22:06 -0500
Gang !
I have been staring at Bharat's pictures and I cannot get a few images
out of my mind. The driver looking out of his side - the shot of the
tank wagons through a green patch and the Freight train being hauled and
banked by a YG through the Morbi station. This is the magic of Indian
Railway - the solitude and the hardworking beautiful machines.
I like the daschund like shape of the Yp/YG - it is like a very
affectionate dog - long flowing ears, the long body with low height, the
classically designed flat steam dome and a sincere expression.
What were the other locos designed by the YP/YG designers, which
achieved such well proportioned looks ?
The Godrej gang and I are going there next month, I can hardly wait.
Apurva
From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 04 Dec 1998 11:20:31 -0500
>
>One of my friends was lucky enough to get an old 1st class coupe for
his
>honeymoon trip !
I was lucky enough to travel on an MG 1st class coupe for my honeymoon
trip (back in summer of 1992). My cousin had booked us on this package
tour from Chennai to Kodaikkanal and back which included overnight trips
on the Egmore-Madurai Pandyan Exp. It was, indeed, a memorable journey
and, sadly, my last MG trip on the Egmore-Madurai route. I have
precious footage of the YAM1 / YDM4A in action on video (I had the good
sense to buy a camcorder before my India trip).
Vijay
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From: Vijay Balasubramanian <>
Subject: IR maps online
Date: 04 Dec 1998 11:58:02 -0500
Hi Folks,
Check out the following website:
<A HREF="http://www.mapsofindia.com">http://www.mapsofindia.com</A>
It has a railway map of India with its share of mistakes. You can also
display railway maps for the various states.
Vijay
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From: Balasubramanian, Vijay <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 04 Dec 1998 13:46:02 -0500
Fantastic trip report, Poras.
>standing
>on the door only to be told by GRP pls close the door. These people
>were
>really thorns on these superfasts. We however recovered about 1/2
That's irritating! Fortunately, none of these dudes appeared during my
trips on the Mumbai Raj, AK Raj and TVC Raj. All I had to do was to
"patao"
the attendants by taking a few shots of them on video and nobody
bothered me
at the door. On the TVC Raj, however, this guy appeared infrequently to
admonish my activities at the door but I was too thick-skinned :-) to
listen
to him.
>scared. The train started from Baroda and yo ho !! in about 15 mins
we
>were having an absolute bonanza speedwise and jerk wise, with all a/c 3
>tier coaches being mfd in Kapurthala it was fun. Luckily for me since
I
>occasionaly smoke, I was standing on the door till Godhra when again
one
>GRP told me to close the door, I however told him that I will finish my
>smoke and close the door and he obliged. The train was at full speed.
We
Since the train was late at Vadodara, it must traveled at the max.
permissble speed between Vadodara and Godhra to make-up - 120 kmph.
>reached Ratlam bang on time in the process overtaking Paschim exp at
DAhod
>since it was running late.
The Paschim Exp. must have been atleast 4½ hrs. late, since the overtake
should have occurred after Bharatpur.
>Thereafter I slept and I felt I was in a plane, so smooth was the
journey.
>At Ratlam I saw the Bhopal RAjkot Express, with a WDM2. Thereafter at
>8.00 am we passed Mathura and bang 9.55 am reached NDLS.
About 7 years back, the Rajdhani had a faster run - it would reach
Mathura
by 7.37 am and N.Delhi by 9.15 pm. So, IR has not spared the Raj. as
well.
>AMBALA - AMRITSAR
>------------------
>ALL of a sudden I change my itinery aand decided to go to Amritsar
from
>Chandigarh, since there being no train I went to Ambala by bus and on
>reaching Ambala it was chaos,I was booked on the 2029 dn Swarna
Shatabdi
>from Delhi in the morning and nobody on Ambbala railway stn could
When did the Swarna Shatabdi start halting at Ambala? My Aug. 1998 TAAG
indicates that both the Shatabdis to Amritstar do not halt at Ambala.
BTW,
I recall a news item on the IR official web page mentioning that the
regular
Shatabdi to Amritsar has be withdrawn. Can someone confirm this?
>sudden they announced that train standing on platform 7 is SWarna
>Shatabdi for Amritsar, though when we crossed over the train pulled in
>with 2 roaring WDM2's (its a real good feeling seeing 2 roaring jumbos)
>pulling in a train. Both the locos were from Lucknow shed and both
were
How many coaches did the Swarna Shatabdi have? More than 13?
