The North East Trip - Samit Roychoudary

Ancillary ACD (anti collision device) equipment fitted into the WDM-2 cab. These control the brakes, etc. Almost all NFR locos are fitted with these, as well as some locos from Howrah, Bardhhaman, Andal, etc. Assam, 2005-07-20. Samit Roychoudhury.

Eastwards view from the road overbridge outside Balipara Jn. The track on the left goes to Bhalukpong on the Arunachal border. Passenger services on this line have been withdrawn this year. The straight track proceeds to Murkong Selek. Balipara Jn, Assam,

The tracks at tezpur station almost disappear into the undergrowth. Tezpur now only sees two pairs of passenger movements a day. Tezpur, Assam, 2005-07-19. Samit Roychoudhury.

The Tezpur station building. Dirty and not maintained well. It houses a computerised reservation office. Tezpur, Assam, 2005-07-19. Samit Roychoudhury.

View of the metre gauge Tezpur station from a hill. On the right you can see the Brahmaputra river, and in the background, the Kalia Bhomora (road) bridge is visible. Tezpur, Assam, 2005-07-19. Samit Roychoudhury.

Bharat Vohra looks out to the rear of our train from the guard's van we were travelling in. The local people use it as their means of transport, and often, we almost didnt have place to stand!. Barak Valley, Assam, 2005-07-18. Samit Roychoudhury.

A stretch of a loop line at a wayside station blocked off, sue to the track bed subsiding under the tracks. This is a common occurence in this mountain line, often leading to days of closure. Barak Valley, Assam, 2005-07-18. Samit Roychoudhury.

Lush greenery forms a stark contrast to the Doyang Viaduct, out of Lower Haflong. Doyang Viaduct, Assam, 2005-07-18. Samit Roychoudhury.

YDM-4 locos (all based at Lumding) wait with their trains at Lower Haflong. This was while we waited for our freight departure towards Lumding. Lower Haflong, Assam, 2005-07-18. Samit Roychoudhury.

A couple of goats on the platform at Lower Haflong pose in front of a freight rake. Lower Haflong, Assam, 2005-07-18. Samit Roychoudhury.

A passenger train (probably the down Barak Valley Express) crosses us at a midway station, close to Lower Haflong. Barak Valley, Assam, 2005-05-17. Samit Roychoudhury.

The same rainbow, seen from teh other side of the station, with a tanker rake in the forefround. Barak Valley, Assam, 2005-05-17. Samit Roychoudhury.

Lumding based YDM-4 #6413 waits patiently with the Barak Valley Express. Dautuhaja, Assam, 2005-05-17. Samit Roychoudhury.

We were stuck at this station for over five hours, waiting for a relief engine to help clear the freight stuck up ahead. Most stations have heavily armed security personnel. You can barely see (to the left) the barrel of a manned machinegun sticking out o

The sttation cabin forms a backdrop at Manderdisa station, with the inspection trolley visible on one side. Mandersisa, Assam, 2005-05-17. Samit Roychoudhury.

Just beyond Chalkhoa, on the Tinsukia - Dibrugarh section, a signboard announces the construction of the Bogibeel Project. You can see the alignment veering away to the left towards the proposed New Dibrugarh station, which will then move on to the bridge

Evening at Ledo. The mood reflects the end of an era with the closing of the line east of Ledo. The platform at the station (as well as a few others) are wide, since the broad gauge track was built offset from the old metre gauge alignment. Ledo, Assam, 2

The watering tower at Lekhapani stands mute testimony to the bygone era of a once frequented terminus. The metre gauge gauge line actually went beyond to the coal loading point at Tipong Colliery. Lekhapani, Assam, 2005-07-15. Samit Roychoudhury.

The now disused metre gauge section between Tirap and Lekhapani. When the section from Tinsukia to Ledo/Tirap was converted to broad gauge, this portion was abandoned. Lekhapani, Assam, 2005-07-15. Samit Roychoudhury.

The Easternmost tip of the broad gauge network. The buffer stop at the coal sidings at Tirap, between Ledo and Lekhapani. The metre gauge line beyond this point is now unused. Tirap, Assam, 2005-07-15. Samit Roychoudhury.

The Brickworks at Ledo. The narrow gauge line crosses our road and then the broad gauge tracks too. Note the diamond crossing of the BG and NG lines in the foreground. the line beyond into the brickwork complex seems to have been ripped off, and the gate

We discovered this disused narrow gauge line coming out of nowhere, and bordering the other side of the road, only to realise it was to provide to clay for teh Ledo Brickworks. The broad gauge line runs on the other side. Ledo, Assam, 2005-07-15. Samit Ro

The Tinsukia - Ledo broad gauge line closely follows the road alignment almost all the way. Tinsukia, Assam, 2005-07-15. Samit Roychoudhury.

An Andal based WDM2 #17424, in its distinctive blue / yellow livery, hauls as express through Kamakhya station, immediately west of Guwahati. Guwahati, Assam, 2005-07-14. Samit Roychoudhury.

View of Badarpur station from the FOB. The yard is crammed with freights since the line to Lumding was closed due to a landslide. (apologies for the blurry shot). Badarpur, Assam, 2005-07-12. Samit Roychoudhury.

A solitary crow sits on the semaphore signal guarding the entry to Silchar station. Silchar, Assam, 2005-07-12. Samit Roychoudhury.

The slight annoyance at the sudden rained proved beneficial later, as a double rainbow appeared in the evening sky. Here it is, forming a backdrop for this boxcar on a siding. Barak Valley, Assam, 2005-05-17. Samit Roychoudhury.