WP Heritage Run on 9th April 2006

What a day it was!!!

Every thing that could go right went right today. The heritage run was slated to start at
11AM from Bombay Central to Borivili with the WP-7200 christened 'Shenshah' hauling a
Heritage Special.

I got up very early (on a Sunday - getting up at 6.30 is unthinkable for me) and got ready
to hit the station by 9AM.

I reached BCT at 9AM just in time to catch the Heritage special hauled by the WP-7200
pulling into platform 5. When I reached the station there were hardly any crowd, other
than the normal railway workers and officials. None of you would believe this, the RPF and
railway officials were encouraging people to take photographs and videos of the loco and
the train. I was surprised and pleasantly amazed that our RPF and Railway officials could
be public friendly. I immediately took out my camera and video recorder to shoot the
historic moment. The WP was very well turned out, it was cleaned, greased and steamed
properly. The hiss of steam loco is something one can never forget and today the WP 7200
was in its full elements.

After hanging around the loco for sometime, I managed to chat up with the loco driver
(sorry guys, just can't recall the name) and managed to get into the driver cab. He showed
me around the loco. I got enough opportunities to take a lot of snaps (which obviously will
be sent to IRFCA administrators for uploading) and video of the coal box, the pressure
gauges and other paraphernalia inside the cab.

By now it was 10.30 and we could see important VIP's strutting in to see the loco. I could
only recognize Mr.Ram Naik, former Oil and Petroleum minister in the BJP government,
who got into the loco and had a chat with whoever were there. In the meantime, Deep
joined me and we shot photos and videos to our heart's content. Sharp at 11, the WP
-7200 'Shenshah', hooted out a long whistle and hissed out of platform No 5 on its
historic run. When I heard the hoot after 22 years, the hair on my arm stood up. That's the
kind of effect a WP hoot had on me. I watched the WP-7200 hiss out steam from it's piston
box and watched it pump up the piston rod before it picked up speed. I & Deep were very
clear that we are going to chase the train on a slow local upto Borivili taking photos &
Videos on the way. As luck would have it (pls remember, today was a day when everything
that could go right went right) there were a few press guys who missed the train and were
keen to catch the Heritage special. The PRO assumed we were part of the press entourage
and asked us to join him on the slow local. He instructed his boss that there are a posse of
press which missed the Special and asked him to slow down the train to 30KMPH.

Our local was sure to overtake the Heritage special. The first sighting of the Heritage special
was at Lower Parel, but our local had to stop and the Heritage special speed ahead. Finally
our local overtook the Heritage special at Khar or just after Khar. I, Deep and all the press
cameramen had great opportunity to take some excellent video shots of the Heritage
special. By this time, we got quite friendly with the DD, Sahara News and E-TV reporters.
We had great opportunity to discuss about IRFCA to these guys. Infact they were so
surprised that there could be fans of IR. We plugged in for IRFCA as much as possible. In
fact they were so impressed with us, that they took our interviews where we spoke about
IRFCA and our love for steam locos. The crowd which were waiting to catch a glimpse of
the WP-7200 was amazing. All along the line, there were thousands of people waiting to
have a look at the loco.

Finally we reached Borivili much before the Heritage special arrived. We along with the
press guys, grabbed some vantage position for taking excellent video shoot. In 10
minutes, we sighted the majestic WP-7200, It was hooting and hissing away to glory. I
caught the WP-7200 and the train on a curve and took some excellent video. The train
arrived at Borivili by 12PM. The press guys as well as the Western Railways Public relations
officer by now had become familiar with us and offered us a ride back to BCT on the
Heritage special. How could we miss such an opportunity. Both I & Deep grabbed this
opportunity and got into the press carriage and rode back to BCT. The train on its return
journey was hauled by a Ratlam shed WDM-2. Inspite of it being hauled by a WDM-2, the
WP-7200 could not resist claiming that it is the lord of locomotives. It kept on hooting till
we crossed Borivili.

We sighted Viraf (another of Railfan) happily clicking pictures of the WP-7200 standing
along the line. Similarly we sighted Archit Goel (another IRFCAian) who was to join us for
this trip but somehow we missed, standing and shooting the 'Shenshah' just a few meters
away from Khar (I am not sure if he was at Khar) on the BCT-Borivili run.

The Heritage Special arrived at BCT sharp at 1.30. We gave interviews to DD-News, E-Tv,
Sahara News about IRFCA, the trip, our feelings about this journey and particularly about
steam locos.

WOW!! What a day it was..

This run was to commemorate 151 years of Bombay Baroda & Central India & Western
Railway formation.

Lot of credit to WR for being public friendly. I saw RPF inspectors taking small kids who
were standing outside, since they stopped entry into the platform after 10AM, near the
loco and showing them the loco from close quarters. I also saw the WR officials helping
Visually challenged and mentally challenged kids feel and understand the loco. It was a
touching moment. I really can't fathom the change in attitude and behavior of the entire
WR and RPF officials towards general public.

Whatever be the reason for the change in their attitude, it was nice thing to
see.

I am sure there would be Arch's, Deep's reports also for all in IRFCA to get different
perspectives and views about the run.

