North India Trip - December 2004
A photo series with an accompanying trip report.
Here is the Rajdhani at Vadodara in daylight!! The train was running four hours late after being re-scheduled due to fog. Vadodara Jn, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
An ancient CNB WAP-4 #22284 had hauled the Rajdhani from New Delhi to Vadodara. Vadodara Jn, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
A freshly painted WCAM-2P #21877 takes over for the last leg of the journey to Mumbai. Vadodara Jn, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The vegetarian breakfast on the Rajdhani consisting of bread, butter, cutlets, fruit jam and apple juice. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
And the non-vegetarian breakfast consisted of omlette instead of cutlets. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The Rajdhani halts at Surat. This two-minute halt has just been introduced. I must be the first IRFCAn traveling on the Rajdhani with a halt at Surat :-). Surat, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The 2009 Ahmedabad Shatabdi arrives at Surat for a five minute halt. Surat, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The catering crew chilling out after serving breakfast to the passengers. Its just over two hours to go before the train reaches Mumbai. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
A view of the Arabian Sea from the Rajdhani. This spot is just after Gholvad if you are traveling to Mumbai. Gholvad, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The Dahanu Thermal Power station near Dahanu Road. Coal-filled BOXN rakes are always seen parked at the sidings here. Dahanu Road, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
BRC WAP-4 #22352 reverses after hauling the 2471 Swaraj Express from Vadodara Jn to Ludhiana. Ludhiana, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
Funny station name: Kala Bakra (meaning Black Goat). Jalandhar-Jammu section. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
Drivers wiping the windscreens of GZB WAP-7 #30207 hauling the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express. Look at the amount of dew on the roof of the loco! Wonder why the wipers were not used!!. Kurukshetra, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The first Indian-built WAP-5 #30011 'Navodit' waits for the rake of the Mumbai Rajdhani to be shunted in. The loco looks like its POH is long overdue. The shiny wheel-mounted disc brakes of the WAP-5 can be seen. New Delhi, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The 2029 NDLS-ASR Swarna Shatabdi with IR-20 coaches snakes across the points while approaching Ambala Cantt. These coaches, with their fluted section sides and huge windows look fabulous. Ambala, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
The 4522 Bhatinda-NDLS Intercity Express overtakes a BCNA rake headed by Ajni WAG-9 #31064. The BCNA rake was standing on the mainline whereas we had to take the loop line to overtake it. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
Another Devil's loco: LDH WAG-7 #27666 waits patiently after detaching from a mixed freight rake. 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.
TKD WDP-1 #15008 with the Bhatinda-bound Kissan Express. The Bo-Bo bogies of the WDP-1 can be clearly seen. The idling and throttling sounds of a WDP-1 are quite different as compared to a WDM-2. Subzi Mandi, 2004-12. By Vivek Manvi.