North By Northwest

Firozpur Cantt with its intricate track patterns wears a look reminiscent of the steam era early in the morning. The Punjab Mail from Mumbai CST has just arrived

Firozpur's station and older buildings have an interesting art decoish look - view from the chai stall in the old waiting hall. Photo by B Vohra

The charming old waiting hall at FZR. By B Vohra

FZR has much to recommend itself, like this platform canopy. By B Vohra

The old DRM's office at FZR, where Bharat's grandfather once presided over matters railway. The present day DRM's office is unphotographable! By B Vohra

Ochre robes and WDM-2's add a dash of colour to FZR....

....as do printed cotton shirts and DMU's!

The track towards Pakistan ends at this buffer on the eastern bank of the Sutlej River. This is actually a spur from the old alignment that bridged the river. The sign once read "The End of Indian Railways" until Rajeev Srivastava had it changed

The track once continued over this canal to the Hussainiwala Headworks, which now only bears the road across the Sutlej to the border. Apparently the dismantled line was laid to transport the sluice gates to the barrage.

The Hussainiwala Headworks on the Sutlej. Note that girders are in place to carry a track if ever required. The camouflaged metal barrier on the right shields military vehicles from prying eyes and snipers on the other side! By B Vohra

Beyond the headworks, the road continues past this gate and on to Zero Point. Apparently the fields on the other side of the road are in Pakistan. By B Vohra

This ruin is in the middle of the park dedicated to the memory of Bhagat Singh and Rajguru who were cremated here after their execution in Lahore Jail. Another memorial tablet commemorating the 1971 Battle of Hussainiwala refers to it as the brick kiln. A

We were at first mystified by these brick piers in the garden because the Sutlej isn't visible from the garden and we were not sure of the alignment of the old rail bridge, until google earth came to the rescue! The steel latticework is a later "arti

Piers of the destroyed railway bridge on the Sutlej seen from the Hussainiwala Headworks. By B Vohra

Crossing the Sutlej again near Lohian Khas Jn, we had no idea that this was a single deck rail cum road bridge! By B Vohra

The cavernous DMU Carshed at Jalandhar City. By B Vohra

Readying the token for the down Swaraj Express at Bhogpur Sirwal

Proximity to the Ravi is a boon for these rice farmers.

The rugged landscape between Pathankot and Jammu makes a sojourn at the door quite worthwhile. By B Vohra

Punjab's ubiquitous DMU's....by B Vohra

Semaphores dip in anticipation of the Puja Express at Samba,a town made infamous by the cooked up spying scandal of the 70's. Note the steep gradient ahead.

The Puja Express thunders past behind a WDM 3 A

Semaphores at sunset

The Ahmedabad - Jammu Express approaches the Basantar River. The express becomes a passenger between Pathankot and Jammu, but had a fine run nevertheless.

Jammu Tawi - the Delhi end. Note the trip shed in the distance. By B Vohra

The Udhampur end at JAT. The LHB rake of the just arrived Shalimar Express is on Pf 3. By B Vohra

The view across the Tawi from a hill in Jammu. The bridge across the dry khad on the opposite hill bears the line to Udhampur. Photo by B Vohra