 |
The 2008 MYS - MAS Shatabdi Express seen from the
bridge carrying the Yashwantpur - Salem line via Banaswadi. As
there is a road bridge being constructed on this line, it is not in
use currently. However the trains towards Salem take the steep ramp
seen on the top of the picture. |
 |
The other side of the bridge — the line
curving to the left is coming from Yalhanka - Channasandra. The KJM
suspension bridge can be seen in the distance. There is a similar
exit towards KJM for the YNK - CSDR line, this can be just about be
seen near the white building on the top left. |
 |
Next comes a double WDG2-hauled BOXN rake from
CSDR. The blast from the powerful motor cooling blowers shift the
loose dust from the level crossing. |
 |
Gooty shed WDG2 # 14620 leads the heavy rake
through the sharp curvature. |
 |
Srinivas and John in railfan paradise! |
 |
As the rake crawls towards Baiyyappanahalli, we
climb back on the Salem line for a better view. The steep ramp can
be seen on the left. A train climbing onto the ramp has to
negotiate a 15 kmph turnout and hence cannot have much inertia to
start with. The rail surface of the ramp is pitted with the
slipping wheels of struggling locos. The gradient marker at the top
of the ramp has been installed the wrong way round, a train coming
down the ramp faces a L for level gradient! |
 |
 |
 |
Surprise! We find the KJM WDM2 # 17542 at the tail end of the
rake. |
 |
Trains have been also sighted in the reverse
direction with a banker loco — so apparently, it is not as
much as a gradient problem as much as a quick recovery to the
cruising speed from the restrictive sharp curvatures. |
 |
|
The 17-coach Marikuppam - Bangalore passenger comes
by with the KJM Jumbo # 17804. |
 |
 |
Guntakal WDM2 # 17691 brings in the Guntur -
Bangalore passenger from the CSDR bypass to BYPN. The loco is
heavily into dynamic braking to enter the platform loop at BYPN.
Another reason for the loco to brake is that the BYPN home signal
is 'on'. Note the two story CDSR control building on the SBC -
Salem track. The cable winding mechanism to control the level
crossing gate on the main line (as seen in the Marikuppam passenger
picture) is located in the the glass front of the building! We get
a wave from the crew who recognize us as the nuts on the HHPDEMU
the earlier night. This crew took the HHPDEMU to get from SBC to
HUP (for training). Next morning they worked another train from HUP
to Dharmavaram. Then they picked up the GTN - SBC passenger from
DMM to return to Bangalore. |
 |
 |
 |
Just then the BYPN home is taken 'off' with diversion indicator
lit and the loco accelerates to the platform line in a classic IR
atmosphere. |
|
The KJM shed located near the distant pillars of
the suspension bridge sends the powers needed for the evening
trains in one path. The other prominent features visible are the
YPR - SA line overhead, the Baiyyappanahalli - Salem line ramp
which is used for SBC - SA trains as the YPR - SA line is closed a
few kms on the left due to construction of a major road
bridge. |
|
 |
There are two WDM2s and a baldie WDM2C. The baldie
# 14047 is to be the power for my 6530 Udyan later in the evening.
The notice is needed so that a loco stopped by the 'on' signal
(red) is detected by the track circuit sensors of the BYPN control
fitted on the rails near the board. |
 |
In the fading light, a pair of freight WDM2s from
Kazipet shed scurry to the KJM shed for some attention. |
 |
We later move to the deserted Chennasandra station,
where the KZJ's baldie WDM2C # 14041 thunders by with the 21-coach
7086 SBC - SC express. The building at the background is the SAIL
(Steel India Ltd) depot with a railway siding inside the
premises. |
