Howrah-Amta Local/68609⇒38909

Though we have initially planned this trip but Sai Jinendra was in kolkata and we thought we would meet him first before going for this trip.
However Sai was not contactable on his given number by PKV Sir and we felt really bad not to meet him on his stay in kolkata.
Our choice for this Railfanning trip was nothing but to explore the Unknown faces of this part of the Railway connectivity and to also to know the details of the ACC Connector which is used by Sealdah Puri and Shalimar Patna Duronto.
Hence we are boarding the HWH AMTA EMU which will depart from Howrah at 1640pm.Though i'll board from Ramrajatala station which is closer to my home ; PKV...
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Sir,Shantanu and (Videographer) Arkya will be boarding from Howrah Station.
We will miss the presence of BG,Gaurav who have been with us for few other such trips.
However we dont call this as ADMIN Meet as we have planned this trip purely based on our Railfanning interest.

ANOTHER MEMORABLE RAILFANNING EXPERIENCE
The unbridled enthusuaism and ace videographic skills of a 20-year old Arkya Chatterjee, the bundle of energy and spirit of adventure that a Souvik Sarkar personifies and the organizing skills and analytical traits of a Sabyasachi Ghosh are a heady concoction for an unrivalled RF experience on a Sunday afternoon. The quest was in exploration of hitherto virgin and unchartered territory for railfans, being the 50 odd km long Howrah-Amta EMU local route that offers a snapshot of a verdant and lush-green rural Bengal countryside. The 80 minutes’ train ride through quaint places which were just names till then like Domjur, Bargachia and Munshirhat, terminating at Amta was an experience to be savoured as the EMU local wended its way at varying speeds through the heart of the Howrah District till it reached its destination at...
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1815.
But to begin at the beginning, 3 out of the quartet of admins, viz. Arkya, Souvik and yours truly, assembled at Howrah at 16.15 and boarded the HWH-Amta EMU local at 16.40 hrs. The odd man out was Sabyasachi who joined the fray at Ramrajtala station, 6 kms from Howrah. Another odd man out was BG, the “IRI newsanchor” , for whom the call of duty was paramount and prevented him from being a part of the RF expedition.
Despite the fact that it was a Sunday, the train was quite crowded, particularly on the return journey from Amta. The journey was a shutterbug’s delight and our cameras worked overtime right through the journey, capturing the visuals on the route as well as the numerous station boards. As the city sights symbolised by the concrete jungle gradually disappeared, the magic and charm of the greenery, that is the face of rural Bengal, soon unfolded themselves. It was a spectacle soothing not only to the eyes but the heart as well. The onward journey was more akin to a PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION and co-passengers were curious to ascertain the purpose of it all. It seemed queer to them that a group of city-bred folks were freaking out at sights which the local people were familiar with day in and day out.
After a brief 20 minute halt at Amta, the EMU local, set out on its return journey at 18.35 pm and it was time for us to exchange RAIL GYAN. I was amazed by the knowledge and information shared by Arkya, Souvik and Sabyasachi. 3 hours in their company can be an extremely enriching experience as far as IR is concerned. We got off at Santragachi at 19.45 pm and I left for home. But the other 3 continued further, apparently not wishing to subscribe to the cliché that ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END. It was an evening that was a veritable RAIL CONNOISSEUR’s DELIGHT and it was my PROUD PRIVILEGE to have been a PARTICIPANT. My only regret was that BG not only MIISSED but was ALSO MISSED.
It was resolved to accept Arkya’s suggestion that the next session of rail fanning would be a whole-day affair in the month of June after his exams are over. The exploration this time around will be at a suitable station on the Howrah-Burdwan Chord Line section.

