The Beautiful Barail Line
Our first leg of the journey started at Lumding and ended at Badarpur junction, traversing through the fascinating Barail mountains, crossing 37 tunnels and 586 bridges, including the amazing Diyung bridge. Come let's explore!
At Jatinga, the Barak Valley Express waited for the lumding bound freight train powered by YDM-4 #6505 (Naveen)
The uphill trains from Harangajao get bankers, which are normally detached at Jatinga, and sometimes at Lower Haflong. Here the loco, which banked the Agartala-Lumding Express detaches itself from the consist. (Harish)
View of a crossing freighter from the roof of our train. (Harish)
From Jatinga to Harangajao, the line descends more than 400 meters in a span of about 20 Kms, resulting in ruling gradient of 1:37 for uphill movements. (Harish)
Upper class travel to Badarpur. (Harish)
Through the thick jungle of Jatinga (Benhur)
The abandoned derailed coaches. (Harish)
Barak Valley Express descends the hill rapidly. (Harish)
Smoking Caboose? (Benhur)
All the way, the BG alignment stays on the other side of the river Jatinga. (Harish)
Barak Valley Express takes a much needed break after the sharp descent from Haflong Hill. (Harish)
The opposite number, lumding bound Barak Valley Express is ready to take on the Barail hills with a help of a banker loco. (Benhur)
Abandoned freight wagons at Hirangajao. (Harish)
This is the place where the MG / BG alignment finally converge crossing the Jating river, after they take their own way from Dyang. Someday, we would return here to see an Agartala bound Rajdhani Express descend into the valley. (Harish)
Running along the narrow Jatinga river valley the train was made to stop many times. This is one of those occasions at a beautiful location. (Harish)
Bandarkhal, a beautiful station enroute. (Harish)
A tunnel with opening (Harish)
Another day and another lumding bound Barak Valley Express ready with a banker moves out of Damchara. (Harish)