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Blog Entry# 1735244
Posted: Feb 10 2016 (18:35)
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Last Response: Feb 10 2016 (18:55)
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Last Response: Feb 10 2016 (18:55)
Feb 10 2016 (18:35) 11047/Miraj - Hubballi Express | MRJ/Miraj Junction (6 PFs) | PUNE/WDM-3A/18773R
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Entry# 1735244 Tags Past Edits
May 15 2016 (12:40PM)
Blog Category Changed: Travelogue by moderator*^~/12
Feb 10 2016 (6:35PM)
Loco Tag: PUNE/WDM-3A/18773R added by yogeshbk/1297909
Blog Category Changed: Travelogue by moderator*^~/12
Feb 10 2016 (6:35PM)
Loco Tag: PUNE/WDM-3A/18773R added by yogeshbk/1297909
#ObservationsAtPune *** Trip Report!!! 8 Years Ago at Pune-Miraj-Belgaum Section ! ***
Part I of Pune-Miraj, Miraj-Hubli, Hubli-Belgaum journeys by train (and last leg Belgaum-Pune was bus journey)!
I had some work at Hubli and Belgaum on Saturday/Sunday 09/10-Feb-2008. I checked reservation availability and I was surprised to see tickets available for 1029 Koyana Exp and 1047 Hubli Exp.
Immediately, I made second...
more...
Part I of Pune-Miraj, Miraj-Hubli, Hubli-Belgaum journeys by train (and last leg Belgaum-Pune was bus journey)!
I had some work at Hubli and Belgaum on Saturday/Sunday 09/10-Feb-2008. I checked reservation availability and I was surprised to see tickets available for 1029 Koyana Exp and 1047 Hubli Exp.
Immediately, I made second...
more...
seating (2S) booking for Pune-Miraj journey by 1029 Mumbai-Kolhapur Koyana Exp on 9-Feb-2008 and
sleeper class (SL) ticket by 1047 Miraj-Hubli Exp on 10-Feb-2008. Both the combined tickets cost was Rs. 230. I am not sure if I got telescopic benefit or not. Pune-Hubli SL journey cost of 2780 Goa Exp (as shown in website) is Rs. 260. And my ticket is anyway cheaper by Rs. 30 (at the expense of additional 5-6 hours, however, boon for a railfan)!
Goa Exp is always full and is impossible to get ticket at short period of 4-5 days before travel date! Hence, I had chosen Pune-Miraj and Miraj-Hubli journeys! And this gave me opportunity to travel on Shindavane-Ambale Ghat Section during day time!
The plan was to reach Hubli on Sunday morning where I had 2-3 hours of work. And then, the plan was to catch 1620 Hubli-Miraj Passenger and reach Belgaum by around 16:30 hrs. At Belgaum, I had 4 hrs work. And return journey was planned by bus from Belgaum to Pune (no bus reservations were made for the same)!
This part 1 of the trip report consists of observations at Pune Railway Station on Saturday 9-Feb-2008 from 12:45 to 13:15 hrs.
I reached Pune station at 12:45 hrs. I entered the station from Hotel La Meridian side (PF6 end) and walked down on PF6 to see
the locos in pit line near PF6. This pit line had orange KZJ WDM3A # 18980R (ready to move out position) and red/yellow/blue
ED WDM2A # 18534 (at dead end). I am seeing such Erode livery for the first time at Pune!
I then walked back on PF6 towards Mumbai end of Pune station and climbed the new foot over bridge (FOB), which is quite clean and very less crowded. I was waiting there for 1029 CSTM-KOP Koyana Exp!
A Kurla Shunter CLA WDS4D # 19718 was seen shunting goods wagons near cement loading area (Maldhaka area). Pune-Lonavala local departed from PF6 at sharp 13:00 hrs. This EMU had huge crowd, as after this 13:00 hrs local, next local towards Talegaon is
only at 15:00 hrs and next local towards Lonavala is at 15:40 hrs. So, with no connection to Lonavala for 2 hrs 40 min, travelers
take pains not to miss this 13:00 hrs EMU!
Soon, behind this EMU, a goods train hauled by twin Kalyan WCG2 locos moved from Ghorpadi side towards Lonavala side. The leading loco (towards Mumbai) was KYN WCG2 # 20134 and trailing loco was KYN WCG2 # 20135. Nice to see consecutive loco road numbers 20134/20135 coupled together. Light running green PUNE WDM2 # 17516 was seen moving towards loco shed. This must have come with Daund-Pune Passenger rake which was stabled on PF3. Later, at 13:25 hrs, the same rake departed as 1321 Pune-Nanded Nizamabad Passenger behind freshly painted blue PUNE WDM2 # 16042.