>freshen up and friends IR have really improved ! Can You imagine >good
>looking hostesses on Indian trains !! I was like thrilled and gazing
Does the common man/woman really care about all this? All he/she wants
is
for the train to arrive safely and on time - and that doesn't seem to
happening a lot, atleast, to non-Delhi trains.
>Whilst I was in Chandigarh I read in the Indian Express DAted 19/11
that
>there is a competition for the new rake of Swarna Shatabdi, is ready at
>Kapurthala and each coach costs 73 lacs as against 50 lacs for an
ordinary
>coach and yo ho ICF at Kapurthala has done a marvellous job of mfg it
>indigeniously. Now they are contemplating whether Chandigarh, ASR, Or
LKO
>will get the same. ASR and LKO are dense routes and Chand. is likely
>candidate though the file is still with the GM of NR.
How does IR justify allocating funds for such trains when they are
unable to
even maintain the existing infrastructure (way behind in track renewals,
improper safety measures, etc.)? It's disheartening to witness a great
system falling prey to politics :-(
>Shatabdi to later climb the bridge and go to PF 1 for the right train
and
>this train was packed to capacity by foreigners going to Agra as it was
a
>sunday. The train was headed again By my favourite WAP5 loco and in
flat
>1hr 55 mins we were in Agra. Ijumped off the train at Agraa and
clicked
Looks like the WAP3 is not being used to haul the Bhopal Shatabdi
anymore.
Is this loco. still in operation?
>On return from Agra we caught the 2137 dn FRom Mumbai i.e. Punjab Mail
>with a WAM4/6p from Bhusawal loco shed. On the way we passed the
Mumbai
>raj with a WAP 4 loco passing at Mathura, followed by the Paschim.
Can you describe the WAP4? Does it look similar to the WAP1/3? Or does
it
resemble the WAP5? I am also curious about the WAP6.
Vijay
From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>
Subject: Re: Honeymoon Coupe
Date: 04 Dec 1998 20:29:26 -0500
>
> One of my friends was lucky enough to get an old 1st class coupe for
his
> honeymoon trip !
Me too. On our return we had a coupe - Paschim Express. I remember but
my
wife curses the journey 'cause it was only during the night that I was
with her, during the day I was on the footboard - How romantic. Going
was
sadly by the Rajdhani's Chair Car - How unromantic.
From the bedroom of my flat in Borivali I can hear the whistles of the
trains arriving/departing Borivali station. During the steam days it
used
to sound very sexy. So my sister whenever she would hear a steam whistle
would tease me "Viraf your mating call".
The last time I travelled in a 1st class coupe was when the whole family
went to Delhi by The Frontier. My window would draw crowds at stations
for
my family included "SHEEBA" my Labrador too. And from their looks it
seemed that they had never seem such a huge dog travelling by train.
Even
the coach attendants were afraid to enter our coupe. It was fun.
Regards
Viraf
==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
==========================
From: SHRINIVAS V. JOSHI <>
Subject: Unsubscribe please!
Date: 04 Dec 1998 21:06:58 -0500
Hi!
Anurag ,
Next full week I am away for some training. So, please remove me from
the
mailing list. Shall join for sure after 14th Dec. Till then happy
surfing!
on the right tracks.
Thanks
Bye,
Shrinivas
From: S.B.Mehta <>
Subject: Re: In praise of a YP/YG
Date: 04 Dec 1998 21:37:56 -0500
> Date: Fri, 04 Dec 1998 22:52:06 +0530
> From: Apurva Bahadur <iti@giaspn01.email
> To: IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
> Subject: In praise of a YP/YG
> Gang !
>
> I have been staring at Bharat's pictures and I cannot get a few images
> out of my mind. The driver looking out of his side - the shot of the
> tank wagons through a green patch and the Freight train being hauled
and
> banked by a YG through the Morbi station. This is the magic of Indian
> Railway - the solitude and the hardworking beautiful machines.
>
> I like the daschund like shape of the Yp/YG - it is like a very
> affectionate dog - long flowing ears, the long body with low height,
the
> classically designed flat steam dome and a sincere expression.
> What were the other locos designed by the YP/YG designers, which
> achieved such well proportioned looks ?
>
> The Godrej gang and I are going there next month, I can hardly wait.
>
> Apurva
Well, Apurva, I practically grew up with these beauties in my home
town, Bhavnagar, in Saurashtra. Not only that, I had the distinct
advantage of seeing narrow gauge steam operating daily (4 trains)
hauled by ZBs as they used to pass thru fields bang opposite my
bungalow hardly 200 mtrs away!! And there used to be 2 daily services
of electrically operated trams on the same NG to Talaja a distance of
96 kms. The ZBs too were a sight to behold.
