During a trip to the Northeast, I made a pit stop at Delhi for a day to visit my friend Nitin (YT - Xtreme Railroads ). The two of us went to explore some of our old haunts, spots where we went for some railfanning during my stay in Delhi many years ago. As a part of that, putting up with the late April heat, we visited Shahbad Mohammadpur [SMDP], to catch up with the latest developments in the line.
SMDP isn't what it used to be earlier, for that matter...
more... of fact, is any line in India, save the heritage ones, the same as what it used to be a few years ago? One of the few diesel actions we could spot in this route was the 12259 Sealdah - Bikaner Duronto Express, led majestically by a honking Tughlakabad (TKD) WDP-4B 40019, Long Hood Forward.
The honking wasn't as celebratory as we would have hoped to hear, but it was good to see the LHF Hunk belligerently stomp ahead with the Duronto Exp. This action was one of the perks we got for venturing out there, bearing the heat of Delhi.
12259 Sealdah - Bikaner Duronto Express rushing out of Delhi led by TKD WDP-4B
YT Link -
click here