14th June 2015
Onboard a passenger bound to Churu, we are entering a quite little station called Ramgarh Shekhawati. A look at the time indicates that we are 5 minutes before time and a 20 minutes stop here. A train is also suppose to cross us here.
12:16 - As soon as we stop, passenger rush towards the natural cooled pot water to have a drink, this was a common scene through out the route and i felt it was nice initiative by the railways over here.
People filling water at Ramgarh Shekhawati
12:20 - I then decide to roam around to get some shots of the train in this desert kind of atmosphere. After i finish clicking, i see a yellow colored clouds with rain approaching. I started back to train to be safe, all of a sudden it stuck my mind that it was not a rain storm but a sand storm. Initially it was bit scary as i had no idea what will happens when it comes near us. It first hit the loco and it was coming towards us. I saw other people around me and they were just like this is nothing and they were least bothered which gave me some confidence to face it. It hit us and it was just like a strong wind on my face. Time passed by seeing the storm, it was almost 13 hrs when the honk of the crossing train was heard
02093 Jaipur - Churu Passenger waiting for crossing
My Coach was an unreserved sleeper coach based at Bikaner tough it will never go back there again
The sandstorm approaching us
This man made a good business The sandstorm
The storm intensifies but the localities are least bothered by it...
13:00 - The train appears through the storm led by a cute YDM4, people get ready to board the train.
The train stops and in few minutes new faces enter the surrounding. The concept of first in last out in semaphore / token section means the passenger that entered 5 minutes back will leave first and we will continue to wait for some more time.
52086 Churu - Jaipur passenger finally arrives slowly through the storm
The Train disappears into the storm
13:10 - Finally token is given to us and we start to move, the storm has also moved away from us by this time.
Token is finally handed over for us to proceed further
It was a first time experience and i have tired my best to put it in words and pictures, hope its good. This happened during the circular trip i undertook recently to capture metre gauge sections in India
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