Shubh Navatri to the IRI family...
Presenting some pictures one of the most important junctions of Eastern Railways, Katwa Junction. A four point junction, Katwa is the link point of the Katwa-Azimaganj loop, Katwa-Ahmadpur link line, the Howrah-Bandel-Katwa line, the Bardhaman-Katwa line.
The Bardhaman-Katwa line was earlier a NG line, running criss-cross along the Bardhaman-Katwa road, I have so many fond memories of the Bardhaman-Katwa narrow guage line,the mere rememberance of the tiny child that I was then, happily trotting to the narrow gauge end of Bardhaman Junction, munching jhalmuri and...
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as the small NG train would make it's way through the picturesque paddy fields of Bardhaman district, my small mind often wondering as to why would buses and traffic would easily overtake us alongside the parallel road. The belief that since I was on a train which as per as the understanding of my tiny brain then, was a higher status of transport compared to roadways:p. Infact my belief was well supported by the broad guage trains. Even on the DC and DJP line those coal laden WPs and those smoke spewing ALCOs would easily beat up any traffic comfortably.
It is funny as to the beliefs that we have as children, the world revolves around our parents, when I was smaller I would consider EMU/MEMU trains to be much superior to rajdhanis. After all they would accelerate much quicker than the rajdhanis. Rather there was only a rajdhani the 2301 HWH RAJ, the time I am referring to happens to be the mid-late nineties. The PNBE RAJ would be introduced few days later, the SDAH/BBS Rajdhanis were not yet conceived...
The Bardhaman-Katwa line has been converted to a broad guage line and EMU trains from BWN to KWAE have started, as are it's contemporaries across the Ganges namely the Krishnanagar-Shantipur and the Krishnanagar-Nabadwip Ghat lines. I have fond experiences on all of them. The Bardhaman-Katwa NG trains are now a part of railway folklore now. Though some coaches are on display at the Howrah Railway Museum, some coaches and consist can also be found at the makeshift Museum near the coaching complex at Dhanbad station.
When I look back at these memories now.... there is a strong feeling of nostalgia mixed with a slight tint of sadness! This set of childhood memories will forever be etched in the penseive of my mind, waiting to be reminiscent when I am merged in pensive nostalgia...
It has been a while since I had visited KWAE, and a lot has changed. Presenting some of the photos that I took on that day.
Photo Courtesy :- Self
Camera :- Samsung Galaxy A50 and MOTO G5 plus.
Picture 1 :- Main Entrance Gate
Picture 2-3 :- Katwa main station building and along with the preserved now heritage worthy KWA (Katwa Narrow Guage loco shed) AK-15.
Picture 4 :- The Shiv Mandir in the station premises.
Picture 5 :- Panorama shot of the Ganges at Katwa. This bank is in Bardhaman district while the other bank is in Nadia district.
Picture 6 :- The Katwa-Azimganj passenger 53011 set to depart from platform number 2 at Katwa.
Picture 7 :- Train board. Zoom in and all the RSA are visible.
Picture 8 :- The beautiful Ganga Mandir near the jetty ghat. I have fond memories here.
Picture 9-10 :- Katwa station board. The Trip EMU shed is visible in the background.
Picture 11-14 :- Katwa-Azimganj passenger set to depart from platform number 2 with it's regular link BWN WDM-3A 16531 R. It is worth mentioning that the KWAE-AZ section is fully electrified, however due to shortage of electric loco crews diesels are still widely used. Another thing the 'R' in the locomotive number denotes a rebuilt locomotive, the locomotive was originally a WDM 2/2A that was rebuilt and reconfigured into a WDM 3A at Patiala.
Picture 15 :- Zoomed in picture of the SLR coach, shows the coach being housed at AZ base.
Picture 16-17 :- The Diesel refueling stop at KWAE, the pump hoses being clearly visible.
Picture 18-19 :- View of the Bardhaman-Katwa end from the platform 2 side. During the NG side the view was much different.
Picture 20 :- Katwa platform number 1 view from the over bridge.
Picture 21-24 :- View of different platforms from the over bridge.
Picture 25 :- The rebuilt KWAE-BGNA-BWN line with elevated platforms.
The last I was here was around 15 years ago when the NG railway was well in service...