By Rail Enthusiasts' Society
Apurva Bahadur, Rail Enthusiasts' Society
For rail-fans, Adarki is a haven of premium quality single-track diesel hauled main-line action, set amongst memorable curves, guarded by tall mountains and passing through breathtakingly deep rock cuttings. The location's main claim to fame is the spectacular horseshoe curve that is visible from behind the station platform.
A map of Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Adarki is a tiny station, about 109 kms. from Pune on the line to Miraj.
The ancient station board from the meter gauge era by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
As the Pune-Miraj-Hubli-Bangalore route was meter gauge prior to the 1970s, Adarki too has its share of meter gauge artefacts. These include the old alignment with sharper angles of curvature on embankments or through cuttings. There are stone arch viaducts and an engraved stone station nameplate that is located some distance away from the present day platform.
Akurdi - A Paradise of Convolutions by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Adarki does not have much passenger volumes. Only two passenger trains stop here in each direction during a 24-hour period. About seven daily trains and about 10 freight trains roll through in each direction in the same 24 hours. Through the week, around 15 non-daily passenger trains also pass through.
The route near Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
The location boasts of two tunnels, No. 4 and No. 5, that permit movement of trains through the mountains. The picture shows the side portal of tunnel No. 4.
Train approaching the cuttings of Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
More than two decades ago, the remotely located Adarki station did not have any source of water, potable or otherwise. To meet the needs of the station staff, the railways attached a converted eight-wheeler milk tanker to carry potable water. The 315 Down Pune-Kolhapur passenger hauled this tanker on alternate days. During the passenger's halt at Adarki, the station staff would top-up the ground storage tanks, as the train waited.
A view of the Salpa canal and a train by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A major construction project that was underway was the Salpa irrigation canal. It bisected the horseshoe curve and passed below the railway line into the surrounding mountain, through its own water-carrying tunnel.
Adarki station, nearside tracks, Salpa canal and the tracks at the opposite side of the horseshoe curve by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
The canal helped bring much needed ground water in this area.
A view of the water carrying tunnel for the Salpa canal by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A view of the water carrying tunnel for the Salpa canal. The Adarki down distant signal is visible in the view.
A south-bound BCNHL-type good train near Salpa by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A Southbound BCNHL (a type of a wagon) rake crawls in from the Salpa end, on one of the arms of the horseshoe curve. The train will emerge on the second arm, on the right, in the opposite direction.
The south-bound BCNHL-type goods train approaching Adarki station by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
The same Southbound BCNHL now is visible on the other arm of the horseshoe, facing the opposite direction, approaching Adarki station.
Train coming from the side portal of a tunnel by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Train coming from the side portal of a tunnel.
Evening ambiance at Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A deep sense of tranquility rules this place. The lack of sound will surprise your ears, apart from the bells tinkling around the necks of the grazing cattle.
A view from the platform by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A view from the platform showing a train on the opposite side of the horseshoe curve, at the base of highest peak of this area.
Leaving the nearside portal of Tunnel 5 by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
The embankment towards Adarki has memorable curves.
The landscape at Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A southbound train emerging from the tunnel 5. by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A South-bound train emerges from tunnel No. 5. To the railways, Adarki is more useful to cross trains on a single-line section rather than serve passengers.
A BOXN rake rides on the embankment south of Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A BOXN rake rides on the embankment south of Adarki.
A northbound train emerges from the far end portal. by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Tunnel No. 4 is at the curvature of the major horseshoe. A Northbound train emerges from the far end portal.
A BTPN rake approaches Tunnel 5 by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Track realignment, doubling, and the eventual electrification are all in the pipeline.
A goods train with BCNHL-type bogies threads through the 'Kati Pahadi' by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
Another notable feature is a small hill that is split right down the middle to pass the tracks, this is the so-called 'Kati Pahadi' of Adarki.
Looking at deep cuttings that line the tracks towards Wathar by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A train passes through the deep cuttings that line the tracks towards Wathar.
At the end of Adarki embankment by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A train at the end of Adarki embarkment.
A passenger train departs from Adarki by Apurva BahadurRail Enthusiasts' Society
A passenger train departs Adarki.
Author: Apurva Bahadur
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