TRIP REPORT
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TO THE CAPITAL IN KARNATAKA CUM MAHARASHTRA SAMPARK KRANTI
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Dear Friends
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more...

Jai Mata Di!!
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I am presenting a trip report of my trip from Pune to New Delhi. This is the first of the four report series of my journey from Pune to Katra and back via New Delhi. So sit back and enjoy the narrative, hope you will like it!! :)
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It all began in the hot summers of April 2015 when our admin AJ** announced the plan to visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi with IRI members and admins during Navratri 2015. AJ and FM Ashu*^ Ji were the principal organizers of this trip. The dates were 16.10.2015 to 19.10.2015, ex-New Delhi. The 120 days ARP was in the third week of June, so had ample time to plan and think about the journey. Though a long way to go, I gave this trip a serious thought, having missed the previous ones due to hectic work schedules. Nevertheless, things do turn in your favour when you get “Mata ka Bulaawa”.
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The dates were already finalized; the next task for me was to assess various options from PUNE-NDLS. The first one was Goa SF, which would drop me in Delhi in the wee hours of the day. Hence I decided to go in for 22685 YPR-CDG Karnataka Sampark Kranti, as the timings and buffer was perfect for me for the next connection of Uttar SK from NDLS-SVDK. Accordingly, booked and got confirmed ticket in coach B1, 60. ( /blog/post/1617172 ) . I was all agog with excitement for the trip, and arduously waited for the 120 days to elapse. My office too sanctioned leave despite having work pressures, and as I already informed earlier, if Mata calls you, all the hurdles vanish.
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The day of journey, 15.10.2015 dawned. I set for station from my residence and arrived at around 08.15 am. Did a bit of visual RF on the station premises, INDB-PUNE arrived on PF-1 with BRC P4, 17221 COA-LTT came with KYN Shakti, PUNE-SUR Passenger and PUNE-TGN EMU were waiting for departure. Amongst arrivals was STR-PUNE Passenger and MUV-PUNE Gyan Ganga which was running 1 hour late. Indrayani and DD-PUNE Fast Shuttle were expected on time, and so were HYB-CSTM Express and MAS-CSTM Express. Very soon, the display monitor showed PF-3 for KSK, as usual. The announcement too followed. I went on to PF-3 and parked myself on the stone bench near the coach position indicator. As the clock struck 08.40, a beautiful macho hunk from KJM, a newbie 40236 WDP-4D made a graceful entry. The coach was a relatively new one, SW 13109. A significant people got down who were travelling for YPR-PUNE leg. The second most significant boarders were for the PUNE-NDLS/ CDG legs. Soon the train was filling up fast, and the other co-passengers of my bay arrived, which consisted of a person going to Delhi for official work, a person from CDG going back home after work in Pune and two couples with three kids in total who were settled in Pune and were going to CDG for vacation. My heart missed a beat when I saw those three kids completely take over the bay with their masti, screaming, crying and shouting. Not even 15 minutes had elapsed when all this had started to occur. God, save me and grant me courage and patience to bear them for 28 hours, I prayed. The loco underwent reversal and the train got starter at 09.15, with the controllers ensuring to keep the tradition of the long halt of over 30 minutes at Pune.
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The train set out and accelerated as we passed the pitlines at Pune, the coach maintenance complex and pitlines at Ghorpuri. Within no time, the macho man unleashed its power and skipped the RF dens of Hadapsar and Manjari Budruk at flat MPS!! We crossed Gyan Ganga somewhere in the middle led by 40147 PUNE WDP-4D and 11042 MAS-CSTM Express with an Alco. The superstar of this route 12158 Hutatma Exp too crossed us and spotted 17614 NED-PUNE at Khutbav. NGP-PUNE too crossed as at Yevat. The electrification work is almost complete on this route. At 10.25, we arrived on PF-2 at Daund, for another long halt of loco reversal. This long halt was made longer by the 30 min late running Karnataka “KK” Express. I decided to do a bit of RF, 12169 PUNE-SUR SF (Indrayani) arrived with ED Alco on PF-5 and departed in a jiffy. On PF-2 there were Biryani vendors, doing their rounds of business. Regarding electrification, only poles are laid out at DD while rest of the OHE supporting equipment and wires are missing. I guess it will be completed with PUNE-DD electrification. KK arrived after a while and departed and we were given starter only at 11.10, after a longish halt of 40 minutes.
