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The road overbridge near the Bangalore ring road at Channasandra offers a lovely view as a WDM2 freighter waits for the northward signal. The SAIL steel plant can be seen in the background. This line proceeds forward and bifurcates into two sharp curves; to meet the Bangalore-Chennai trunk on either side.

 

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I'm a locomotive livery aficionado and this color scheme sported by the Erode diesels gets my big thumbs-up. A smart and clean WDM2 gets film footage on an evening in Pune. A Gooty WDM2 in orange coat waits ahead. Notice a loud Channel-V hoarding on the left and the shadow of a crazy nut with a camera.

 

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The 2628 Karnataka gets precedence over the late 6339 Nagercoil Express at Gooty. A bright red ET WDM2 heads the motive pair. As the train slowed on the platform, waiting short-distance commuters jumped right in. The diesel driver beckons out to me to move away.

 

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A Guntakal WDM2 takes a breather at Cuddapah station in AP on a bright winter afternoon in late 97. The 6011 Chennai express entrusted to her is early by a few minutes(!), a very uncommon happening on a pathetic stretch of trunk route. This station funnily carries the code HX and is famous for its black stones.

 

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A night shot close-up of a Guntakal WDM2. South Central Railway (SCR) has two diesel loco sheds; at Guntakal and Gooty. Both these stations are just 25 kilometers apart! But this engine has a very uninspiring loco shed logo; unlike Erode or Ernakulam.

 

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The 6010 Chennai Mumbai Mail does the distance at a scheduled speed of 43 kmph. As a result, its not uncommon for this train to be subjected to frequent overtakes, as on this hot afternoon at Ganagapur Road. The 1020 Konark Express gets precedence over this train as it races ahead in the center with a maroon Pune WDM2, horns blaring.