Part - 2 : Looping, looping and looping.
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For those who have not read part - 1 : /blog/post/5963414
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As I board the train and went to my berth to see that...
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my bay was still not changed into seats from berth and all were sleeping tight in my bay. I was not ready to sleep and wanted to enjoy the day journey in mainline after a very long time (could have been more than 3 years from now), went to a next bay where a track sided side lower and side upper remained unoccupied. As I occupy the side lower, felt a jerk customary for LHB rakes, indicating departure of our train that halted for less than 2 minutes here.
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After clearing multiple points and entering the main line, the white stallion, which was towing our train for that day, accelerated quite well and attained MPS within we cross the city limits. Our train traversing through lush greenery in the orangish yellow early morning sunlight at full speed, was a visual treat for me. As I was enjoying this, our train crossed thittai, pandaravadai in no time and skipped papanasam in just 20 minutes after departing from Thanjavur. After few minutes of crossing papanasam, our train started decelerating steadily, and I realised that our train was looped at sundaraperumal kovil, only after our train was looped at platform 2. Reckoning that it was for crossing with Salem express from mayiladuthurai, checked it's running status at WIMT, and it deciphered that it has just crossed thiruvidaimarudhur by then, and this having around 5 halts before it reaches the crossing station where our train is looped, took its own time to arrive at platform - 1 with some random WAP - 4 in lead, which was around 20 minutes since we were halted for a crossing. Our train gave a customary jerk after this arrived, indicating the departure.
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Once we cleared the line and picked up speed, crossed suburb station of Kumbakonam and our train gave a speedy entry at mainline platform of kumbakonam, and it was 2 minutes, 5 minutes and there was no signs of our train to take off from Kumbakonam. As I was sensing that it should be for the Thanjavur bound passenger from mayiladuthurai, and it made entry in a short while at platform 2 with an off link, a raipur based WAG - 7, with same locomotive that i spotted the same train a few days back. People deboarding that passenger train, being lazy enough to cross the platform through the foot over bridge, crossed through our train which halted in a double discharge platform. Just imagine the scenario if our train has immediately taken off from the mainline and double discharge platform immediately after arrival of Thanjavur passenger. Anyways, even after arrival of Thanjavur passenger, our train stopped for few more minutes before taking off, sensing that the crew understood this. So the 2 minute halt at Kumbakonam now extended easily to more than 5 minutes and due to a crossing, it took the time which is usually taken by a passenger train between Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.
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The train kept maintaing full speed, after our train sprinted from mainline platform at Kumbakonam steadily, skipping stations enroute at maximum speed, untill we slow down and slowly loop at platform 2 of kuthalam. This time, it was 0805 hrs at the morning. Reckoning that it should be the RSA of the same LHB train i witnessed in the morning when I entered the station, checked the WIMT for the running status. Still there was 5 more minutes for the same to depart from the source. So, realising that it should take 20 more minutes for this crossing, hopped down the train, strolled towards pantry car. They had two options for breakfast, either Pongal - sambhar or Upma with tomato sauce. I opted for the latter, which sounded quite weird, got it along with the water bottle and a snack platter, that contained a samosa, an aalu bhaji and dhal vada, and went back to my coach. Took some time to savour all the food i brought, except for the tomato sauce. After 20 minutes of halt, Erode diesel shed based brand new WAP -7 was strolling with the RSA of the LHB train i met early this morning when I went to the station, departing from platform - 3 of Thanjavur. After that train arrives, we get starter and our train was slowly making its way towards mayiladuthurai junction.
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As we maintained a decent speed till mayiladuthurai outers, after which we decelerate steadily as enter the vicinity of the station and enter platform - 3 of mayiladuthurai junction at 0841 hours with a delay of more than an hour. As of now, it took 1hour 55 mts for just 70 kms, with an average speed of 37 kmph. Our train made a customary jerk just after a minute of halt, indicating departure. But, this time, after departing mayiladuthurai, our train accelerated steadily, but did not attain maximum speed. Meanwhile our train skipped ananthathandavapuram, and thereafter steadily decelerated and made an unscheduled halt at outers of vaithiswaran kovil. Wondering who is it this time, checked the running status of trains that's supposed to arrive mayiladuthurai. So, it was daily passenger from Villupuram to mayiladuthurai that is supposed to cross us this time, indicating that it departed sirkazhi.