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The train crawled for a bit till the line to MMR branched out to the right and gradually picked up speed, passing over Bhima river; but did not cross in excess of 100 kmph. The train negotiating multiple curves amidst rock cuttings was a visual treat, the most notable being the lovely S curve at Ranjangaon. We crossed Ahmednagar at 12.35 and were detained at Vilad at 12.55 for crossing with 12780 Goa SF, led by another hunk PUNE WDP-4D. We departed and were again made to wait to allow slightly late runnning 11078 Jhelum Express to cross us at Akolner, too led by a PUNE WDP-4D. In the meanwhile, lunch was served to all the passengers. I had opted for a veg meal which consisted of Rotis, a paneer subzi, dal, rice and pickle. The quality was average, somehow I ate it with a vow not to have this again. The run post Akolner was quite good with minimal slowdowns, having skipped Kopargaon at 14.25 and Ankai at 14.55. We were made to wait at outer of Ankai for quite some time and some vendors selling raisins boarded. Nashik district produces grapes, hence raisins are available in plenty. I did a bit of RF here, capturing the likes of Ankai and Tankai forts and the “Thumbs Up Hill” (Gorakshnath Gadh). The bypass line to MMR could also be seen (The most debated loco reversal of HWH-PUNE Duronto!! :P). We departed at 15.05 and arrived at PF-1 of MMR at 15.15. KK Express which was standing on PF-2 welcomed us and she bid us goodbye in just 2 minutes after our arrival. The sleepy coach now sprang into action with many people getting down to stretch their legs. The weather was quite hot and I had a bottle of chilled flavoured milk here to cool myself down which was really refreshing. On the station, there were vendors selling fresh grapes and raisins. The chariot of the train was changed as well, the EMD hunk being detached and a red beauty 22680 BSL WAP-4 was attached. After a while, 11055 Godaan Express skipped beside PF-2 with KYN WCAM-3 in the lead and overtook us. 12715 Sachkhand Express arrived on PF-5 with twin Alco. The clock struck 15.45 and we were given starter. An LDH WAP-4 could be seen on the sideline, most probably which must have come with 11078 Jhelum and would be going back with 11077 Jhelum later in the day.
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The departure post MMR is usually exciting as MMR-BSL is an express highway of trains where most of them hit MPS due to flat terrain. At Panevadi, spotted a KYN WD-4D with BTPN and accelerated hard to hit MPS within no time. The geography changed now, when we entered Jalgaon district where the grapes and onions of Nashik changed to bananas. It was a soothing sight to the eyes to see the farms and orchards full of green healthy banana trees, feels nice when hard-working farmers get a good produce and their money's worth. Had a brilliant run upto CSN where the train slowed down and skipped CSN at around 60 kmph, perhaps due to a caution order. Usually, trains skip CSN at 110 kmph and it is a visual treat to see the station being ripped apart beside PF-2. Post CSN, the train hit MPS and history repeated again at PC, another MPS station which was skipped at 60 kmph, which was a huge disappointment. The run further up was uneventful and we were made to wait at Shirsoli for 10-15 minutes. Skipped Jalgaon at 18.00 and arrived on PF-6 at BSL at 18.20. Godaan welcomed us and took our leave. Again, many people got down for a breather and since I had taken a vow not to have the tasteless dinner from pantry, I set out to buy something. There were vendors selling Pav Bhaji and Masala Dosa. I had a couple of Masala Dosas and tea here, which packed my tummy and was good to go till next morning. A group of Muslim passengers who hailed from Bijapur and boarded the train at Miraj were on the way to NDLS. They laid down their “chaddar” on the platform and offered the evening “Namaaz”. Soon, a 16780R PTRU Alco brought LTT-JYG Jan Sadharan on PF-5. The rake was a mixture of ECR, WR and SECR coaches. We got the starter at 18.35 and hit MPS in about 10 minutes. It was a pleasure to see BAU being skipped at MPS as usual, something finally to see an important station being skipped that way. The P4 monster unleashed its power and destroyed whatever came in it way, slowing down only at KNW. Skipped KNW at 20.00 beside PF-2 at moderate speed and accelerated again. The vendors made their rounds offering soup, snacks and dinner. I had a tomato soup and soon made myself comfortable on the lower berth lying on the freshly laundered bedsheets. Skipped ET between PF-1 and 2 at around 23.10 and arrived on PF-2 at BPL at 00.35. The announcement for Patalkot Express was being done, expected to arrive soon on PF-1. Got the starter at 00.45 and I then dozed off to sleep.
