Crawling trip to Shahganj

Doon express stranded on the north line. These are bidirectional lines till Dilkusha cabin from where they split towards Barabanki and Utrathia and further to FD/GKP and SLN/RBL.

Further ahead at Malhaur, the NER line from LJN joins the NR line from LKO from the left. These lines will run parallel and then again split at Barabanki.

Barabanki East cabin...here the split happens. Lines towards the left are going towards Gorakhpur.

Here again another line joins the NER line to Gorakhpur. The logic behind this is trains coming from GKP side and entering LKO (NR) will take these lines while trains going towards LJN (NER) will proceed straight.

For those confused between Safdarganj and Safdarjang, this is the Safdarganj station on the BBK-FD line.

Twin ET diesels detached from the Saket express at Faizabad moving towards the other end to take charge of the same train, as she has to turn around in some time.

Lonely platforms at Faizabad. The rake seen is of LTT-FD Saket express.

HWH bound Doon express behind LDH WDM2A on a curve while just leaving Ayodhya.

The newly constructed line to Mankapur branching off after Ayodhya to the left. One can see a nice curve ahead on that line. This line comes under NER and has a 70 kmph restriction from this point.

Doon crosses Doon at Gosainganj. Both trains are headed by LDH WDM2A.

Line to Tanda NTPC on the right branching off at Akbarpur. This line sees 2-3 freights daily now. No passenger services for past 14-15 years now. One can see the 15 kmph speed restriction board on this line.

Now I have found a way if I get SMB in the future. Yours trully enjoying door plating on the Doon express.

Cop, another cop, and a sadhu who had boarded Doon express at Ayodhya.

Entrance to Shahganj station. The station falls under NR but right side of station is NER territory with lines going to Azamgarh and further GKP/CPR.

This is the dead-end NER side of Shahganj station. Used to be an MG some 13 years back.

Sleepers and rails piled up at the NER side of Shahganj. The stock seen farthest are the uprooted MG sleepers and rails.

I on Ganga Sutlej (Kisan) express leaving Shahganj while tail of Sabarmati express can be seen on the left which is the NER side of Shahganj. The RTM WDM3A which brought this train will reverse shortly and attached to this end.

At the same spot where this white building is seen was the steam trip shed once which used to service the YPs and YGs. Somewhere near the building is hidden the defunct turn table.

Line to Azamgarh branching off on the right at Shahganj. The semaphore is already down for Sabarmati express.

At last some MG tracks seen at Shahganj. This bridge is the only sign that MG was once here.

Though the NER line to Azamgarh has disappeared towards right, one more line from NR line branches off to join that line. This alignment must be specifically done for the purpose of Godaan express.

The prey (token) mounted at Tulsinagar station. Wonder why the token person has kept a small stone on it?

And here comes the hunter...Marudhar express behind BGKT WDM3A at Tulsinagar.

Kaifiyat express the only SF on the LKO-FD-MGS line crossing Ganga Sutlej express at Kathari near Akbarpur. The loco is WDM3C from TKD.

Two Prabals from LKO ready to with their respective trains at Faizabad. The train far off is the Faizabad-Delhi express while the other one is Faizabad-Allahabad passenger.

Line for Allahabad branching off at Faizabad. 20 kmph speed restriction board can be seen at the begining.

Semaphores galore of their past glory. The line branching off on the left is the Faizabad-Allahabad line, while I am on the Ganga Sutlej express on the FD-LKO line.