A DAY WITHOUT PHONE! #Travelogue
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As i asked the time to my cousin after the show of vettaiyan movie ended, he replied it was 2130 hours. After quickly refreshing there, we came outside from the theater and by that time, it was already 2133 hours. Suddenly i anticipated that 16160 Mangalore - Tambaram Express should be at Tiruchirapalli fort around this time. Urged and exclaimed my cousin to check the running position of the same in where is my train app and he just showed it to me. It displayed that...
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it arrived 3 minutes before time and its scheduled departure is at 2136 hours from Tiruchirapalli fort, which is kind of adjacent to the movie theater but by walk it should be around 500 mts minimum.
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Just having 3 minutes i was like, dei maapla TP to TJ ticket UTS app la ticket eduthutte odra (which literally translates to take tickets between Tiruchirapalli fort and Thanjavur and run simultaneously)! After somehow coming out of the theater and crossing that road where flyover starts (that road is blocked as of now due to some works), we both started running towards the station. I ran way ahead of him, since he had the extra responsiblity of taking the ticket as well since i did not bring my phone that day. Somehow that i reached the footsteps of the station ahead of him, got to witness the 16160 still standing on platform 1.
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He was just halfway by that time. After seeing the train i was like odra maapla (run cousin), and i reached the platform. Train manager and station staff started exchanging green signal, indicating that it may depart anytime now. Again i shouted odra maapla. This time both questioned me ennadhu (what), odra maapla ya do you have valid tickets with you? In response, i conveyed that my cousin took tickets in UTS app and meanwhile, he arrived and confirmed that he somehow got the tickets in UTS app. After they told that you are good to go, we both boarded the train and immediately after we boarded the general coach next to SLR, train departed slowly from platform - 1 of Tiruchirappalli fort. Noteworthy thing is that these all happened just within 180 seconds, i.e, 3 minutes of time and our train did depart on time.
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In the coach we boarded, seating was full but it wasn't much crowded. My cousin conveyed me that after 2 failed attempts, somehow he managed to take the tickets. he also asked, does this train directly goes to Thanjavur? In response, I told that it is only up to Tiruchirapalli Junction and we will be changing train for thanjavur there. He was like, instead we could have casually walked till main guard gate and took bus to Tiruchirapalli Jn. After crawling through town areas of Tiruchirapalli, meanwhile crossing palakkarai bridge as well, made a direct entry at platform - 2. Total journey took just 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rock fort rake was as usual at platform - 1 and 12652 MDU bound sampark kranti just departed from platform - 4 and the weekly from Ayodhya cantt to rameswaram was at platform - 7.
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After arriving, we immediately rushed to platform 1 entrance to see the next set of trains towards Thanjavur and the platforms they were supposed to arrive. As per line up the first train towards Thanjavur was 16780 RMM - TPTY EXP followed by 20692 NCJ - TBM Antyodaya SF followed by 16752 Boat mail EXP. But, 20692 was announced at platform 3 whereas 16780 was not announced at all. Asked in the enquiry counter regarding platform of 16780 for which they responded that it will come late, hence platform also will be announced late. Learning this, asked my cousin to check the running position of both to find that 16780 arrived at Punggudi whereas 20692 departed Samudram. Anticipating that 20692 should overtake 16780 at Punggudi, we had some 20 minutes to spare. So at the nearby food stall, got dinner parceled for both of us, i settled with semiya khichdi and he went for noodles. Receiving that, went to thanjavur end of platform - 1, had our dinner quickly. these all events could have taken just 10 minutes or less but by then, an arakkonam based WAP - 4 was already attached to the other end of 16160 to further proceed towards tambaram (it has to reverse at Tiruchirapalli to proceed towards Villupuram side from Karur side). This one instance is enough to show that how fast loco change is being done at Tiruchirapalli Jn. Within few moments, 16160 was given starter and it departed after immediately given starter. As 16160 departed, 16101 arrived at platform - 5 simultaneously.

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Meanwhile, checked the running status of both 20692 and 16780 to find that 20692 was just 5 kms to arrive Tiruchirapalli Jn and 16780 was still halted at Punggudi, indicated that 20692 has overtook 16780 at Punggudi. Dinner was done shortly and we strolled towards platform - 3 for boarding 20692. Saw royapuram based wap - 7 30367 moving from platform 2, which hauled 16160 till Tiruchirapalli junction and it made its way to trip shed. meabwhile, 16101 departed from platform 5 and 12633 was announced at platform - 4. Our train arrived 1 minute before time at Tiruchirapalli Jn with royapuram based wap - 7 30597 in lead. Through window itself i secured seats for us as i asked my cousin to board the train. Unlike 16160 and 12654 whose unreserved was kind of free (it was on the opposite direcion of festival rush), 20692 was kind of occupied. Thankfully that we got single seats in non - track side, took the seat.
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With a delay of a minute as per the schedule, starter was given and as we proceeded slowly. Was surprised to know that even after more than 50 minutes of its halt, 22614 shradda sethu express did not depart towards rameswaram and still halted at platform - 7. Meanwhile, 12633 MS CAPE SF simultaneously strolled into platform - 4 as we departed. At Tiruchirapalli outers, both 06729 TJ - TPJ Pass and 16615 Chemmozhi EXP was waiting at adjacent tracks respectively to enter tiruchirapalli. At Ponmalai outers, we switched tracks to down mainline towards Thanjavur and skipped ponmalai with the same pace and simultaneously, 16779 TPTY RMM exp with some WAP - 4 skipped ponmalai through platform 1. Sensed that now Tiruchirapalli Junction will be busy handling lots of arrivals and departures back to back, meanwhile handling loco change for 2 trains and reversal for a train. After skipping ponmalai slowly, we accelerated briefly to get slowed down at Manjattidal, to clear the speed restriction imposed there. Accelerated again after clearing the zone of restricted speed and attained a speed of 100kmph as seen on WIMT by my cousin, skipped thiruverumbur from platform - 3.
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At Thiruverumbur outers, we crossed the pentaweekly intercity special from Tambaram to Tiruchirapalli via thanjavur. We maintained similar speeds of 100 - 105 kmph as my cousin was seeing in WIMT app. skipped stations like Thondaimanpatti, solagampatti at the same speed. We decelerated as we was approaching aiyanapuram, strolling through aiyanapuram station and few meters thereafter, again accelerated swiftly and gained speed. Not much flatweel sounds were made, which is characteristic sound for LHB and the run was kinda smooth. Skipped budalur through platform 2 at maximum speed. At Budalur outers, crossed 20605 MS TCN SF express decelerating towards its next halt. Skipped alakkudi after few minutes with the maximum speed and it maintained the same speed till Thanjavur outers. from 105kmph, our train swiftly decelerated to 15kmph and our train was made to arrive at Platform - 1 of Thanjavur with just 4 minutes behind the schedule. Two ticket checkers were present and after they checked our tickets, exited the station through platform 5 entrance. Witnessed the empty rake of 06832 TJ - KIK DEMU taking a deep sleep at platform - 4 of Thanjavur and the rake of 06008 TJ - TBM MEMU special via TVR was waiting at platform - 5 for its departure. it was a brand new MEMU rake belonging to AVD MEMU shed. with the fond memories of watching vettaiyan movie and this short excursion, took an auto to my place.
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So for a distance of 54 kms, it took 1h46m with a buffer time of 40 minutes at TPJ with an avg speed of 31kmph.