Derated green PUNE WDM2S # 18255 (loco marked as fit for shunting work only, not suitable for mainline work) was seen roaming around. Skyblue/yellow GTL WDM3A # 18885R was getting ready. I was sure that this loco will haul my train, 1029 Koyna Exp! Another derated green PUNE WDM2S # 18346 was seen shunting the rake of Indrayani Exp as Deccan Exp on PF4 (as the same rake of incoming Indrayani Exp goes out in the afternoon at Deccan Exp).
Announcements were being made about timely expected arrivals of 1078 Jammutawi-Pune Jhelum Exp and 1610 Miraj-Pune Passenger and timely expected departure of 9311 Pune-Indore Exp (which now runs on Saturday in addition to earlier Tuesday/Friday runs)! Announcement was made that my train 1029 Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai - Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur Koyana Exp is expected on it's scheduled time 13:05 hrs on PF1. I went to PF1 from FOB at around 13:15 hrs (as Koyana still had not yet come)!
Finally, my train 1029 Koyana Exp arrived on PF1 with KJM WDP4 # 20034. WDP4 was in long hood forward (LHF) mode towards Miraj direction. WDP4 was detached and soon GTL WDM3A 18885R was attached to haul Koyna Exp towards Kolhapur.
I boarded my coach D3 and occupied my window seat! Koyana Exp finally left Pune Station at around 13:40 hrs (now late by 25 minutes from Pune itself)! In the Ghorpuri Yard (GIT area), I saw KJM WDG3A # 13256 and orange GY WDG3A # 13246 Shakti locos. Koyana Exp halted for almost 7-8 minutes at Ghorpuri (GPR) station. This station has 1 island kind of platform to accommodate 2 trains. And on left hand side of GPR Station (while moving towards Miraj), there is PUNE DLS (Diesel Loco Shed)! I could see 7-8 locos inside DLS. However, due to high rising wall separating loco shed and station, I could not see/note any loco numbers.
Journey from Pune-Miraj to follow soon in Part 2!
sleeper class (SL) ticket by 1047 Miraj-Hubli Exp on 10-Feb-2008. Both the combined tickets cost was Rs. 230. I am not sure if I got telescopic benefit or not. Pune-Hubli SL journey cost of 2780 Goa Exp (as shown in website) is Rs. 260. And my ticket is anyway cheaper by Rs. 30 (at the expense of additional 5-6 hours, however, boon for a railfan)!
Goa Exp is always full and is impossible to get ticket at short period of 4-5 days before travel date! Hence, I had chosen Pune-Miraj and Miraj-Hubli journeys! And this gave me opportunity to travel on Shindavane-Ambale Ghat Section during day time!
The plan was to reach Hubli on Sunday morning where I had 2-3 hours of work. And then, the plan was to catch 1620 Hubli-Miraj Passenger and reach Belgaum by around 16:30 hrs. At Belgaum, I had 4 hrs work. And return journey was planned by bus from Belgaum to Pune (no bus reservations were made for the same)!
This part 1 of the trip report consists of observations at Pune Railway Station on Saturday 9-Feb-2008 from 12:45 to 13:15 hrs.
I reached Pune station at 12:45 hrs. I entered the station from Hotel La Meridian side (PF6 end) and walked down on PF6 to see
the locos in pit line near PF6. This pit line had orange KZJ WDM3A # 18980R (ready to move out position) and red/yellow/blue
ED WDM2A # 18534 (at dead end). I am seeing such Erode livery for the first time at Pune!
I then walked back on PF6 towards Mumbai end of Pune station and climbed the new foot over bridge (FOB), which is quite clean and very less crowded. I was waiting there for 1029 CSTM-KOP Koyana Exp!
A Kurla Shunter CLA WDS4D # 19718 was seen shunting goods wagons near cement loading area (Maldhaka area). Pune-Lonavala local departed from PF6 at sharp 13:00 hrs. This EMU had huge crowd, as after this 13:00 hrs local, next local towards Talegaon is
only at 15:00 hrs and next local towards Lonavala is at 15:40 hrs. So, with no connection to Lonavala for 2 hrs 40 min, travelers
take pains not to miss this 13:00 hrs EMU!
Soon, behind this EMU, a goods train hauled by twin Kalyan WCG2 locos moved from Ghorpadi side towards Lonavala side. The leading loco (towards Mumbai) was KYN WCG2 # 20134 and trailing loco was KYN WCG2 # 20135. Nice to see consecutive loco road numbers 20134/20135 coupled together. Light running green PUNE WDM2 # 17516 was seen moving towards loco shed. This must have come with Daund-Pune Passenger rake which was stabled on PF3. Later, at 13:25 hrs, the same rake departed as 1321 Pune-Nanded Nizamabad Passenger behind freshly painted blue PUNE WDM2 # 16042.
