Trip Report Date 19th March 2014
Creeeech!!!!! We came to a halt in middle of the Ghats- Thoppur ghats that provides for descent from Deccan plateau to Tamilnadu plains- The small hills overshadowed by the bright moon just 2 days after holy with no other lightings gave a complete spooky look of the area- To avoid being distracted by the spooky feeling, my mind went back to what had brought me here
A sudden decision on Tuesday evening to go to Mayiladuthurai at 6PM saw me looking for tickets-90 tickets in tatkal from...
more... sbc to mv and 15 from MAD to MV- to save on fare booked from MAD with boarding at SBC
Reached SBC on 19th evening at 6:10PM to find the double headed python not occupied PF-1 yet and AJJ WAM4 leaving with 56508 MKM pass from Pf-2 while KJM WDP-4 stood on Pf-3 with 12786 bound to KCG. KJM WDP-4B awaited with arrived rake of RajyaRani rake while Moula ali twins awaited in pit for Karnataka rake to be shunted. KJM WDM-2 waited on pit with Karnataka Express pulled it out behind the MKM pass
PF-6 display board said 76553 to DPJ while Pf-7 gave a surprise with another DMU- 76552 from KQZ arrived on Pf-7 to leave later as 76519 to MKM. Pf-5 Chamundi left soon and the DPJ DMU sharp at 6:30PM
At 6:40Pm the rake of 16535 golgumbaz Express arrived onto Pf-10 but no announcements made for 16232. At 7PM announcement came for 16232 arrival.
7:10PM- Heard sound of a loco but from opposite side- WDG-4 twins entered Pf-6 with a BCNA rake towards Mysore and at 7:20Pm, Erode WDM-3A slowly entered with 16232 35 mins late. Boarded my coach S-4 with a upper berth 43 with the others being occupied with a family to Velankanni with 2 small kids happily enjoying with continous chatter
At 7:40PM, maintaining the 35 min delay we were given the starter. As we exited, saw KJM WDP-4 on Pf-5 with the 11302 Udyan Express. Just outside SBC, Erode WDM-3A twins awaited with the 12678 Superfast ERS Express on time. At BNC, we were welcomed by the WAP7 hauled 12609 from chennai. We proceeded at good speed past BNCE and slowed down changing tracks at BYPL without waiting for any clearance and blasted off on the single track to Hosur reaching the same at 8:50PM
After Hosur, everyone had plans of settling down while i occupied an empty SLB berth opposite and we crossed DPJ through PF-2 at 22:20hrs PF-3 occupied by the DPJ DMU that had left an hour earlier sleeping well now.
As I came out of these thoughts, I was welcomed by the lights of the plains- We were nearing Omalur, the 1st station of the SR territory and into the electrified territory. We slowly joined the main line from MAS and pulled into PF-1 of SA as a WAM4 welcomed us on Pf-3 with an unknown train at 23:30hrs 10 mins ahead of schedule and I went off to take my berth
"Passengers kind attention please- Train number 16232 bound to Mayiladuthurai is leaving from platf........... we had already moved past the announcer- time was 4:30AM and we were leaving TPJ after the 2nd reversal of our journey and blasting through the fertile delta region of TN
I was awoken by some continous chatter and hurries- time was 5:25AM and train had already stopped at TJ and major passengers who were still asleep collected their belongings and kids leaving my entire bay vacant. The announcement at TJ blared about the TPJ-KIK DMU on Pf-4 and soon we got starter and started while I settled down on LB to watch the sunrise
We just blasted past the stations and after a halt at Papanasam we reached KMU at 6:05AM. Kumbakonam degree coffee stall was busy and thought of having coffee but wasnt sure whether we will be waiting for a crossing- It didnt happen and within a minute we started
We were pulled into Kuttalam 15 mins later and as we didnt get starter expected that 16183 Uzhavan will cross us. GOC loco showed up at the corner and it came over the main line confusing me- it was GOC WDG-3A solo pulling along an empty BCNHL rake at good speed without the guard caboose. We got the starter at 6:25
15 mins later, we were welcomed into Aduthurai by GOc WDM-2 (Was surprised to see wDM-2 with an Express) hauling the 16183. Just as we entered the Express got the starter and proceeded
We didnt get the starter and saw crowd waiting on Pf-1. few minutes later, Erode WDM-2 pulled in with the 56811 empty pass from MV to TPJ with just about 20 % occupancy. at 6:45 we got the starter and proceeded past the tiny Malliyam station to arrive welcomed by another Erode WDM2 waiting with the 56040 KMU-TJ pass extension on PF-3 as we came to halt on Pf-1 at 6:55AM 5 mins ahead of schedule
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