Sijua on the DHN-KTH-CRP sub-section on the CIC line is a dope spot for watching trains. Trains here chug along super slow coz of an underground fire. This area's been around since way back in 1880, even before the Grand Chord, which came up in 1903. Back in 1880, the Dhanbad-Jharia & DHN-KTH-PLJE lines were laid for loading coal when Jharia and Katras were like tiny kingdoms, and Dhanbad was just a lil village. The British wanted a rail line to the coal-rich Jharia & Katras, so Dhanbad ended up being the end point. They had to build a Loco Tank and shed for the trains 'cause there wasn't a link to the nearest loco shed. Over time, they connected Dhanbad to Calcutta and Delhi with the Grand Chord. With the Grand Chord in place, Dhanbad became a major junction and a bustling industrial city. Sadly, both these railways are now plagued by underground fires due to negligence. Dhanbad has come a long way from a small village to a big city, all ‘cause of the railways. It's unfortunate that these historic lines are facing closure due to the fires. Fast forward to today, we were chilling at Sijua station, waiting for the Jhargram-Dhanbad MEMU. We saw a bunch of different trains pass by in just an hour. We even paid tribute to the loyal WAM-4 engines by snapping pics of 'em in action. Check out the pics of the MGS WAM-4 and the TATA WAM-4 doing their thing at the station. Hope you enjoyed this railfanning adventure with a dash of history from the CIC section! #Arnab

Sijua station toh ek solid jagah hai railfans ke liye. Yahaan trains kaafi slow chalti hain kyunki underground fire hai. Ye section 1880 me colonial times me bana tha, aur isse pehle Grand Chord bana 1903 me.
1880 me Dhanbad-Jharia aur DHN-KTH-PLJE section ban gaya tha coal load karne ke liye. Jharia aur Katras tab chote kingdoms the, jabki Dhanbad sirf ek chota sa gaon tha. Jharia aur Katras ke coal desh ka best tha, isiliye British ne local rulers se deal karke railway line banane ka faisla kiya. Katras aur Jharia ke beech me sthit ye chota sa gaon Dhanbad in dono lines ka terminus ban gaya. Lekin engines ka paani dalwane ke liye ek Loco Tank aur engines ki maintenance ke liye ek loco shed banane ki zarurat thi. Najdik ka loco shed, tab ka 'East Indian Railways' largest, Sitarampur me tha jise Dhanbad se rail link nahi thi. Ye isliye ki Damodar tab 'Sorrow of Bengal' tha. Har saal ye flood hota tha aur hazaron logon ki maut hoti thi. British ne kai saal bridge banane ki koshish ki, lekin har baar monsoon flood unki saari progress ko khatam kar deti thi. Isiliye rail lines Barakar me hi khatam hoti thi. Lekin jab rich coal areas ki khoj hui, toh British chah rahe the ki ye areas seedha connect ho industrial heartlands se Calcutta.
Isi tarah se ek chota unknown gaon, apne bhagy ki wajah se railway terminus nahi ban gaya, balki yahaan 'EIR's' largest loco tank aur loco shed bhi tha!
Iss route ke poora hone ke baad, British ne achanak ye samjha ki agar Howrah se Gaya tak, 'Moghulsarai' (Ab Mughalsarai) tak railway tracks bicha den, toh Calcutta se Delhi tak ka fasla aur kam ho jayega. British ne kai saalon tak mehanat ki aur bridges banaae Damodar, Phalgow aur '5km streching' Sone ke upar!
Gurpa aur Gajhandi ke forests ke under tunnels banae gaye, aur steep gradient change ko counter karne ke liye curves banaye gaye jab Chotanagpur Plateau peeche hat raha tha. Ant me Lord Minto ne 1906 me, Gajhandi me Grand Chord ka inauguration dhamakedar tareeke se kiya. Is beech British ne DHN-PLJE ko Madhya Pradesh tak extend kiya, aur ise CIC section ke naam se jaana jane laga.
Grand Chord ka poora hone ke baad, Dhanbad ko seedha Calcutta se bhi aur Delhi se bhi connect kar diya gaya, aur is tarah, chhote samay me hi ye Grand Chord ka important junction ban gaya. Yahaan coal-loading aur passenger travel ka center bana, jabki Jharia aur Katras apne purane asar kho rahe the, kuch had tak.
Bas 100 saalon me ek chhota anjaan gaon ek thriving industrial city ban gaya! Aur ye sab shuru hua in dono railway lines ki wajah se! Bahut dukh hai ki in dono railway lines ko underground fires ka shikaar banne pad rahe hain, bas neglect ki wajah se!
Dhanbad-Jharia line toh ab history ho chuki hai, DHN-PLJE section ke antim sanson ka samay shuro ho chuka hai! Alternate routes ki planning ho rahi hai, aur jald hi ye line oblivion me chala jayega...
Wapas vapis aate hain aaj ke waqt me. Ek garmi bhari dophar me main aur mere dost Sijua station par khade the, Jhargram-Dhanbad MEMU catch karne ke liye Dhanbad ke liye.
Overhead bridges par khade rahne ke dauran, humne 1 ghante ke andar 3 trains dekhi. Humne 2 WAM-4, 2 WAG-9, ek WAG-7 aur MEMU bhi dekha!
Lekin, WAM-4 ko tribute dene ke liye, 'Rahul Dravid of Indian Railways', jisne be-panah 40 saal ki seva ki, humne sirf 2 WAM-4 ki tasveerein kheechi!
Picture 1-5 me MGS WAM-4 DHN-CRP passenger lekar aa raha hai.
Picture 6 me TATA WAM-4 ALLP-DHN Express ke saath tezi se guzar raha hai.
Umeed hai ki ye railfanning report pasand aayi, maine CIC section ki history me touch bhi kiya hai!
#Arnab

ED WAP4 Dhanbad Alappuzha express Utralikkavu pass kar rahi hai, Wadakkanchery ke pass!