The Twisty Road to Salem

A great looking place – these are the retiring rooms at Bangalore – probably the best featured anywhere in the country ? (Krishnakumar Kannan aka “KK”)

Another view of the Bangalore City retiring rooms. (KK)

The Gang posing at Bangalore City Jn. in front of their ride, the 571 passenger to Salem. From the left: Chechu, Gowri, Srini, Ravi, Poochi, Apurva, Nishant and Adwait. (KK – who is absent in this pic !)

Chechu doing what he does best – doorplating, as the 571 departs Bangalore City Jn. (Gowri)

Vivek joined the gang for the Salem trip at Bangalore East station near his house. While he waited for the 571 passenger, another passenger train for Marikuppam starts with KJM WDM 3A # 18546. (Vivek)

The 571 passenger departs Baiyappanahalli – the train would cross all the tracks to take the one on the right and approach the famous BYPL ramp to join the Banaswadi line that cuts across these lines at right angles on an overhead bridge. (Gowri)

Another group pic – inside the leading SLR’s luggage space. From the left: Adwait, Poochi, KK, Shridhar, Srini, Gowri, Apurva and Chechu – we have to hold each other in the sway of the train ! (Vivek with Gowri’s camera)

Doing it the IRFCA way – relaxing and enjoying all the (railway) spaces, making oneself home in the SLR, from left Gowri, Srini and Vivek (aka Old Man) – (pic shot by KK with Gowri’s camera)

Doing it the IRFCA way – Phase II ! Srini relaxes completely on the SLR’s luggage racks. (Gowri)

Erode’s WDM 2 # 17543 waits at Dharmapuri with the 571 passenger. (Vivek)

Pune WDG-3A 14815 taking a relatively small freight on its way to Dharmapuri.. crossing at Karuvalli or Toppur. (Vivek)

Our train, the 571 passenger was made to wait a long time at Sivadi – almost half hour to cross with 1014 CBE-LTT express. (Vivek)

The BG of IRFCA waits for the BG train ! Apurva shows off the essential quality an Indian Railway fan must possess – patience ! (Vivek)

The 1014 Up Coimbatore – Kurla Express crosses our 571 passenger at Sivadi with Erode’s WDM 3D # 11107 in charge. (Gowri)

On the return trip to Bangalore, the 572 passenger does justice to the Salem line curves. (KK)

Poochi shoots the smoke screen thrown up by our steed, the Erode WDM 2 # 17543. (KK)

Listen to the soundtrack on this video clip: Erode's WDM 3D # 11107 brings in the 1014 CBE-LTT express at Sivadi. (Vivek)

Our train, the 572 passenger is halted at Baiyappanahalli (BYPL) to allow this train, the 6731 Tuttukodi- Mysore Express to arrive on the same tracks as the ones we are about to take. The 6731 is hauled by Erode’s WDM 3D # 11108. (Apurva)

The 572 passenger departs from Baiyappanahalli - the train crosses all the way to the other side. While this is a short rake, a longer train could take as many as four points while diverting to the BYPL ramp. Again with a longer rake, the head of the trai

A view facing forward on the mainline to Chennai: The BYPL ramp exit is the second track on the right side. The bridge in the distance carries is the line Yesvantpur-Salem line : YPR – on the left, SA on the right. Even after the MG-BG gauge conversion

As the 572 passenger climbs the ramp, the IRFCA cameras are out in full force at each coach door. The YPR-SA line can be seen in the distance. If the “403” stone is a gradient marker, then why is half-buried in the ground, obscuring the critical detai

Rumour has it that the line was deliberately laid away from the towns to avoid threatening the bus wallah’s trade. Lack of urban scenery makes for a really great journey!

The halt at Sivadi to allow the 1014 CBE-LTT express to cross our train which is headed by the superb sounding Erode WDM 2 # 17543. (Apurva)

After a long wait, the Erode’s WDM 3D # 11107 hauling the 1014 arrives on the main line. (Apurva)

A detailed view of the Erode 11107. The hills ahead have a ghat section in which the train going in Salem’s direction is required to halt for a safety check.

At Salem, the metamorphosis of the 571 is quite simple – the loco reverses, new crew and guard takes charge, the LV board is attached to this end of the rake. (Apurva)

The 571’s SLR carries the cash collected at each station on a daily basis to the headquarters. The station master places the cash receipts in a leather pouch, seals it with shellac and drops it into this traveling safe via a rotating handle mechanism on