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Blog Entry# 2541146
Posted: Oct 15 2017 (20:04)

13 Responses
Last Response: Oct 17 2017 (13:35)
Rail Fanning
49586 views
34

★★★
Oct 15 2017 (20:04)   17227/Dhone - Guntur Express | DHNE/Dhone Junction (5 PFs)
SingleTraveller^~
SingleTraveller^~   3246 blog posts
Entry# 2541146            Tags   Past Edits
Guntakal - Guntur Line --- Railfanning and Electrification updates.
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Guntakal-Guntur Line is one of the best routes for railfanning. It passes through the verdant Nallamalla Forest and offers the opportunity to capture the bygone era's engineering marvel - Dorabavi Viaduct. This MG bridge has
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been dismantled during GC, but the pillars still remain amid lush vegetation. Though overgrown by vegetation, the height of the pillars can be gauged by the road seen in the pics.
The GC brought its own engineering marvel - the Bogada Tunnel, which is 1.6 Km long, which was constructed for BG at a much lower height.
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I had travelled in this route few times many years ago. Once while travelling on this same train, I had noticed something unique, which I was able to capture now.
Just before entering the Bogada Tunnel, the train stops and tribal people load many forest produces which they would have collected from surrounding forest into the train like bamboo - whole, cut, spliced for different uses, brush like plants - which would be later cut and tied together to form a broom. After loading is done the train resumes its journey. These loaded produces kept in aisle, near the door passageway (the bamboos being cut to the exact width of the coach), would then be offloaded at many subsequent stations.
I was told that not just this train but other passengers too stop, so that these tribal people can get down and go into the forest - day/night - collect and then load. Another passenger chimed into the conversation claiming that Expresses too stop.
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I have noticed unofficial stops being given for employees to go to shed or for other official reasons, but this was the first time I saw one for passengers sake. Anyway, it was heartening to notice IR too was helping the tribals integrate into society. These tribals had lived harmoniously in forests for ever till now. Now displaced due the reasons like reserved forest etc.. had no other go but to travel into forest and collect whatever they can and eke a living out of it. These produces like Bamboo made into different products like basket, ladder, chair etc... would then be sold in nearby villages and towns. The tribals too had settled in huts along the stations of this line, for the ease of travelling.
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This is a unique line where few of the longest passengers operated by IR (BNC-BZA and KCG-GNT) ply as mentioned in /blog/post/2104510 along with another long one UBL-BZA Pass.
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I will post the info and pics of the electrification updates of this line in the subsequent reply posts.
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4 Public Posts - Sun Oct 15, 2017

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Oct 15 2017 (23:40)
SingleTraveller^~
SingleTraveller^~   3246 blog posts
Re# 2541146-7              
Electrification:
Cumbum onwards electrification is done, also CRS. Some said that few Freights are hauled by E-Locos.
I myself had seen a couple of WAG-7s last time I went by this line to see another new line (Motamarri–Vishnupuram) - /blog/post/2307235
You van see the traction sub stations at Gajjelakonda (with some work going on) and at Savalyapuram.
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Doubling:
The doubling project was recently inaugurated, but no work can be seen. Land acquisition for Doubling shouldn't be a problem, I guess, because almost at all places adjacent to the line, I saw lots of vacant land with SCR marker stones marking the boundary.
But the problem would be the stations, few are land-locked at towns with 2 PFs and a mainline and no scope for expansion.
Some smaller stations, newer PF have been added to the mainline too, apart from the existing loop line PF. They could have left the mainline as it is, and added one more loop with a new PF. Then one of the loopline could have been converted as the second mainline. Now surely one PF needs to be demolished when doubling happens.
Anyway, doubling though land is available, all depends on when funds are available.
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Railfanning:
This is a good line for railfanning for those interested in scenery and freights. This line is for freight ONLY. Few Pass, Express, SF are there. But its just freights, almost all of them transporting coal. Since looplines are short, it is the Pass trains which are looped and freights allowed, so the wait is interminable.
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What's rail travel without food, right :)
In that aspect this experience stands out. A variety of food items are available. Unlike the mainline, on this line mostly unlicensed vendors sell stuff. All varied items like fried groundnut mixed with Jaggery and sugar (a much more sweetened preparation than the Chikki). Small ring sized Urad Dal Vadas costing 1 Re each. Small samosa also priced same.
The apples are not good fresh ones, but damaged ones, that the people collect from large markets from nearby towns from vendors, who are unable to sell them because one side was starting to blacken. So these people collect them and sell here for a cheaper rate. People too buy them for a good bargain.
Also many were selling different varieties of boiled beans, boiled/fried groundnuts all spiced with some onions, coriander, sprinkled with red chilli and salt powder, bit of lemon squeezed on it and topped with a chilli.
Many vendors were old ladies who had collected the leftover groundnuts (smaller ones, broken ones) from farmers and having fried it, were selling it and the quantity one got for 10 Rs was much better than what one got at other places.
It was nice to see that all were adjusting and no fight existed as seen in many UR coaches. Many of these tribal women had small babies slung on their shoulder with an old saree acting as make-shift cradle, and people readily made way for them to sit. The people never complained when these people took up all the walking space with their bamboo sticks. They just adjusted.
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1 Public Posts - Sun Oct 15, 2017

6 Public Posts - Mon Oct 16, 2017

1 Public Posts - Tue Oct 17, 2017

Travel SAFE

1. RailFanning does NOT MEAN dangerous pics/videos.
2. Doorplating pics/youtube videos are strictly FORBIDDEN in IRI.
3. Take plenty of food pics and other safe pics.
4. Write human interest narratives to make the pics interesting.
5. Enjoy blogging and travelling SAFELY.

REMEMBER: YOUR LIFE is the most precious thing, NOT RailFanning.

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