Derated green PUNE WDM2S # 18255 (loco marked as fit for shunting work only, not suitable for mainline work) was seen roaming around. Skyblue/yellow GTL WDM3A # 18885R was getting ready. I was sure that this loco will haul my train, 1029 Koyna Exp! Another derated green PUNE WDM2S # 18346 was seen shunting the rake of Indrayani Exp as Deccan Exp on PF4 (as the same rake of incoming Indrayani Exp goes out in the afternoon at Deccan Exp).
Announcements were being made about timely expected arrivals of 1078 Jammutawi-Pune Jhelum Exp and 1610 Miraj-Pune Passenger and timely expected departure of 9311 Pune-Indore Exp (which now runs on Saturday in addition to earlier Tuesday/Friday runs)! Announcement was made that my train 1029 Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai - Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur Koyana Exp is expected on it's scheduled time 13:05 hrs on PF1. I went to PF1 from FOB at around 13:15 hrs (as Koyana still had not yet come)!
Finally, my train 1029 Koyana Exp arrived on PF1 with KJM WDP4 # 20034. WDP4 was in long hood forward (LHF) mode towards Miraj direction. WDP4 was detached and soon GTL WDM3A 18885R was attached to haul Koyna Exp towards Kolhapur.
I boarded my coach D3 and occupied my window seat! Koyana Exp finally left Pune Station at around 13:40 hrs (now late by 25 minutes from Pune itself)! In the Ghorpuri Yard (GIT area), I saw KJM WDG3A # 13256 and orange GY WDG3A # 13246 Shakti locos. Koyana Exp halted for almost 7-8 minutes at Ghorpuri (GPR) station. This station has 1 island kind of platform to accommodate 2 trains. And on left hand side of GPR Station (while moving towards Miraj), there is PUNE DLS (Diesel Loco Shed)! I could see 7-8 locos inside DLS. However, due to high rising wall separating loco shed and station, I could not see/note any loco numbers.
Journey from Pune-Miraj to follow soon in Part 2!
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Part II : Pune-Miraj Journey!
1029 Mumbai-Kolhapur Koyana Exp departed from Ghorpuri (GPR) at around 13:48 hrs, now late by 28 minutes! Train was not
picking up very good speed, probably due to caution orders as well as few slums enroute and 2-3 manned level crossings!
Train picked up good speed after Sasvad Road (SSV), as habitation was very less and only fields (with...
more...
1029 Mumbai-Kolhapur Koyana Exp departed from Ghorpuri (GPR) at around 13:48 hrs, now late by 28 minutes! Train was not
picking up very good speed, probably due to caution orders as well as few slums enroute and 2-3 manned level crossings!
Train picked up good speed after Sasvad Road (SSV), as habitation was very less and only fields (with...
more...
crops of Bajari/Jwari) were
seen on either side of the tracks. We were held up at Phursungi (FSG) and I rushed to the door to see the crossing! Pune-Miraj
being single line, if a train is held at unscheduled halt, it must be probably for a crossing!
At FSG, 1610 Miraj-Pune passenger was seen hauled by green PUNE WDM2 # 17938. As soon as 1610 MRJ-PUNE passenger arrived FSG, my train 1029 was given starter signal. Now, Pune-Miraj section has color light aspects electrical signals (and not the old semaphore one and no more token exchanges here)!
Again, my train was held up at Alandi (ALN) station, just for 1 minute! ALN is not scheduled halt for Koyana Exp. However, few staff members got down at ALN and soon train started onward journey [Note: This Alandi village is called 'Chorachi Alandi', i.e Thief's Alandi by local folks. And there is other Alandi around 22 Kms from Pune by road, which is famous for Vitthal-Rakhumai Mandir and famous for Saint Dnyaneshwar. That Alandi, not on IR network, is called as 'Alandi Devachi', i.e. God's Alandi]!
We reached Shindavane (SHIV) and train speed got reduced (due to up gradient)! Nice journey now started! Lots of hills around!
Train passed through lots of rock cuttings and/or via ducts! Train reached Ambale (ABLE) soon and was held up for 10 minutes!
At ABLE, pairing train 1030 Kolhapur-Mumbai Koyana Exp was seen moving towards Pune behind blue GY WDM3A # 14031 balide loco (buldge face to Miraj)! I thought, as 1030 has passed, my train will be given starter! However, that was not the case!
After 7 minutes or so, 2781 Mysore-Nizamuddin SwarnaJayanti Exp arrived at ABLE behind twin GTL WDMx locos! The leading loco (towards Pune) was skyblue/yellow GTL WDM2A # 17278 and trailing loco was orange GTL WDM2A # 17944! This 17944 was in orange KZJ livery and GTL diamond logo was repainted and GTL words replacing KZJ words on loco side walls! 2781 MYS-NZM Swarna Jayanti halted at Ambale and my train started onward journey!