Later on, when I started working at a factory which was engaged in
organic fertilizer exports I had to often go to the port. The factory
had a rly siding (MG) where YGs used to come to bring in coal(as
fuel), empty wagons for local despatches. This siding was an
off-shoot of the MG line which extended right up to the jetty, a
distance of some 11 kms or so. The road leading to the port was right
next to the MG line (single) with a straight as an arrow stretch of
7-8 kms. And many a time I used to ride on my two wheeler along with
a YG which hauled freight rakes to and from the port. A distance of
less than 15 feet between myself and the loco driver enabled short
conversations! (Viraf, maybe I have not told you this during our
frequent recollections.)
These memories have suddenly surfaced after a gap of 18 long years!
Yes, I am just itching to see these beauties again! Good luck to us!
Sarosh
======================
Sarosh Bakhtyar Mehta
M/s. Godrej & Boyce Mfg.Co.Ltd.
Machine Tool Division
Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli,
MUMBAI 400 079
INDIA
Tel:(Office) 577 3535 / 577 3636 Extn: 3917/3907/3909
Tel:(Residence) 389 3150
Fax:(Office) 91 22 517 2229 / 91 22 518 2289
Email sarosh@godrej.email
=======================
Wisdom dawns only after knowledge is gained
From: Dheeraj Sanghi <>
Subject: Re: Trip Report
Date: 04 Dec 1998 21:47:25 -0500
> Does the common man/woman really care about all this? All he/she
> wants is for the train to arrive safely and on time - and that
> doesn't seem to happening a lot, atleast, to non-Delhi trains.
While safety and punctuality are definitely important, it does not
mean that IR should stop thinking of comfort and style. No service
in trains until we can have good safety and punctuality record!!!
I don't agree.
> How does IR justify allocating funds for such trains when they are
> unable to even maintain the existing infrastructure (way behind in
> track renewals, improper safety measures, etc.)? It's disheartening
> to witness a great system falling prey to politics :-(
Such trains are profit making ventures, I believe. With freight
earnings on the decline, IR has to subsidize 2nd class travel
from somewhere else.
-dheeraj
--------------
Dr. Dheeraj Sanghi (0512) 59-7077/7638
(Off)
Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering (0512) 59-8627 (Res)
Indian Institute of Technology (0512) 59-0725/0413
(Fax)
Kanpur - 208 016 (UP), INDIA. dheeraj@iitk.email
Home Page: <A HREF="http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/dheeraj">http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/dheeraj</A>
From: Sridhar Shankar <>
Subject: My web site !!
Date: 04 Dec 1998 21:52:16 -0500
Folks,
Check out my web site
<A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/sri.html">http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/sri.html</A>
or
<A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/">http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/</A>
if you do not want to wait for the whole page to load.
I have some pics on the Nilagiri Mountain Railways and some other
assorted
pictures. This is my first such venture and would appreciate your
comments.
-Sridhar
****************************************************************
Sridhar Shankar 1616 E. 50th Place, Apt.13A
GSB MBA '99 Chicago, IL 60615
University of Chicago (773) 752 1131
*****************************************************************
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: My web site !!
Date: 05 Dec 1998 05:33:37 -0500
Great Site Sridhar - the X class bringing in the passenger backward is
great.
Sridhar Shankar wrote:
> Folks,
>
> Check out my web site
> <A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/sri.html">http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/sri.html</A>
> or
>
> <A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/">http://members.xoom.com/sridhar_s/</A>
> if you do not want to wait for the whole page to load.
>
> I have some pics on the Nilagiri Mountain Railways and some other
assorted
> pictures. This is my first such venture and would appreciate your
> comments.
>
> -Sridhar
>
> ****************************************************************
> Sridhar Shankar 1616 E. 50th Place, Apt.13A
> GSB MBA '99 Chicago, IL 60615
> University of Chicago (773) 752 1131
> *****************************************************************
From: Harsh Vardhan <>
Subject: Re: Wankaner Steam Special!
Date: 05 Dec 1998 10:08:09 -0500
Dear Bharat and others,
What a wonderful site you
have
created with such wide information and the beautiful pictures are added
bonus. Brought back memories of my trips in '79, '83, '87, '92, twice
in
'97 and Apr '98. What a wonderful place Morbi was, is and always will
be.
And deservedly it is the last bastion of steam on IR. My '83 trip was a
particularly sad experience with Ahemedabad - Rajkot mainline MG being
converted to BG and Morbi Narrow Gauge steam tramway facing closure.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION :
You were extremely lucky to winess all action in a matter of just two
days
inspite of the typhoon as well as seeing sunny days. Though the
passengers
services are quite regular, salt workings can be quite erratic. I missed
seeing them on two occasions in
Sep '97 and Apr '98 on account of shortage of power and a strike by salt
merchants !
