had reached HWH at 13:00 hours quite early as I had to catch the 12339 UP Coalfield Express to DHN, later that evening.
I had just entered in, platform number 12, the usually busy platform was surpringly bevoid of people. Then and there I spotted the abandoned, unwanted and deserted rake of the once running 1st DD AC express of the country, the Howrah-Dhanbad Double Decker Express!
Only four years old, launched on 1/10/2011, this train was once the apple of all eyes!!! The Prince of HWH division has now fallen upon harsh times, it's future uncertain, it's rake gathering rust, it's very presence once much envied, now undesirable for it's home division.
I went up to the under repair platform number 15,to have a good look at the train. Really Pitiable condition!Dust had gathered all around,some of the windows panes were broken, urchins were making merry on the roof. I went up to take some pictures of the train. Those urchins suddenly became very shy and ran away! Meanwhile the lady on the PRS crooned "............ HWH-MECHEDA LOCAL 13 no platform theke charbe.......repeat in Hindi and eng..."
While thinking about the misfortune that had crept so unjustifically on the young DD's life, I started to take a stroll and unknown to me reached almost the end of Platform 12. It was then I was awoken from my thoughts by the rhythmic humming of a Alco. Turning to my left I saw a solitary NFR WDM3a buzzing,in a totally unconcerned way, like a cow happily grazing on grass, having no worry of the world!!! SNAP!, and picture taken, and then Peepee.......Low Battery 4% on the phone. Switching off my phone, I went on look for a charger slot on the deserted platform when again TING...NING....NING" 13011 HWH MLDT Intercity Express 15:25 minute 12 no Platform theke charbe"
HWH WDS6r brought in the train on plt no 12. The usually fairly filled up intercity was a ghost train! No passenger was there in the coach except myself and an elderly gentleman who was off to Malda. It was almost like 9-10 passengers per coach.
I spent the next 45 minutes chatting with the elderly man, with my phone plugged in the charger socket. The train started at peak 3:25PM and I exited the train there...........
12338 Shantiniketan would arrive soon.........that would return to DHN as 12339 Coalfield!
Coalfield, Shantiniketan and Agnibeena are amazing examples of Rake Sharing arrangement by the Indian Railways. Train 12342 Agnibeena sets off from ASN early morning at 5:30, arrives at HWH at 8:40, and makes a too and fro return from Bolpur as 12337/12338 Shantiniketan. The same train then turns up a 12339 Coalfield Express to Dhanbad!
Next morning the rake now as 12340 DHN-HWH Coalfield arrives at HWH, is shunted back and departs HWH again now at 18:20 as 12341 ASN bound Agnibeena!
I wonder who does the rake maintainance! Is it ASN div, or HWH, or DHN???
I was lost in these thoughts when Jamalpur WDM3a chugged in with the Shantiniketan Express in tow! Shantiniketan is usually empty, but on that day, it got me confused as whether thes train was really coming from Bolpur or the rake shed at Howrah! It was almost like there was 1 passengers per compartment!!!
I booked myself the cleanest, and the best possible window seat in the chair car. Meanwhile MGS WAP4 22587 brought in the Amristar-Hwh super-crawler to platform 11!
I dozed of for a while in the empty compartment, when I woke up it was 16:45, the HWH Raj with HWH WAP-7 was ready to depart from platform number 8. I turned my head around to see the least packed Coalfield in my life, as there were almost like 1 passenger per seat. However still Coalfield managed to save it's reputation. It's condition was much better than the Malda intercity. The passengers were merry as almost all had managed to find a Window seat for themselves.
To see my loco link I dashed out of my coach, and almost ran to the front of the train. It was a shiny WAP7 HWH 30203 ready and rearing to tear away the Bengal landscape with the Coalfield Express, at it's tow.
I was admiring the WAP7, when another twin-honk alerted me. A rarest of rare sight had just seem to find me. Believe it or not a GMO WAG9 had somehow managed to find it's way at HWH! I took a closeby snap of it and ran off to my train for it was 17:18. At 17:20 sharp with the faintest of honks, the WAP7 pulled out my train, out of HOWRAH.........
Picture no 1-5 are the snaps of the abandoned rake of the Double-Decker
Picture 6 shows the NFR Alco
Picture 7 is a panorma of HWH of sorts, that I tried to take with my phone.
Picture 8 & 9 show the tired MGS WAP4 awaiting the signal to go to it's resting place at Bamanganchi!
Picture 10 Board capture of Shantiniketan/Coalfield/Agnibeena
Picture 11,12 & 13 show the HWH WAP7 30203 attached to Coalfield!
Picture 14 is another shot of the MGS WAP4 departing for the Trip Loco Shed!
Picture 15 GMO WAG9 at HWH .
Trivia:- The 12399 made a unscheduled halt at BWN. A daily passenger remarked that both the UP/DWN have had been halting at BWN for the past 1 week!
At BWN I also found out that Black Diamond was delayed by 1 hour and 15 minutes due to late start at Dhanbad, prompted by the strikes!
#Arnab 