At 0900hrs, after halting for 10 minutes, heard a shrill honk, indicating the take off of our train at mainline, and as we steadily accelerate through vaithiswaran kovil, we witnessed the erode based WAP 1, towing the daily passenger from Villupuram, was taking a small rest at platform 2 after sprinting quickly from sirkazhi.
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For this leg of thanjavur to vaithiswaran kovil, for just 84 kms, it took 2h18m with an average of 38 kmph.
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Did our train recover the delay in the remaining leg of the journey? Did any more crossings remain for us in the remaining leg of the single line? Stay tuned for the next part.
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Thanks for reading this patiently.
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Part - 3 : /blog/post/5965012

Part - 1 : Scenarios at early morning of Mondays at Thanjavur Jn.
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It was a chill winter morning, and the sky was dark, left my place at 6 am for a train which is scheduled to depart Thanjavur Jn at 0610 hrs, anticipating that my train should arrive minimum by a delay of 20 minutes. The only fear I had was the link it is supposed to get from Tiruchirapalli Jn, reason being that this train is known for getting WAG - 9 as a link for majority of the distance...
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this train travels, and if it gets the same, the maximum speed will be restricted to 90kmph against the MPS of the route, cannot enjoy a superfast run with limited stoppages. And i had these experience quite few times previously on the same train. Anyways, not expecting much about the scenario at Thanjavur Jn at the busy morning hours, went with an open mind to the railway station through platform - 5 entrance, 5 minutes later than the scheduled departure of my train.
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By the time i reached, I could see some LHB train already departing from platform - 3, towards mayiladuthurai side. Though the train in which I am supposed to travel is also running with LHB rakes, comes and departs in the same platform towards the same direction, I was able to confirm that the train leaving platform 3 is not the train I am supposed to travel, by seeing lots of sleeper class in that one. Yes, it is occasionally late running Mayiladuthurai bound Express from Mysore departing late by an hour. Once upon a time, this delay used to be pretty common for mayiladuthurai express, but post electrification, the incidence of this train getting delayed at Thanjavur is greatly reduced.
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Though it is by default that my train arrives at platform 3 in Thanjavur, but anyways, went to the front entrance and again, checked the platform which my train was supposed to arrive, and yes, the display board also showed the same. So, as of now, my train is delayed. Strolled slowly to my platform and stood near the coach position, and the platform had a good crowd for the train I am supposed to board. People kept asking about the train to the railway staff in platform 3, regarding the train, since there was no announcement till then, and it is already 0630 hours now.
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Since that the Mysore - Mayiladuthurai is delayed, the entire lineup behind it also started getting delayed. And announcement were going on for Mannargudi bound chemmozhi express that is supposed to arrive on platform 3, and yes it arrived with a Vijayawada based WAP -4, which will be leading it till Nidamangalam. Already the platform had good crowd, in addition to that, the crowd deboarding from chemmozhi, platform 3 was now flooding with people, and some passengers were rushing amidst the crowd to take ticket for karaikkal bound DEMU from Thanjavur and board the same, which is supposed to depart from platform - 5 on that day (usually it departs from platform - 4), but still it will not be a cross platform transfer. As chemmozhi got starter after a halt of less than 2 minutes, heard a loud shrill honk from a distance, yes, empty rake of uzhavan parked at platform 1, made its departure towards trichy for its scheduled primary maintenance there. Wished that it was operated as an express special towards trichy bidirectionally, it could have been very helpful for a lot of people going for office/College/etc. and, in antiparallel fashion that chemmozhi express also made its departure, and at the back of luggage car at the rear end, an erode based WAP - 4 was taking nap since Trichy, will wake up post Nidamangalam and, tow chemmozhi express towards Mannargudi, it's destination. This arrangement of attaching locomotives at both sides was made for chemmozhi express to minimise the time taken for locomotive to reversal at Nidamangalam jn, blocking the traffic for a long time, affecting the road traffic.
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By the time chemmozhi departed, took out my phone and checked the running status of my train, and WIMT showed that my train has already arrived outers of Thanjavur Jn, and waiting for the empty rake of uzhavan Express to clear the line. After some minutes, my train made a slow entry into platform, and it was a great sense of relief after seeing that a royapuram based WAP - 7 30680 was pulling my train. So, my train arrived Thanjavur Jn with a delay of 36 mts, and I boarded my train.
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Thanks for reading it patiently.
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Part - 2 : /blog/post/5963946