A short railfanning session was on the cards, primarily to test out my new camera.
Unfortunately, even after careful planning of timings etc, the light wasnt too great, and the shots did not come
out as well as expected.
Lakshman, upon hearing my plans wanted me to shoot a video of the WAP-7. Keeping that in mind, I planned the trip
for sometime in the afternoon, and ending it with the take of the Rajdhani.
Buddhadeb Saha, Mrinal Das and I met at Howrah station at about 1.45 pm. We had a quick and tasteless coffee at
the Refreshment room. I was kind of surprise dto see the area next to it boarded up, with a sign saying a Food
Plaza was under construction. When its completed, it would make Howrah the first station with two food plazas.
There is already one existing at the South Eastern section.
We made our way to the suburban platforms. A EMU was was on its out but it was already crowded so we chose not
to board. We instead parked ourselves in a Bandel local, and it left soon, taking about 10 minutes for the 3-station
ride. I took a peek at the Howrah Electric loco shed on the way, and was happy to see the WAP-7 standing in wait,
almost a certainty that the day's Rajdhani would be headed by this beast.
We got off at Bally, and had a look around the station. This is where the main and chord lines to Barddhaman physically
part, although the controlling station is Belur, immediately before. In fact at Bally, the lines are in fact some
distance apart, so the platform for the chord line is on a curve. The main line had a station long ago, but the
chord line platforms were only added in the 1970s. My plan was to stand at the spot where the tracks part, but
that was not to be. Before heading out to shoot, we paid a visit to the Bally control cabin. The section has automatic
signalling, and the ASM (???) in charge of the cabin mostly oversees and checks the passing traffic. He also makes
the station announcements. The staff was friendly and explained the workings at the control panel. There is no
route relay interlocking. The layout isn't complex at all. The main line has three running lines and a siding.
The chord line is double tracked, but there are no turnouts.
Thanking the staff, we headed out. I decided we should position outside some distance outside the station, to avoid
interference from the RPF/GRP. There is reasonably heavy traffic, and there were movements every few minutes. The
Jan Shatabdi bound for Patna crossed us at speed. There were quite a few other expresses (mostly headed by WAP-4s
or WDM-2s), and a couple of freight trains too. Since it wasn't rush hour yet, the number of EMUs was not as large
as it could have been. There was work going on on one of the up lines, and consequently, there was a caution order,
and all the trains slowed down till the gangs cleared up and the train passed slowly, preceded by verbal warnings
called out by the gang-men to clear the track.
All of a sudden a well-dressed man hailed me, and asked who I was. I was expecting to be challenged for photographing.
I answered him that it was a hobby and he smiled and said I would have better luck on the chord line just beyond
the station at Gate No. 2, since there was a sweeping curve there. Thanking him, we set off towards the spot, crossing
the platforms and waiting at a spot just beyond. The others did not seem too keen to walk all the way to the gate
but I insisted, and they prevailed. We chatted with the gateman who said the Rajdhani was due any moment. This
level crossing was always kept closed we learnt, and would be opened only when necessary, with permission from
the station manager. Interestingly, it had the lifting barriers, which weren't operational any more. What was in
use now were the old fashioned swing gates.
I positioned myself and waited. Soon the familiar whistle of the P-7 sounded and I was ready. It passed us at about
100-110 km/h, as just as it passed a EMU too went on the other track. We thanked the gateman and made our way back
to Bally station.
Bally is where the Dumdum-Dankuni line crosses the Howrah-Barddhaman main lines. There is a station on the line
called Bally Halt, directly above the mainline station. This is the line the Sealdah Rajdhani uses to get to Dankuni
and thence join the chord line. I realized that I would be able to get a shot of the Sealdah Rajdhani too. We decided
to make our way back to Sealdah instead of Howrah. EMUs ply between Dankuni and Sealdah. We climbed up the steps,
and crossed the highway and went to the adjoining Bally Halt station to get our tickets. We were told there was
an EMU at 1720. Perfect! Went back out and just beyond the station there are bridges where the road line crosses
the main lines down below.
We stood at the road bridge, camera on the ready. It was twilight already, and I realized the pictures would probably
not be good enough, due to low light. Anyway, I had only one opportunity, so I decided to take a video. Soon enough,
the train came, and I got it right on the bridge! Our deed done, we headed back to the station, had a cup of tea
and some snacks (an egg chop and an alu chop), and waiting for our train. It was almost right on time, and we got
on to the reasonably crowded train, as it went on, crossing the Hooghly by the Vivekananda Bridge, and then on
to Dumdum Jn, where Messrs Das and Saha got off, Mr Das to take a rickshaw back to his house, and Mr Saha to catch
the metro from its adjoining station). I carried on to Sealdah. On the way, I peeked into the trip shed outside
Sealdah, and saw another P-7 parked there. I have noticed that's usually the case, even after the Rajdhani has
departed, there is a P-7 left over. Perhaps its as backup, I don't know, but isn't it an awful waste for a loco
of this caliber?
I happily got into a taxi and reach home! Mercifully, the queue for cabs at Sealdah is never too long. This one
had just me :-) |
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The bridge carrying the DDJ-DKAE line just before Bally station.
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An EMU on its way
towards Howrah.
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Gangmen on an inspection on their trolley.
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A blood red WAP-4 of Howrah shed heads an express out of Howrah.
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A HWH WDM-2 hauls an express on the chord line.
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View of the chord line platforms from the Western end of Bally station.
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Brightly painted hut of level crossing #2, West of Bally.
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