Trip Report- Too long!!!! careful
Sorry no photographs this time :(
A sudden trip planned to Srikalahasti with nearest junction being Tirupati. Year end work and other related works at office ensure that I can max afford half-a day leave. That would mean 2 night travel meaning up and down by bus is definitely not a cup of tea. train has to take my weight off to sleep
Now...
more... Bangalore to tirupati- only available option for this is the 56213 Fast pass which can provide a complete rest in night considering unlike its counterparts towards Tirupati, it takes a minimum 180 mins more. Well with tough waitlists and some station switching, finally managed to book
04.04.2015- The date of journey brought more excitement. My 1st experience on a slow train on the fully electrified section. Normally SBC-KPD section has been done by me only in SF's the only exception being travel to Chennai by 16021/22 Kaveri in rarest of rare ocassions. Anway lunar eclipse granted more permission from office (Left at 2PM instead of 4 as colleagues opossed me leaving at 4 being the eclipse timing) Same also ensure a slight delay leaving home only around 7:30PM
Anyway came slowly to reach station at 8:05PM through the Okalipuram enterance. Got off the auto and my eyes gazed past, Pf-1 was occupied by the 11302 Udyan Express awaiting the loco and I exclaimed- Look Udyan on PF-1. Mom immediately replied- must have been shunted after Karnataka left - I gave a startled look- Mom you have got too influenced by me for which she laughed. and we were greeted by the Emperor. Clad in the red-silver livery dazzling in the evening light, he was awaiting elegant movement. Again mom remarked "Not bad almost 1.5 years the rake still shines- he got a new rake recently right" Now again I did not know what to remark
Well now we walked past PF-7 and mom's eyes fell on the 76519 DMU awaiting to leave to Marikuppam. The digital board met her gaze and now it was turn of "Wonderful"- looks like this will beat Bangalore metro- this is that bullet rake right- I now realized I have influenced people all around me so much that they have started seeing trains as part of life. Interrnet is one more thing at attributes to all these.
Well now we enter Pf-6 and proceed walking to S-1 coach display and Erode wDM-3D's enter PF-4 with the 12678 Ernakulam Express. Settled down in the seats between Pf-5 an dPf-6 and I went for a walk as a AJJ WAM4 awaited in sidings with a SL coach a clear indicator of what the link of 56214 was going to be
As 12678 settled, Erode WAP-4 let out its horn as it proceeded with the 16526 Island Express to CAPE. Now it was turn of dad. " Island is leaving 10 mins late meaning this MKM DMU will leave after 10 more mins proceeded by Udyan- If we get clearance before 9 we are lucky
Well both my parents have decided to keep me entertained till our train arrived. It was a jolly affair to discuss. Sharp 8:20PM the King started moving from PF-8 elegantly spotted between the doors of the DMU. DMU also started slowly and a boeing sound entered. UBL WDP-4 entered Pf-9 with the passenger from Hubli. at 8:20PM, KJM WDM-3A entered on Pf-6 with the 56214 and mom & dad kept their cool- Wait wait no hurry. So many people have to de-board, engine has to change lot of work left.
There was a lot of commotion in the UR coach of start. People has started jostling leaving no one to board or de-board, Tension prevailed slowly settled down. We made our way to S-1
S-1 seemed worse than the UR. Our rAC ticket had got confirmed in Seat 30, 40 and 50 corteousy some bulk booking. 30 bay was overcrowded. 40 SU was empty and my bag settled there., 50 bay was empty and we unpacked our dinner and finished it off. the SWR Queen in the meantime was shunted on Pf-8 as announcement went for 16236 from MYS to TN to arrive onto Pf-5 shortly.
Dad got down to have a stroll from overcrowded train and I asked whether the loco was attached. Dad remarked no Sanghamithra just came in. will take 5 mins. then he boarded again
Sharp 9Pm our WAM4 let its horn and began my journey. Cleared the turnouts and proceeded past to our next halt at BNC. As we entered BNC, we were elcomed by a melodious horn. Dad turned around with me and WAP7 met our gaze. 12607 Lalbagh from Chennai had made its presence felt arriving BNC at 9:05PM. Dad looked at me "awesome- beats the olden days Brindavan by miles- 11 stops in 360 kms he has made it in 5.5 hrs!!! Not a bad feat- I smiled as we pulled to a stop and I got down to check the chart of our train which was on non-platform side at SBC. Dad who was eager to see it, got down with me
Chart threw up a surprise. Of 72, 40 tickets were booked from Nanjangud Town, about 8 from Mysore and 4 from Pandavpura,. Only 8 tickets were booked from SBC quota. Eyes went to the bottom- RAC allottment 10 all the 10 from CMNR to TPTY- thats end to end
Went back into the coach- a Poh-end 02 coach. The other side chart was 16228 Talaguppa-Bangalore of previous night which was unremoved at primary maintainence showing up the RSA between the 2 trains.
