Kasara-Igatpuri AC Conversion
Images from the historic event of the conversion of the Kasara-Igatpuri section from 1.5KV DC to 25KV AC traction
- By Sachin Buddhisagar
twin dead WAG5-BSL spotted in the morning at Kasara.
Howrah mail was the last train to run under DC mode towards CSTM; Kasara.
the 25kV substation at KSR gets ready for the inauguration ceremony to be held later in the day.
twin WCG2s towing 3 WAG5s...the WCGs would later in the day hand over the reigns to their fellow counterparts,signalling the end of DC traction.
a small video/audio file of WCG2 locos which would never be seen/heard of hereafter...
the last EMU under DC mode heads towards CSTM.
Pushpak enters KSR under DC mode for the last time...also it happened to be the last train before the 'block'.
last glimpse of the WCG2s.
due to the 'block' in place for the conversion from DC-AC...the Mahanagari express enters KSR hauled by a KYN WDM2.
the 'Chief Electrical Engineer'- CR(2nd from left)Mr.Satish Kumar inspects the working under the AC traction.
a small video clip of the AC/DC EMU running with the AC traction under the supervision of the CEE.
a rare sighting...mued pair of WCAM3 hauling freight enters KSR under the AC mode.
a shirt clip...test run of WAG5 being carried out under AC mode.
the 'GM Special'with the GM Mr. V.K.Kaul on board the train arrives at KSR for the flagging off ceremony.
the GM(2nd from left)along with the CEE(extreme right)are all ears to the motorman who got the honors to lead the EMU under the AC traction.
a railway employee(blue shirt)informs the man in orange shirt(probably the senior most gangman)that he'll be given the honor to flag off the EMU.seen in picture are the GM(white lining shirt)along with the CEE(plain white shirt)on the right.
finally the old man flags off the EMU towards CSTM.
locopilots who will now operate the WAG5s as bankers pay their respect.
3 WAG5s being attached to the freight will climb the steep gradient of the Thull ghats for the first time under full fledged AC traction.
AC-DC/neutral section???? i don't care...ERS WDM simply leads the Mangala exp to KSR..exactly under the neutral zone.
short clip of the flagging off ceremony.
after covering the entire event Mumbai & Nasik gang pose for a photo...from (L-R) Pradeep Galgali,Rani Mukherjee & Sachin Buddhisagar.