There are some train journeys where you need a window seat in a second class coach. When travelling through excellent weather and a great countryside, one needs wind-in-the-hair, not glass-on-the-face! This is exactly what I did on the Sakleshpur - Subramanya Road route.
The last straight stretch of track before the train reaches Sakleshpur - from where the ghat section begins
This is Train No. 16523 - Bangalore-Karwar Express. This train travels through lush greenery. The route turns spectacularly scenic between Sakleshpur and Subhramanya Road railway stations. Here, the train is about to approach Hassan which is a stop before Sakleshpur.
As Sakleshpur approaches, those who don't have a window seat move to the door so as not to miss this window of opportunity to traverse along one one India's most spectacular railway route.
The tracks are winding. It's green here but this will get spectacularly green is some time.
Here you can see Electricity Development Company's (EDCL) Hassan Wind Mill project which generates about 1.5 MW of Wind Power
Sakleshpur railway station finally. It was a single WDP Engine which pulled the train till Sakleshpur. From here, this will be a hydra-headed - three engined train. The additional 2 engines are required to provide additional braking power to the train as it head downhill on the ghat tracks.While travelling back, from Subramanya Road, 2 engines will be attached at the back of the train to push the train upto Sakleshpur.
The Ghat section commenced immediately after Sakleshpur. From here till Subramanya Road the train will traverse through some of the most scenic routes of the Indian Railways
The 55-km-long ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subramanya Road is a trip through the nature’s creations as well as resourceful engineering. There are 670 bridges including 91 major bridges, with the Ghat section alone having 110 curves and 57 tunnels.
Another of the never ending bridges on the track
Though dense forests with the trees forming a natural green tunnel
It still mystifies me how the train always decides, correctly, whether or not to take the rail less travelled!
At Sakleshpur the train is at an altitude of 906 meters. From here it descends to 120 meters above sea level when it reaches Subramanaya Road station
There are so many twists and turns on the track.So many twists and turns on the tracks that one doesn't know whether to go to the left or right for the best view!
It is sometimes giddying to even look out as the train passes over a viaduct
While this via duct is tall, the third tallest viaduct in Asia is the Panaval viaduct in the Konkan railway route in the Ratnagiri district
Before the train is out of one tunnel, it dives headlong into the next!
Such stunning views from the train!
Several dozen waterfalls along the route drenches the trains and those standing near the doors for
a good view
Even in the remotest of locations, there is someone on the job to flag the train. His absence would require one to raise the red flag!
Over crystal clear streams
Not light, but I half expected Phantom (The Ghost Who Walks) at the end of the tunnel!
No Phantom! Only light at the end of the tunnel! This certainly qualifies as one of the most scenic railway routes in India!
1 comment:
Lovely photo-blog!
Sushil / DTEA
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