densely populated areas like this just appeared in the hills. no little villages, just huge clusters of concrete apartments. there are a lot of people in india.
i have no idea
on sections where there is only one set of tracks, the engineer must have this "key" to proceed. he picks it up from this man as he passes, and leaves it with another when the track splits again. the train coming in the other direction then does the reverse.
first view of simla