Now we again pulled out. i analysed the coach. Passengers were in a bulk booking of 3 sets partially confirmed and partially RAC. And there were major children in the 5-8 group who did not possess tickets, and major passengers seemed like they have got into the train in the group and did not have rail travel experience before. Well this was now interesting as one person turned to be a guide guiding everyone around. Major passengers belonged to workign class and now for a moment, this train I felt was the best example of a mass transport. It seriously has bonded so many people together and has contributed to so many people reaching the abode of the Lord of Kalyuga. I took out my ticket and checked- 3 tickets at the rate of Rs. 420/- at an average of Rs, 120/- per head for 330 kms. Thats 0.33 paise per km. At BNCE we had crossed the surprising on time 11013 from LTT-CBE via SBC hauled by KJM WDP-4B
in the meantime we proceed past KJM. All my journeys saw a blast after this but today it was not the case. We sedate past. mom now continued- you know for 330 kms this train has 27 halts at average of 35kmph and sees so many overtakes. He takes 3.5 hrs to JTJ. Now seriously I asked "Mom where did you see all these??"" Pat came the answer "Indiarailinfo" to which dad replied- "Past 2 days both of us have analyzed this train so much- I was like oh God- this is heights- dad replied- "It was interesting" :)
Now we proceed to WFD at 21:40hrs where we hear a loud rumble with a shrill horn- grrrrrrrrrrr- Dad and myself now settled at SUB chatting- hearing the Grr dad exclaimed- "Shatabdi- close to time now" i nodded my head. By this time TTE comes and checks the tickets of all as RAC passengers queue up- sorry no vacancy
We proceed past Devangonti where a couple boarded with child- S1 26 & 28- Well already occupied- they get shocked- open their ticket and give to TTE- TTE looks into it- Sorry boss- your train has gone 2.5 hrs earlier- I peeped out from the SUB-12863-S11- 26 &28. He gets upset- I booked only for this train he argued- TTE showed him the departure timing- 1935 YPR- Asks him to get down at BWT.
Time ticks to 10 past 10 and i decide to sleep. Train moving well below 60 WAM4 not wanting to strain itself. Settled on the UB 30 leaving dad in SUb 40 and mom in MB50. slept well
Woke up at around 1:25AM. We had stopped at a station and showed no signs of moving. A loud horn came shattering the silence- begins our overtake ordeal- the 1st of the early morning Chennai arrivals the 22650 Yercaud Express shatters past as another train crosses towards Jolarpettai
We now move and I couldnt sleep. Knew this was the time- Back to back trains expected. We proceed to next station Valathoor where we immediately moved out as clanging of wheels similar to a 1000wala Diwali crakcer blasted towards Jolarpettai
10 mins later the next stop. Gudiyattam. again an Express blasts to JTJ but throws a surprise when within 5 mins of our arrival a loco shrills and speeds past with the Longest running daily from the Southernmost Capital of India to the Capital. We still dont get to proceed.
5 mins later is another train sedately slowing down onto the Island platform. The lights creates confusion but the loco sound directs the next overtake as the train leaves. The 22652 Palani-Chennai Express proceeds 12 mins of our stop.
Our stop still continues and comes next in the line the Sleep killer of SWR!!!! WAP7 shrills again and the track is being pounded as the 12658 to Chennai thunderstorms the section- Leaving SBC almost 115 mins after us, the once supercrawler had pounced mercilessly on its prey
minutes after the sleep killer blasted past, we got the starter at 2:05AM 3 overtakes in a span of 15 mins with about 2 crossings on opposite. We proceed to next station and again halt where the next old Supercrawler,/my mom's pet train (Her childhood days train-supercrawler)/Britisher;s summer special the Blue mountain or the Nilagiri blasts past. I now sleep off well before being woken up by another electric loco. no idea who it was might be the Mail from Mangalore.
I proceed to deep sleep now. Woke up to find coach still sleeping. Time was 4:50AM and we were slowing for a halt- Chandragiri Fort- We had almost reached the destination..We proceed past Tirupati West but getting held up for clearance for almost 15 mins, finally proceed again to reach Pf-1 of Tirupati crossing the Kacheguda Double decker shining in the early morning sun on PF-3 with a WDP-4B as announcement went for Seshadri Express to arrive at 5:30AM on Pf-3
Thanks for reading
