Yet another railfanning at Bangalore City!

I had some work in the city today, and desperately wanted to spend time. I headed off from my home at around 1300. The journey started off with a few hiccups (I had to return home after walked quite a distance to pick up some thing very important - an umbrella!). I then took a rickshaw to the nearest bus stop, and got into a bus towards Kempegowda Bus station (Majestic). I got down at State Bank of Mysore, and then walked around to finish off my work (I had to jobs - managed to do one, but the other is yet to be done!).

After the hectic work, I headed off towards the Railway Station. I managed to reach the station at around 1545 (I was planning to be there atleast by 1400, but could reach only an hour and 45 minutes later!). I initially thought that the 1014 Express had left, but the platform indicators was still displaying that the train is yet to arrive! I had a cup of coffee (I had skipped lunch - and settled for a couple of guavas!) and walked around Platform 1 when I heard a WDP4 revving up! Just then, I noticed an Ernakulam loco swiftly pulling in! I just about managed to get a photo of the loco and then finished the coffee. The sound of the WDP4 came clearer, and the loco became visible. The loco headed off towards the advanced starter, and then reversed back to couple up to the rake of the 1014 LTT Express. The loco was WDP4 #20033 of Krishnarajapuram.

Just as the loco finished coupling, a WDS6 (#36243) of Krishnarajapuram pulled out the rake of the Karnataka Express from the yard to Platform 4. The shunting delayed the departure of the Coimbatore-LTT Express (1014) from Platform 1. After the rake (of Karnataka Express) settled on PF4, the 1014 express was allowed to head back home. The loco which brought in the 1014 from Coimbatore (WDM3A #14075 of Ernakulam) followed the rake upto the starter, and then stopped there. I walked towards Platform 5, and spotted the Itarsi twins waiting to charge back home!

P1130015

The locos were WDM3As #18809 & #18727. I can't understand the need to have twin WDM3A locos to work a 24 coach rake! Isn't it a bit overpowered! I headed on to Platform 5, and saw that the rake of the Ernakulam express was already there! Just then twin WAM4s reversed on to the Platform to get coupled to the train. The loco allotted for this train was WAM4 #20610 of Arakkonam. The loco was brought in by WAM4 #20674 of Arakkonam. Just then the rake of the Karnataka express was once again pulled out by the same WDS6, and this time shunted off to Platform 1!!!

Some time later, WAM4 #21320 of Arakkonam (in Barbie Livery) pulled out of Platform 7, and reversed on to Platform 6. In the mean time, I decided to check the Yeshwantpur side of the station, and headed off there. WDP4 #20005 of Hubli was seen standing at the IOH shed. There was another WDP4 around, but couldn't notice the number since a rake was blocking my view. A WDS4 shunter (#19534) was shunting out rakes from the yard. The Hindupur passenger was shunted out first and parked on Platform 8. I walked back to Platform 5 once again. All of a sudden, I noticed a diesel on Platform 7 - that was WDM3A #14053 of Krishnarajapuram with the Mysore-Chennai Shatabdi Express! The loco was removed, and WAM4 #20674 of Arakkonam took charge of the Shatabdi.

I walked back to Platform 1, and then took a photo of WDM3A #14075 of Ernakulam sleeping off at the siding there and slowly walked off towards the exit when I noticed that the Mysore-Nagercoil Holiday special was yet to arrive! I headed back to Platform 7 once again. Around this time, I noticed WDM3A #14053 shunting around, and WDM3A #18704 parked ahead of the loco of the Tippu Express on Platform 6. This loco (18704) had earlier shunted in the rake of the Ernakulam Express, and later took the Chikkaballapur Passenger.

I walked around the Mysore end of Platform 7. The loco for the Tippu Express was WDM2 #17446 of Krishnarajapuram. The Nagercoil special pulled in at around 1728 with Golden rock WDM2 #16863 doing the honors. I called it a day, and headed to the bus station to get a bus back home! That is the end to another day! Images taken during the day would be uploaded soon! (I have some space crunch at my image host - trying to solve it out soon!).

Comments

Anonymous said…
Platform 7 SBC:

Have you noticed this temple? I think I found it on Platform 7

http://mainsandcrosses.blogspot.com/2007/07/bnagalore-city-station.html
Pradeep Nair said…
Never saw someone deal with those letters like WDGPOIM etc with such felicity... great! But could you also explain in our posts what these letters mean... Your blog has a great potential to demystify Railways for the millions of common people.