PhotoBlog: Finding Monsoon Clouds

Monsoon clouds coming in | © Soumo's Railways

Today I found the monsoon clouds coming in. These lovely isolated cotton ball like clouds are so beautiful. The pre-monsoon clouds are white, but they will be darker as monsoon will inch closer.

Here in the Kolkata and South Bengal, monsoon is expected to arrive around June 10th, which is the normal date. But I read in the newspaper that it will arrive a little early this year, probably on June 8th, 2 days early than normal.

It was such a terrible hot day today (as it is since last 2 or 3 days), I was almost grilled in the sun! In the early morning today, the weather was almost like the typical autumn season here in South Bengal - there was lovely blue sky, bright comfortable sun and these rain clouds. But become extremely hot by 10 AM or so.

This year weather Gods were somewhat kind to us. We in the Kolkata and adjoining suburban region had frequent rainfall throughout the summer, so the summer heat was somewhat bearable.

Summer is not an ideal season for railfanning. Monsoon is also not very ideal, but this season provides some very unique railfanning opportunities. Especially I would encourage fellow enthusiasts to plan trips on some very scenic rail routes which becomes more beautiful in the monsoon. The whole Konkan Railway zone, Kerala (and the whole South India perhaps), Odisha/ BBS - VSKP route along Eastern Ghats, the Visakhapatnam - Araku valley route are some worth mentioning. I wish you all a very happy monsoon, and also a very happy week and a great new month ahead.

I am very happy to write another PhotoBlog post yet again after a long time again. Again hoping that I can keep this section updated regularly. Find all my PhotoBlog Posts here. Thanks for your attention!

Here is the RF Data (for the current observation):

Date: May 27, 2018

Place: Probably outskirts of Panskura Jn (PKU), don't remember exactly.

Zone (Spotting location): SER - South Eastern Railway

(**Please report if any link above is broken)

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram.

Unique Blue Liveried MEMU Spotted

MEMU arriving at NPMR | © Soumo's Railways

If you remember my series on railfanning observations at NPMR railway station sometime back, then this is an unpublished one from the same session. I think that was one of the best spotting sessions for me in recent memory.

I was lucky to find this unique blue livery MEMU which arrived at NPMR railway station, and I guess this is pretty uncommon one if not rare. This MEMU is manufactured by the TWL group.

The train route remains sadly unidentified by me but I guess this was running on Kharagpur - Santragachi route - however I am not sure and it may be of some other service. Yes indeed I was lucky to find this one.

Watch the MEMU passing through the curves at the NPMR station, here:

Making music while passing; lovely livery | © Soumo's Railways

Here is the RF Data (for the current observation):

Date: December 26, 2017.

Place: NPMR - Narayan Pakuria Murail Railway station.

Zone (Spotting location): SER - South Eastern Railway

Train: SER MEMU, unidentified destination/ service route.

Manufacturer: TEXMACO Wagons Pvt Ltd.

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram.

Speedstar Howrah Red Hunk Sweeps Through Rural Odisha

Howrah WAP4 on duty! | © Soumo's Railways

Earlier this year in the month of February, I had a work trip to Bhubaneswar. By the end of the trip, I had an oppertunity to roam around in rural Odisha for a day and with that also came an oppertunity to click some high speed trains on the way.

In this update, I spotted a lovely WAP4 (no. 22326) from the Howrah ELS cruising at high speed with an unidentified train through the MKTP railway station in Odisha.
Sometimes while photographing trains sadly I fail to read up the train boards. Which makes it hard to identify trains. I don't know about others but I find this a good problem. This happens especially at new areas where you are unfamiliar about trains, schedules and other references which you can refer to identify the trains. Often trains with special rakes/ liveries like that of Shatabdi, Humsafar, Tejas, Antyodaya, etc are easy to predict or identify.  However in my home zone too I have found similar issues.

This same thing happened with this spotting. I couldn't read out the train board and thus sadly the train remains unidentified. However since I live in the Howrah district, this is also the flag carrier of my hometown (along with Santragachi). So I was definitely very happy to see this fellow!

Watch the video here:

A few words about MKTP: MKTP is a beautiful station to see trains. But a word of caution - very few trains stop here, so before visiting please refer to the train schedules and carefully read them. I found about 8 RFP personnel who came and stayed at the station from 2 PM till I left the station at around 1930 (I had to stay as I was stuck there. There was no train for BBS; and BTW I didn't take out camera in front of them!). The station goes deserted after sunset and hardly any people/ passengers visit the station. I think in total 3 passengers incl me boarded the Brahmapur Passenger for BBS. Last train to BBS is at 2045 probably. If that is cancelled, you are likely stuck at the station till the next morning. The station also seriously lacks proper lighting: just about 6 tube lights light the whole station (only one side), often most don't work. I highly recommend to return before sunset. If possible visit very early in morning and leave by 1200 to 1400 hrs.

Here is the RF Data (for the current observation):

Date: February 13, 2018

Place:  MKTP (outer), ECoR.

Zone (Spotting location): ECoR East Coast Railway

Locomotive: HWH Howrah WAP4 (no. 22326).

Loco Zone: ER Eastern Railway zone

Train: Unidentified.

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram.

