Moonlighting @ Monkey Hill

Pictures from an overnight visit to Monkey Hill near Lonavla, where Ashish Kuvelkar, John Mani and yours truly camped on the catch sidings to watch the action all night long.

Date: 2007-04-16
Owner: Gallery Administrator
Size: 19 items
001-lko16123

On the approach to Jhansi, a Lucknow WDM2 #16213 waits for clearance with a rake of BOXN empties in tow.

002-etv

I never knew springs were emergency tools and that a hand cart could qualify for a van !! Taken at Bina

003-streak

At the crack of dawn, a holiday special headed by a WAG7 enters Manmad station.

004-dawn

Yakking away to glory, unmindful of the beautiful day thats breaking behind him. Taken at Manmad

005-leaving-mmr

Leaving Manmad behind....

006-16013-goa

Goa Express to Nizamuddin roars past us, headed by Pune WDM3A #16013R

007-16990

This Guntakal WDM2 makes a menacing sight along with its partner as they make a hefty effort pulling a rake of BTPN wagons at Kasthi near Daund. The rake was banked by a Pune WDM2.

008-20037

The account at Monkey Hill was opened by the Udyan Express heading to Mumbai behind WDP4 #20037. Ashwin took a pic of this very train, about 45 minutes before us.

009-mhc1

A WCG2 hauled express snakes into Monkey Hill yard on the Dn main line, just as a pair of descending bankers head to Karjat on the Up line.

010-mhc2

A pair of WCG2 screamers bring up the rear of the Express.

011-khopoli

As night falls, another pair of bankers head downhill past the DC sub-station. LED markers streak across the frame while the pretty lights of Khopoli town twinkle in the valley.

012-mhc3

Meanwhile, at Monkey Hill another train makes a hefty effort to tackle the grades assisted by WCG2s. LED tail lamps mark the passage of the bankers while the hills in the background buzz with the traffic on the Mumbai - Pune highway.

013-mhc4

More night action at Monkey Hill, this time up, close and personal.

014-mhc5

Just like the industrious ants, WCG2s keep scuttling up and down the Bhore Ghats all day. Here, a triplet use the Up main line to Karjat. Note where the 30sec cuts off the path of the lead loco on the right of the frame, at that very spot, the beam of the

015-camp

Morning comes again, and the three campers pose against the temporary Monkey Hill observation cabin ;o)
(From right, Ashish Kuvelkar, John Mani and myself)

Comments
(view all 6 comments)
Amazing!!!!! Is there no limit to what you guys can do :-)
Posted by Sridhar Joshi on 2007 Apr 21 14:47:56 +0100
Breath taking!
Posted by John Lacey on 2007 Apr 19 11:47:48 +0100
Superb set of pics. Never seen so many nice night photos. Also, a big appreciation to you guys spending the night in the middle of nowhere, in monkey ghat, and spending time for the rest of us
Posted by Jimmy Jose on 2007 Apr 17 03:33:11 +0100