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I woke up at around 5 am and found the train stationary at Bijouli, one station prior to Jhansi. What followed later was a spectacle. We suffered humiliation from around 8-10 trains, in the category of premier SF, Rajdhani and Duronto. After this massive carnage, we moved on and made a crawling entry into PF-4 at Jhansi. 11058 ASR-CSTM was on PF-2 and Mahakoshal was standing on PF-3, which departed in 5 minutes. The announcement for Sabarmati Express was being done. We followed suit and we departed too and finally something to cheer about – we overtook Mahakoshal at Dabra. Breakfast was being served, which consisted of Cutlet, Omelette, Upma-Vada and Paranthas. I opted for cutlet and taste was OK, much better than the lunch/dinner. The Paranthas were worse, as reported by my co-passengers. The run thereafter was fairly good, skipping the likes of Datia, Morena, etc. larger towns at MPS. The sight of Datia Fort basking in the early morning sun was glorious. Another treat to the eyes was jumping over Chambal river just prior to Dholpur. The MPS run continued thereafter and we slowed down only at Gwalior which we skipped at a moderate speed, at sharp 08.00 am. The controllers gave us good priority all the way to Agra, which we skipped beside PF-5. Here, there was some confusion amongst vendors in the sense that the train was skipping really slowly and many of them thought it would make a halt, so they boarded the moving train very swiftly but when they realized there were no chances, there was a scramble to get off the train. APSK was on PF-1 with a milky white LGD WAP-7 while AC AP Express was just making an entry into PF-1 with WAP-4 in the lead. We met KSV-AGC MEMU just prior to the curvy Raja Ki Mandi and the sight of the train moving over this curve is mind-blowing!! Already few minutes behind schedule, the controllers assigned us good priority and we hit MPS straightaway and blazingly skipped Runkuta, overtaking a JHS Alco with a BOXNHL rake. The MPS carnage continued all the way till Mathura, where we arrived on PF-2 at 11.05 and took an unscheduled halt till 11.10. We had a brief parallel entry with SWM-MTJ Passenger, with a red hot 22916 ET WAP-4 in the lead. An OHE maintenance vehicle, RU 05883 named “Brij Sundari” was at outer. There was a BOBYN Hopper on the sidelines without any loco while 18682 JHS WDM-3A was resting alone. Also giving them company was 27453 TKD WAG-7 with BTPN rake and 12273 SBI WDG-4 with a coal rake. A little further up, 11353 IZN WDM-3D was roaring alone.
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Game on for the final leg, P4 buckled his shoes and began running to reach the finish line within time. The speedo read 107 which meant P4 made all the efforts to be on time. In the high speed corridor, the priority accorded was superb as we kept flying past stations and overtaking local MEMU/passenger trains. I even noticed the Plasser machines working at many stations, the reason being construction of 4th line in this stretch between TKD-PWL. Overtook a BCNA with WAG-9 at Faridabad and a CONCOR with WAG-7 at Tughlakabad. The heat outside was excruciating. On the horizon, there started to appear taller structures and the inhabitation grew intense, which meant we were approaching the national capital. Surprisingly, no wait at Okhla and we were put on PF-3 at NZM without any hiccups. Post NZM, it appeared as if WAP-4 ran out of steam and the train kept on crawling and arrived on PF-2 at NDLS at 14.10, thus culminating a blend of a lackluster cum exhilarating journey.
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Ratings:
Cleanliness: 8/10, regular cleaning and water filling is done
Food: 7/10, needs to improve
Safety: 8/10, regular rounds by RPF, diligence by attendants
Railfanning: 8.5/10, ample opportunities for railfanning
Punctuality: 7.5/10, too much slack helps its punctuality, speed up is required
Overall: 7.5/10
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Thanks for patient reading. Happy Dussehra!! :)