Regards,
Senthil

Rail Fanning trip to Kasara

Today was my first railfanning trip in Bombay.

Deep had posted that he was planning to do a Rail fanning trip to Kasara and I also decided to join him in this trip. We came across WDM-2's, WCM-3's, WAG-5, WDP-4 on this trip and passed a lot of express trains on the way to Kasara and back.

I got up at 6.30AM on a holiday to go for this trip. I and Deep had planned this trip for quite some time. He was to join the trip from Ghatkopar. I took a taxi from my house at Bombay Central to VT to take the EMU to Ghatkopar and then onwards to Kasara. I had to take 2 first class tickets, one from VT to Ghatkopar and the other one a return ticket from VT to Kasara. I had to spend extra because I asked the counter lady that I wanted a ticket to Kasara with a stopover at Ghatkopar. She informed me that a stop over is not possible and I have to take a separate ticket to Ghatkopar and Kasara. A little disappointing that I had to pay extra though it was not required.

### As per the rules, one has to start journey within 2 hrs of
purchase of tickets for EMU. So, if your halt at Ghatkopar was less
than 2 hrs, then you could have used same ticket for entire journey.
Of course, as per rules, there is nothing like EMU ticket with stop-
over at particular station. - Comments by IRFCAian Yogesh B

After the recent heat on the IRFCA groups about taking photos at railway stations, I decided not to take any risk of taking photographs at VT, though there were some good ones which I wanted to take. As the EMU was speeding towards Ghatkopar I spotted the famous Punjab mail going towards VT, I also spotted Simhagiri Express both of them hauled by a WCM-2 (though I am not sure of the loco)

####The loco you have seen should be WCG2 loco of KYN loco shed.
Please clarify details about Simhagiri Exp. This train runs between
which stations? - Comments by IRFCAian Yogesh B

I reached Ghatkopar at 8.35AM and met Deep, though saw him at Vidyavihar itself. We took the 8.55AM fast to Kasara. When we were waiting at Ghatkopar, we saw Udyan hauled by WDP-4 speeding past us at close quarters. We could not take photos as we were conscious of the fact that there could be plain clothed RPF personnel. Seeing the Udyan hauled by WDP-4 was one of our highlights of the morning. As we took the EMU to Kasara, we passed a lot of trains, hauled by WCM-3's. The express we passed were Pushpak Express hauled by WCM3, Singhad Express hauled by 2 WCM-2 (Again not sure if it was a WCM-2 or another loco) at Thane outer signal, Mangala Express hauled by a Rajdhani Livery WDM-2, Deccan Queen hauled by a WCM-3 outside Kalyan junction, Panchvati Express hauled by WCM-3 as we crossed Shahd station, Mahanagri hauled by WCM-3 at Kasara.

### All locos which you are mentioning as WCM-3 are actually KYN loco
shed's WCAM3 locos! Sinhgad Exp is getting twin WCG2 locos these
days. (Basically WCAMx locos can run on both DC or AC Traction, where
as WCGx locos run only on DC Traction and WAGx/WAPx/WAMx locos - seen
beyond KSRA or actually ahead of IGP - run on AC Traction only).
Mangala Exp gets ERS WDM2 loco all the way from ERS to IGP! - Comments by IRFCAian Yogesh B

We reached Kasara at 11AM, took snaps of the EMU which we took us to Kasara. As we were crossing the platform, we chatted up with the EMU motorman on the speed of the EMU. We wanted to find out on which stretches did the EMU do 100Kmph. He informed us that from Bombay itself on some stretches they touch 100Kmph. Since we were standing by the door, we could feel the speed though we were not sure about 100Kmph. At Kasara we saw 4 WAG-5's stationed on platform 3 for banking duties.

### With KSRA-IGP Section getting converted from DC to AC Traction,
WCG2 locos now can not be used as bankers in this section. Hence, BSL
loco shed's WAG5 locos are the bankers now.

We somehow managed to get friendly with the only loco pilot we could spot amongst the 4 locos parked there. He informed us that he was an ex-army man who is now a driver and also allowed us to take snaps of the loco. Once we got a little familiar we asked him if we could step inside the loco and have a look around. He was gracious enough to allow both me and Deep to get inside the loco. He also explained the functions of the various switches and other stuff in the loco. He ofcourse did not allow us to take photographs inside the loco.

After spending some time with the loco pilot, we went to the main platform and got friendly with some Railway staff at the station. One of them was quite enthusiastic and showed us the Signal lamps and also posed for a photograph with a full green flag. He also took us around the station and showed us some old photographs of the GIP era put up in the station. He also informed that there was another photos of an express train of that era in the running room and asked us to get permission from the Deputy Station master for the keys. Unfortunately for us, the Deputy Station Master refused us the permission. We spent some more time at the station, took some snaps of a WDS-6 (The livery was that of old KK Express) and then took the 12.30 local back to Bombay. On the way we had to get down at Thane as both I and Deepash had dehydrated badly as we forgot to take a water bottle. Deep got down at Ghatkopar and I at Dadar.

I plan to do some more of these trips and will keep every one posted about the same.