Sunday, February 06, 2011

One Night at a Control Center

By Sridhar Joshi & Krishna Kumar Kannan
(Majority work by Ranganath Eunny.. unfortunately missing at BSL)


Work at the TPJ Control Center for the VM-TPJ section

Start of with a small puzzle.. Crossing frogs!

14 Crossings in just about half an hour.. on a bloody single line.

VM-TPJ 23 block stations, 177km.

Maximum movement between 6PM and 4AM.

126 crossings, 1 section Controller.

Quite Rajnikanthesque, ain't it?

VM-TPJ is a cash cow of the zone.

GC was completed in 1998 and Electrification was completed in 2009. Quite a brainless move considering that Doubling should have been a priority.



A superb animation depicts what happens in 4 hours between midnight and 4AM.



Taking the oft repeated Archana Puran Singh exclamation: Mind-blowing!



3 comments:

  1. Dear Sridhar Joshi !!!

    Kudos to you and Ranga for that wonderful compilation..

    Well, poor 6107 passengers !! They had to bear th brunt of mind blogging crossings!!! Next tiem, I shall suggest my mom - in - law this train for her travel from MS to CBE !!!

    THE BIGGEST BLUNDER IS THAT ELECTRIFICATION HAS PRECEDED DOUBLING OF THIS SECTION !!! THough VM - DG doubling is being much talked about, it would take a minimum of 5 years !! Correct me if I am wrong !!Atleast VM - TPJ should be doubled in next 2 years or so. Let us not forget two massive bridges across Coleroon and Cauvery !!

    bye & cheers,
    ravi

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  2. @Subhajit

    VM-TPJ doubling is not even allotted funds. CGL-VM doubling with mere 90KM is still lingering for 2 years even with no need for land acquisition. Unless they expedite in war footing, I don't see the TPJ-VM doubled for another 3-4 years.

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  3. Entirely agree that doubling should have been given precedence over electrification. IR seems to be going in overdrive w.r.t. electrification, a case of misplaced zeal maybe?

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