Images from a trip to Udaipur on the Metre Guage Ahmedabad-Udaipur Express with an accompanying trip report.
YDM-4 #6170 from Sabarmati shed in a funky lilac & yellow livery rests at Ahmedabad station
A queue of Sabarmati YDM-4 locos gives you an idea of MG traffic that Ahmedabad sees even today!
The corridor of the MG 2nd AC coach. As is obvious, there are no side berths and the bays have lockable doors.
The corridor of the MG First Class coach. The First Class coach is divided into two sections by a pair of doors in the middle (similar to a GS coach) The bays are on the opposite sides of the coach in these two sections.
A spacious four berth cabin in the MG First Class coach. The incandescent bulbs in the coach gives one the ambience of the good 'ol days.
Each four berth cabin features four incandescent bulbs, four fans and a night lamp. I used to love these blue colored night lamps when I was a kid. In addition to these, there are reading lamps on each berth.
A 2 berth coupe in the MG First Class coach.
As passengers wake up to a chilly morning at Zawar, the tea vendor makes brisk business.
We overtake a tanker rake headed by Sabarmati YDM-4 #6539.
The climb begins! This section has some really sharp curves
This gives an idea of how steep the climb is. The section sees regular stretches of 1 in 60 gradients! A single YDM-4 did a commendable job of hauling the 12-coach Udaipur Express up the ghats without the aid of a banker. Who needs a WDM-2??
How can a ghat section be complete without a tunnel? This is the solitary 250 metre long tunnel in this section.
The sun rises from behind the Aravalli hills somewhere before Kharwa Chanda.
Sabarmati YDM-4 #6197 gives company to grazing cows at Kharwa Chanda.
The puny YDM-4 continues its climb up the ghats. The gradient is clearly visible in the picture.