Around Madras Beach

Dated May 2004


This forms the 2nd report (first I wrote yesterday about the TYMR-MSB MRTS line). After fellow rail fan Karthik and myself arrived at Chennai Beach (MSB), we decided to catch some freight action (MSB offers a lot in this aspect, due to the proximity of the harbour).

Even at the outset, we were rewarded. We saw two light AJJ WAG5HAs, one live and the other dead, pulling out of MSB towards the basin bridge crossing. Then we came across a BRC (!) WAG5HA 23729 (digital lettering), hauling a coal rake to Raichur. A BRC loco, doing SR duties?? It seemed to have got lost in SR territory. Anyway, the poor fellow was too old and weak, I think. He could not start with his load (initially, breaks were not released), and then, the loco's DJ tripped and then, stop! The driver got out of the cab and closed it and walked away. Overload, I should say.

Adjacent to this was an ED WAG7 27488. The driver was a friendly chap called Sooraj, who, he said belonged to Palghat (PGT), but worked from Jolarpettai (JTJ), under MAS division. He said he was proud of working in MAS division (he said it is one of the most advanced in division in IR!). Anyway, back to the tracks. The chap asked us into the cab (it was the first cab visit for us, and boy, weren't we excited!). The cab was okay and functional, except for the seats. The speedometer was new and digital. It had some kind of a data entry provision, where the driver has to key in the trip details along with his ID no. and the km reading will be shown digitally (but I did not understand what its advantages were over the ordinary speedometer).

We then got talking about the recent Wadala (Mumbai) incident and the driver shared his (gory) experiences. Once, a guy, after finishing his toilet on tracks, was caught between two trains (double line). No chance of escape, poor fellow. Similarly, once a lady was caught. Our chap told us that he signalled to her frantically, asking her to sit down in the space between the two tracks, and she did and survived! One poor lady though did not have that much luck. She shooed away her cow which was on the track, but she......

Some safety information: Sooraj said that one mustn't stand vertically when the train passes closely, but sit or lie down. A valuable tip indeed!!

You may wonder why I am writing about these gory incidents. I know some of you do not like it (my apologies), but the point I am trying to make is that, people are so careless about their lives. One cannot afford that, especially when a train is around (it is not a bus or a car, for heaven's sake). Most of the accidents like these are due to the victims themselves. People cross the tracks when there is a provision for crossing overhead, or to do their toilet. The list is large. When I read about these accidents, I feel sorry on one hand, and yet wonder what they were doing on the track or permanent way.

One request to you: please desist from crossing tracks at any station and anywhere else and use the overhead or underground bridges. When rail fanning (which is of course, unavoidable :)), let us be most careful around the permanent way, and warn others also about approaching trains.

Anyway, back to the subject. The WAG7 can go around 100kmph (depends on load though), but the new speedometer has markings till 180 ('fast' forward thinking :))!! The walkie-talkie he had has a range of around 5km. From MSB, we decided to continue on to Egmore (MS) by EMU. On the way, we saw LGD WAG5 24331 doing some shunting at the harbour. Also we saw another BRC WAG5HA 23731(digital lettering again, is that a BRC characteristic?) going light towards MSB. To aid its stricken brother 23729 at MSB, I suppose. Many visitors from up north that day!!

For further reports, please refer the menu on to the left side of the page. This report continues at Hanging out at Madras Egmore. Thanks for a patient reading!