Rarely Captured Parcel Van Trains

NKJ WAG7 on Khirai Bridge | © Soumo's Railways

Rarely captured and sighted 'Parcel Van only' freight trains of South Eastern Railway zone. "This is a new weekly/bi-weekly parcel train service commenced by SER from Sankrail to Kalyan . It is also first privatized mainline cargo service on contract basis for 6yrs where Railways is responsible for rolling stock maintenance" - reports Rabin Saha.

Locomotives as they appear in the video, (find the link below):
(a) NKJ - New Katni Jn WAG7 loco (no. 27897) with PV train passing through KHAI - Khirai station; and,
(b) Kanpur WAG7 (no. 28443) hauling the PV train at the outskirts of NPMR Railway station.

Watch the video here:

Here is the RF Data (for the current observation):

Date: April 2018 and December 2017.

Place: 

(a) KHAI - Khirai Railway Station, SER;

(b) NPMR - Narayan Pakuria Murail (outer).

Zone (Spotting location): SER - South Eastern Railway

Locomotives & Loco Zones:

(a) NKJ - New Katni Jn - WAG7 (no. 27897);

(b) CNB - Kanpur WAG7 (no. 28443).

Train: Parcel Van Freight Train.

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram.

PhotoBlog - Summer Blossoms At PDPK

Summer blossoms at PDPK | © Soumo's Railways

I thought of sharing this photo. I took this one casually, maybe two weeks back and this morning I discovered it from the memory card of my camera. This is a corner of the PDPK Padmapukur Railway Station which is also my home station along with SHM - Shalimar Railway station. You maybe have seen many blog posts and videos on my YouTube from this station. This is also at a short walking distance from my home and a regular meetup & socializing point for morning walkers like me.

Hope you like the picture. You can follow the blog tag "Padmapukur" to find my old posts from this station. Also if you visit my YouTube channel, search about the Padmapukur Railway station (click here to search) for several videos I shared there.

BTW did you notice SER was celebrating 50th anniversary of the first EMU service on it's network yesterday on May 1st? I was not aware of the same but still in a coincidence shared an EMU video on YouTube. Have a look at the blogpost and the video I compiled and shared yesterday:

I am pleased to present this PhotoBlog post after a long time again, and I should update this section regularly. Find all my PhotoBlog Posts here, and follow updates abut PDPK here. Thanks for your attention!

Here is the RF Data (for the current observation):

Date: April 20, 2018

Place: PDPK Padmapukur Railway Station (not for the video shared above).

Zone (Spotting location): SER - South Eastern Railway

(**Please report if any link above is broken)

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram.

Finding EMU - SER's New ICF MEDHA EMU Trains

MEDHA at ULB Station | © Soumo's Railways

Happy May everyone. Sorry as I could not update this blog and also other social media handles regularly in past few weeks, this also includes the YouTube channel- for some professional commitments. However with the start of the new month I hope I can keep things updated in time. I have plans to write and update about the old videos that you have already seen on YouTube, but that might take some time.

Midnapur Local at NPMR | © Soumo's Railways

Last month I had the oppertunity to observe SER's new MEDHA EMU rakes on several occasions. I made a small video compilation and have updated the same today on YouTube.

Railfans' (including me) in southern West Bengal were recently very much excited when South Eastern Railway zone got these lovely EMU trains for the Kolkata suburban railway network. Eastern Railway zone also got their own MEDHA EMUs recently; these are made by the Integral Coach Factory of Chennai. SER being my 'native' zone was an extra reason to rejoice.

Howrah bound train, notice the hot winds!! | © Soumo's Railways

The suburban rail network of Chennai and Mumbai already have MEDHA trains. I visited Chennai last in 2016, I didn't see these then. I have plans to visit Chennai later this year so I might get an oppertunity to see and ride on these. I have also plans to visit Mumbai soon, hopefully.

These MEDHA trains resembles metro/ rapid transit rakes with better passenger comfort and amenities compared to the existing ones. At the time of posting this video, these Medha EMUs of SER are already into full regular services that commenced recently.

I loved these trains and had a good travel experience on them. Several local railfans from around Kolkata have covered the inauguration of these EMUs in derails, but I didn't get that oppertunity somehow. I will try to find some of those and link here later on (if I forget remind me in comments). However in summer, really wished these were air conditioned (however fan system was good). BTW you can see hot air blowing so badly in the last clip as the train approached.

Watch the video here:

Here is the RF Data: Date: Multiple observations in April, 2018 Place: See below. Zone (Spotting location): SER - South Eastern Railway
Trains: The MEDHA trains as they appear in the video mentioned above:
- Empty brand new rake resting at ULB, the clip dates back before these were introduced to service (I was onboard SRC MCA Slow Local).
- MEDHA Midnapur Local (From Howrah Jn to Midnapur);

Entering the platform | © Soumo's Railways

- MEDHA Howrah Local - (towards Howrah Jn from Midnapur)
Places: Shot at (in same order):
- ULB Uluberia Railway Station,
- NPMR - 'Narayan Pakuria Murail' Station,
- DUAN - 'Duan' Railway Station.

Thanks for stopping by. As always, corrections, comments, suggestions new ideas, travel tips (or anything) are very much welcome and appreciated.

© Soumo's Railways | Do connect with #SoumosRailways 
on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and Instagram