Wonderful narration.. Superb stuff..
Just a few addition:
After P.K.Sir left us at SRC after a cup of tea, a Down Panskura- Howrah EMU arrived within 5 minutes or so.. But we decided to spend some more time on tha company of the railways. .So we ditched the EMU, and started to explore the station premises.. We walked up to the very end of SRC's pl-5, which is seldom visited by the normal people. We then realized (especially thanx to Sab Da for notifying us) that the platform was extended, and had the capability to hold almost 27 coaches. Btw, in the meanwhile, announcements of Shalimar- Udaipur City's arrival at pl-1, Santragachi- Mangalore Vivek Express's shunting to pl-2 and a through train through pl- 3 (which turned out to be Howrah- Mumbai...
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Mail via Nagpur) was announced.. Later, the empty rake of Howrah- Pune AZAD HIND Express was being shunted from SRC towards HWH with a KGP WDM-3A at the helm, and a BSL WAP-4 as the banker (which would carry the train from HWH onwards). It was funny to see how the AC coach attendants were busy doing exercises within the coaches.. Btw, coaches were mix of old and new.. Whereas a AC 2-Tier was of '86 made (most probably the oldest till date), a GS was of '12 made.. Since it was getting late, I hoped we could have taken a ride on the Shunting rake till HWH.. But within 15 minutes, announcement of Haldia- Howrah Galloping EMU was announced, and it arrived at the station quite soon.. A notable thing at SRC was that shrill soundbox were installed at the platform, which started to blow whenever a train was arriving at the station. It was done after 5 people got crushed together under the wheels of a train. Since the EMU would have a non-stop run till HWH, so Sab Da did not board the train. I and Wrik Da boarded the same, and it made a fabulous run till HWH.. Surprisingly, no unscheduled halt was given at HWH outer (which is almost mandatory for all trains), and we overtook the shunting AZAD HIND Express, which got a red-turned-caution order to pl-19 quite late. We also saw the Howrah- Danapur Express depart from HWH, and an idle 22406 HWH WAP-4 (which is an ex.WAP-6 of ASN) standing idle at the station.. The empty rake of GANADEVTA Express was standing at the adjacent platform ,while the announcement of shunting Up MALDA TOWN Passenger and Down Ranchi Shatabdi Express was being announced.. Finally we came out of the platform via the subway and took 44 no. bus to head home (I and Wrik Da stay quite close to each other)..
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Thus a memorable fanning trip comes to an end.
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++ P.S.: I took video of 45 minutes of the stretch, but compiled in a 8 minute single video, which I would be uploading tomorrow..

To Add to this some unravelling experience during the day was when i went to the Ticket counter to buy a Return ticket to Amta from Ramrajatala, the Clerk was fighting with the other passengers standing at front of the Queue to get some Changes of the tickets booked by them.As my turn came to buy the ticket, i was told the Return ticket cannot be given because it was not allowed.I was surprised as one would get Return ticket without any hassles for any EMU Section under the same Zonal jurisdiction.Anyways i thought not to Debate with him because my train timings was approaching fast and hence got hold of the Singlke Journey ticket and came to P-1 where the EMu was scheduled to arrive. As Souvik received me from the doors to let know where they were actually stationed, i saw Arkya busy with his CAM and also...
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found Stack of Food packets over the Bunk.
We started to discuss some topics about iR and others while our train left SRC P-2 to proceed to AMTA with mixed speeds.
i ventured to the Doors to capture some pics from the other side where Arkya was Stationed and wanted to get hold of a Clear idea how this ACC Connector is really connected with SRC/Andul UP and Down and towards Dankuni.
Really Amazing Concept of this Connector and the natural views across the journey Line was fantastic with lots of natural greenery of the Rural India with railway lines thru Paddy Fields.

