IR WAP-4 22855Pettah Kerala Pettah

SANTRAGACHI WAP-4 homed in Eastern India, glowing in the morning light of New Year day, powering MALABAR Express bound for Thiruvananthapuram Central, in South India

@jmadhavadas
Very nice! Is it common for power to roam the entire country in India? Or, what would be the reason for units to stray far from their normal territory?

@Maersk.146 Some shed locos travel across the country with long haul trains if there is no reversal on the route. Sometimes locos will stray from their normal territory when they get allocated for trains in other territory as the usual power may be sick or there is shortage of locos. This will also delay the return of the stray loco to its respective shed.

@jmadhavadas
Interesting, thanks!

@Maersk.146 Sorry for some typing error in the reply as I was in a bit hurry. Tamilnadu Express covering 2188 kms between Chennai Central in South to New Delhi in North runs with a single power. Similarly Himsagar Express which runs 3797 kms between Kanyakumari (South) and SDV Katra (North) runs with a single loco. In such runs, if the loco fails on way, stray locos will come to the scene and these locos will run far from their home for sometime.