The actual journey by the 12712 Pinakini Express had all the tension, excitement and thrills of a NERVE-RACKING ODI between say India and Pakistan. But why ? Because this train was scheduled to reach BZA at 21.10 hrs and enable me, hopefully, to board the 12704 Falaknuma Express from there for Howrah at 21.40. If someone had suggested a MAS-HWH chain with this combo of trains, I am sure it would have attracted more RED FLAGS THAN GREEN, due to INSUFFICIENT BUFFER TIME. Little wonder that I was on tenterhooks right through the journey. Having booked my tickets about a fortnight ago, I was religiously tracking the progress of both these trains for the last 15 days and barring one solitary exception, the scoreline read 14-1. Meaning that on 14 days out of 15, Pinakini reached BZA well on time to provide a safe connection to Falknuma. That too me was...
more... an encouraging sign and emboldened my spirits. Add to that the MORAL SMS SUPPORT extended to me right through my journey by admins VENKAT, TEJAS and PRAMODH who kept providing me with a BALL-BY-BALL or KM-BY-KM COMMENTARY. I was monitoring the PROGRESS OF THE TRAIN AND THEREBY MY FORTUNE by ESTIMATING THE ASKING RATE every now and then. See, the train had a run time of 425 mns for a distance of 431 kms and I RECKONED that as long as the asking rate was BELOW 6 RUNS AN OVER, I was safe and my plans were not in jeopardy. In RAILWAY PARLANCE this translated to a situation where the number of MINUTES LEFT TO 2110 was less than the NUMBER OF KILOMETERS TO BE COVERED. But that was not to be as the log sheet of the train as detailed below would indicate.
But let me begin at the beginning. As the train wended its way out of Central, the window seat afforded me a glimpse of the countryside with all its trappings. A threesome combination of sight-seeing, book-reading and short naps enabled me to pass time. At Sullurpeta, 82 kms after Central, KING CORO passed us at 3.25 pm, running at least 30 mns before time. But that was poor consolation to me as my km/min equation then read 351 kms / 345 mns. Nearly a run a ball or EVEN STEVENS so to say. A little while later a late-running Navjeevan Express thundered on the tracks and was followed by a few other trains which I could not identify.
Gudur departure at 16.40 (13 mns late) was detrimental to the asking rate which had climbed to 294 kms / 270 mns giving rise to early signs of nervousness in the dugout.
At 1700 hours the TTE checked my e-ticket sans the ID-proof and I tentatively asked him “Sir, will I be able to reach on time to board FALKNUMA”. His reply was like short but sweet MUSIC to my ears, although all that he said was “GUARANTEED”
Nellore was left behind at 1723 hours (30 mns late) and a few maiden overs, sorry caution signals, had further escalated the REQUIRED RUN RATE to 265 kms / 217 mns. It was tough going at best.
ALLURU at 5.45 pm and an unscheduled stop. Yet another MAIDEN OVER. We crossed the Adilabad Tirupati-bound KRISHNA EXPRESS powered by a WAP7 steed and soon it was the turn of the KERALA EXPRESS to show the THUMBS UP sign as it honked past us at Bitrgunta.
Left Ongole at 1900 hours (37 mns late) and the asking rate had steadied to 139 kms in 130 mns. A swarm of passengers boarded the train at Nellore, Ongole, Chirala and Bapatla and blocked the entire aisle making it well-nigh impossible to navigate to the toilet. Pangs of hunger were satiated by the copious spread that Pramodh had gifted to me at Central.
But the train went berserk after leaving Ongole. Scorching the tracks at nearabout 110 kmph, it went on a free run like CHRIS GAYLE with his lofted shots and that gave me MUCH HOPE AND CHEER. Despite quite a few stoppages at Chirala, Bapatla, Nidubrolu and Tenali the train reached the outskirts of Vijayawada passing Krishna Canal Junction at 2100 hours. Meanwhile, the tempo and flurry of SMSes from Venkat, Tejas and Pramodh had also increased and their common refrain was “ No issues sir, you will make it comfortably”.
However, some last minute jitters were still in store for me. At 2110, the train ambled to a halt mid-way on the bridge over the river Krishna and obstinately refused to move ahead. I sent a panicky SOS sorry SMS to Venkat. And even a normally BUOYANT, BULLISH, OPTIMISTIC and UNFLAPPABLE VENKAT could only sms his reply which amounted to nothing much. For all he managed to say was “Umm….”.
But ULTIMATELY it was a case of ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL and finally the PINAKINI gently made its way to PF 1 before grinding to a halt at 2120. INDIA had WON THE MATCH with a last-ball PHOTO FINISH. As the Falaknuma was 30 mns late, it gave me enough time to go out of the station and take in the city sights before the scene of action shifted for the next encounter with the FALKNUMA at PF 6. After reaching PF 6, I bought my second bottle of Rail Neer and asked my son-in-law to cancel my stand-by ticket in 18048 Amaravati Express by way of a TDR.
Pradyu, had warned me that this CHAIN was not recommended for the WEAK-MINDED INDIVIDUALS and SENIOR CITIZENS, but then, I guess there are EXCEPTIONS to the rule book. My THANKS to Venkat, Tejas and Pramodh for forming part of the CHEER GROUP and MORAL SUPPORT BRIGADE.