Enjoying rural Bengal on the virgin territories of SER.. A break from the routine life
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Well, taking a short break from the 130 km/hr high speed blast sections in the HB Chord, and the WAP-4 Kingdom of SER, and moving on the virgin territories, which are never visited by the railfans.. You can find no thundering crossing, no ecstatic parallel actions, no Rajdhani, no Duronto, and no dust storms... But you can find the real taste of our motherland, meet some wonderful people, who innocently looks towards you and your cameras and ignorantly asks you regarding the same.. The single line 50 km/hr PSR section cutting and curving its way through the green fields, which supply the cities with unlimited source...
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of fooding.. Memories of the old buildings, which once were owned by the Britishers to operate their narrow gauge trains.. Boys playing football on the huge fields with complete freedom.. No pressure.. No tension.. But struggling as much as we are, but on different aspects.. People, aged from 5 to 50, together watching the train pass by their huts and hutches with delight.. Just imagine what would be their expression if they see a WAG-9 heading a 59 wagons BOXN rake!! We simply yawn!! Simple calm group of girls taking a joyride on the EMU and laughing without any bound. And we think twice before widening our mouth. They dont mind talking to strangers. Do we do the same?? NO!! Thanx to our EGO!! The LP and guard chatting and sharing jokes with the daily commuters.. Is railways more important to us, or to them?? And finally, the taste of virginity.. The joy of conquering the unconquered...
Could you ever find the same on the so-called over-developed metropolitans and cosmopolitans?? RPF threatening you, co-passengers in the high-profile trains giving you arrogant looks, clerks in ticket counter fighting with you over changes, and the concrete jungles enslaving you... Love?? Peace?? Freedom?? Happiness??? Comfort?? You want these stuffs?? Then please step on these EMUs, break the chains of urbanization, and get dissolved in these rural landscapes.. At 00:51, I get a tight slap!! A punishment from Mother Earth for ignoring her... I feel ashamed..
Sucked with the daily morons of our life, we, a group of 4 Admins of IRI, namely me Arkya, Shantanu Da, Sir P.K. Venkatramani and Sabyasachi Da caught the 68609 Howrah (HWH)- Amta (AMZ) EMU and took a ride on the 49 kms journey and back. The journey included the A.C.C. Link Lines (which connects SER with ER) and then the final route which is served by 8 EMUs daily. Thanx to Martin's Light Railways, and Indian Railways.
Martin's Light Railways was a private company operating railways in India. The light railways had their origin in an agreement, dated 12 June 1889 between the District Board of Howrah and Messrs. Walsh, Lovett & Co., which was subsequently renewed with Messrs. Martin & Co., and sanctioned by Government notification in the Calcutta Gazette of March 27, 1895. The Howrah- Amta line was opened up to Domjur in 1897, and to Amta in 1898. An extension from Bargachhia (Bargechhe) Junction to Antpur was opened in 1904, and a further extension to Champadanga in 1908. This extension, however, lies almost exclusively in Hooghly district. Both the Howrah- Amta and Howrah-Shiakhala lines start from Telkalghat on the Hooghly river, and skirting the Court Maidan (Howrah Maidan) pass through the crowded Panchanantala road to Kadamtala station. Here they separate, the Howrah-Sliiakhala line running north-west along the Benares road to the border of the district, and then to Shiakhala in Hooghly district. The Howrah-Amta line runs west, chiefly along the side of the Jagatballabhpur road, and then goes south-west to Amta. But prior to Independence, the company folded up, and the line was soon decommissioned.
The new Howrah-Amta broad gauge line project, including the Bargachia-Champadanga branch line, was sanctioned in 1974-75. The first 24-km stretch of the section from Howrah to Bargachia was completed in 1984 by South Eastern Railway along with electrification, and commissioned soon after. The 6 km long Bargachhia-Munsirhat stretch was inaugurated in 2000. The Mahendralal Nagar-Amta section was opened in 2005. However, the Bargachhia-Champadanga branch line is yet to be completed. Also, another extension from Amta to Bauria Junction is under construction. Once completed, it would serve as a secondary alternate option to the densely populated SER Main Lines (Howrah to Kharagpur).
++ Initially video was of 45 minutes duration, but I edited and cropped to make it of 8 minutes.. Suggestions and feed-backs are thus heartily welcomed.