The former Station Suprintendent(Some `Parekh' chap who still turns up
at
the station quite often) and RPF at Morbi are extremely hostile to the
photographers specially those without a permit(though sometimes even
those
with one are not spared the harrasment) so make sure yours mentions
Morbi
Station?!!?
You have been warned !!?!!
The coastal areas on this route are facing an extreme shortage of
potable
water. The 1-3 water tankers carried by the train(and visible in one of
the
pictures) are not meant for the loco itself which actually has to starve
off
water for nearly nine hours on journey to Maliya Miyana, the last
watering
stop being Dahinsara Mota Jn. ! This train fulfills its social
obligations
by providing water for the populi enroute. This makes a beautiful scene
when
the colourful local folk line up for water when the train arrives.
I have however noticed a few discrepancies in the site which Iam
bringing
hencefoth for the information of those interested in these finer
details.
- Vavania is a salt depot on the Dahinsara Mota Jn. - Maliya Miyana
branch
and not the Navlakhi line. Lavanpur is the only station on the other
branch
between Dahinsara Mota Jn. - Navlakhi and is the other salt depot.
Currently
the problem is that the only service to and out of Navlakhi runs at
night
after dark. Visitors however should not be discouraged by this fact and
should make an effort to visit this area specially if there is a salt
train
working. This line is a beautiful stretch along the sea/ salt drying
fields
and salt mounds and you can take some excellent pictures if you're
lucky to
see a train at sunset.
- The erstwhile NG line from Morbi to Ghantila is shown running south of
Morbi in the illustration whereas it actually used to run north-east
of
Morbi crossing the Viramgam - Gandhidham mainline(now BG) at Khakhrechi
Jn.
(again a junction only in the name) running further northeast and
terminating at Ghantila. Visitors may like to examine the decrepit NG
steam
loco shed at Morbi, the NG turntable and the NG railbridge on Machhu
river
out of Morbi. You may even find some traces of the old line and signals
!
- The locos returning from Ajmer after overhauls are loaded from Ajmer
itself on the BG flats and are unloaded at Wankaner. Although there is
still
a connection on the MG from Ajmer to Rajkot, but it is not possible for
a
loco to travel all this distance because there are no watering
facilities on
this route now. This mode of loco transfer ceased in December '96 when
Ranapratapnagar(Udaipur) and Sabarmati(Ahemedabad) sheds closed to
steam.
Congratulations again Bharat and keep up the good work.
HARSH
>Anyways this is to request you all to please visit the new page on
steam
>that I have added to the site...
>
><A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/~railinindia/wank.html">http://members.tripod.com/~railinindia/wank.html</A>
From: Dheeraj Sanghi <>
Subject: Gitanjali derails.
Date: 05 Dec 1998 12:51:10 -0500
Sunday, December 6, 1998
Narrow escape for passengers as Mumbai-Howrah Geetanjali Express derails
NAGPUR: The last three bogies of the Mumbai-Howrah Geetanjali Express
derailed between Khamkheda and Bodhwad stations in Bhusawal division of
the Central Railway this afternoon. However, there were no casualties
as the bogies just went off the track and did not overturn, CR sources
said. Through traffic on the line was not disrupted as the second line
was free, sources said adding that efforts to re-rail the bogies were
on and senior railway officials have rushed to the spot. Two emergency
booths have been set up at the Nagpur railway station to provide
information. Their telephone numbers are 543205 and 532417, reports PTI.
This is the second accident to a Howrah-bound train in the division
within two days. Nine passengers were killed and 19 others injured when
eleven bogies of the Kurla-Howrah Express had derailed on December 3.
From: Dheeraj Sanghi <>
Subject: Passengers escape narrowly as Chennai Express rams into bus
Date: 05 Dec 1998 12:54:12 -0500
PUNE: More than 40 passengers a state transport bus had a
miraculous escape as they managed to get out of the vehicle
minutes before the Chennai Express rammed into the bus at Kamshet
Phata here today, ripping it apart. However, the driver could
not be saved as he lost consciousness after the Junnar-Mumbai
bus overturned on the railway track and could not be extricated in
time. The passengers escaped through the emergency door due to the
presence of mind shown by the conductor of the bus, reports PTI.
Police said the accident occurred when the driver of the bus lost
control over the vehicle on the old Mumbai-Pune highway and the
bus skidded off the road and fell upside down on the railway tracks.