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Blog Entry# 1367096
Posted: Feb 12 2015 (07:51)
18 Responses
Last Response: Feb 25 2015 (18:22)
18 Responses
Last Response: Feb 25 2015 (18:22)
I travelled by this train from Howrah to Chennai on the 20th of October, 1979. Well nothing great about that as it was just one among perhaps as many as 25 journeys I have undertaken by this train in its various avatars as 3 UP, 6003 UP, 2603 UP , 2839 UP and now 12839 UP.
However, the intriguing part of this particular journey is that after it departed from Howrah at 20.35 hours, the first 4 halts for this train were like an entry from RIPLEY’S believe it or not. The stoppages at BURDWAN, DURGAPUR, RANIGANJ and ASANSOL may in fact make you think I was going to Delhi and not Madras. From Asansol we changed course and veered away...
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However, the intriguing part of this particular journey is that after it departed from Howrah at 20.35 hours, the first 4 halts for this train were like an entry from RIPLEY’S believe it or not. The stoppages at BURDWAN, DURGAPUR, RANIGANJ and ASANSOL may in fact make you think I was going to Delhi and not Madras. From Asansol we changed course and veered away...
more...
13 Posts
Agreed, this is very punctual train. I have travelled both this train and her room-mate Coromondel (as both of them share same rakes) the full distance. And both the trains reached their destination before-schedule. Even to be honest, I felt bit troubled when Chennai Mail brought me to Howrah at 03:50AM in the morning. I had to wait at HWH for 2Hrs. :)
You are right Avishek. In fact I would rate this as my MOST FAVOURITE TRAIN if not for anything else then for purely sentimental reasons. This was the train in which I undertook my first solo (unaccompanied) train journey as a 10-year old. It was the first and only train in which I had the privilege of a breakfast in the DINING CAR. That was also the first time I tasted OMLETTE & FRENCH FRIES, possibly in 1963. Above all IT WAS THE FIRST TRAIN IN INDIA TO BE HAULED BY A DIESEL ENGINE in the year 1965. So there is a great deal of history and nostalgia associated with it.
Thank you. Even now it has an unbelievable TT- So many stops but covering in 28 hours, always punctual or early.
Mail is still the first choice for the travellers between mas-hwh