The Island Express Meekly Gives Way to a Frieght Train

The 16525 Kanyakumari-Bangalore Island Express was pulled onto the loop line at Kalamasserry and barely five minutes later came the double-headed freight consist of Tankers and Wagons thundering down the mainline headed by Erode’s WDG3A #13536. The Island does not have a halt at Kalamasserry but being the least-prioritized train in Kerala is routinely pulled aside to give way for other Expresses, often Passenger trains and once in a while even for freights! That day, the TVC-Kozhikode JanShatabdi also passed the Island 15 minutes after the freight passed and only then was it allowed to move on its pathetic journey after an unscheduled halt of more than half an hour.