At lots of places on Shindwane-Ambale-Jejuri Section, I could clearly see old MG alignment, rock cutting between which old
MG tracks were running (and new rock cutting nearby where BG line was running)! Small bridges or water outlets/hole on MG
line are still intact and in place!
At Jejuri (JJR), my train stopped for scheduled commercial halt. Here, orange PUNE WDG3A # 14679 was ready with a goods train to proceed towards Pune. My train started journey towards Satara and goods train also simultaneously started moving towards Pune!
At Daundaj (DNJ), twin Shakti locos hauled goods train was waiting to proceed towards Pune. Leading loco was turquoise Shakti WDG3A and trailing loco was orange Shakti WDG3A. I could not see any details of locos due to high speed of my train. Similarly, at Valha (WLH), twin KJM WDG3A locos hauled goods train was waiting to proceed towards Pune. Again, due to high speed, I could not note the loco numbers of KJM twins!
At Nira (NIRA), where my train had stopped for regular halt, 6532 Yashvantpur-Ajmer Garib Navaz Exp speeded towards Pune
behind twin diesel locos. I could not see any details, except the fact that those were twin locos!
Again at Wathar (WTR), scheduled halt for Koyana Exp, I saw 1050 Kolhapur-Ahmedabad Exp speeding towards Pune with blue
PUNE WDM3A # 18951R! So, between Pune and Wathar, a distance of just 119 Kms, there were 8 crossings, viz., 1610, 1030,
2781, Goods, Goods, Goods, 6532, 1050! This shows how busy this section is, especially on Saturday, when we have weekly 2781, 6532 and 1050 trains! Also, lots of goods traffic on this single BG line!
Journey from WTR to KRD (Karad) was without any action, except the fact that train stopped for official halts at Satara (STR),
Koregaon (KRG), Rahimatpur (RMP), Targaon (TAZ), Masur (MSR) and Shirravde (SIW)! Local folks have long pending demand
that 1029/1030 Koyana Exp should be converted to a fast passenger, so that travellers will save more money!
We reached Karad (KRD) at 18:30 hrs, now late by 30 minutes! Here, 1039 Kolhapur-Gondia Maharashtra Exp arrived with
skyblue/yellow GTL WDM2A # 16752! 1039 KOP-G Maharashtra Exp was also late by 20-25 minutes! As 1039 arrived, my train
left KRD at 18:36 hrs, now late by 36 minutes!
Interesting observation was made at Karad! Karad station still has semaphore signals. I think, work of electric signal
installation is complete only on Pune-Karad section. Further section still seems to be with old signalling system.
Now, it was getting darker and outside view was not clear anymore! At Kirloskarwadi (KOV), one passenger train with complex rake sharing arrangement (RSA) boards (like Miraj-Pune-Kolhapur-Satara) was waiting to proceed towards Satara direction, headed by brown PUNE WDM2 loco. At Bhilavadi (BVQ), a single loco (probably WDS6 shunter or derated WDM2S shunter) was idling on the outer yard (with head lights on).
Finally, my train arrived at Miraj Jn (MRJ) at around 20:20 hrs, late by 30 minutes! My next train 1047 Miraj-Hubli Exp was scheduled to depart from Miraj at 00:20 hrs (next day!) and so, I had around 4 hrs 'free' time at Miraj. I decided to go out of station for dinner and return back ASAP to see some action at MRJ!
Observations at Miraj to follow soon as Part 3!
seen on either side of the tracks. We were held up at Phursungi (FSG) and I rushed to the door to see the crossing! Pune-Miraj
being single line, if a train is held at unscheduled halt, it must be probably for a crossing!
At FSG, 1610 Miraj-Pune passenger was seen hauled by green PUNE WDM2 # 17938. As soon as 1610 MRJ-PUNE passenger arrived FSG, my train 1029 was given starter signal. Now, Pune-Miraj section has color light aspects electrical signals (and not the old semaphore one and no more token exchanges here)!
Again, my train was held up at Alandi (ALN) station, just for 1 minute! ALN is not scheduled halt for Koyana Exp. However, few staff members got down at ALN and soon train started onward journey [Note: This Alandi village is called 'Chorachi Alandi', i.e Thief's Alandi by local folks. And there is other Alandi around 22 Kms from Pune by road, which is famous for Vitthal-Rakhumai Mandir and famous for Saint Dnyaneshwar. That Alandi, not on IR network, is called as 'Alandi Devachi', i.e. God's Alandi]!
We reached Shindavane (SHIV) and train speed got reduced (due to up gradient)! Nice journey now started! Lots of hills around!
Train passed through lots of rock cuttings and/or via ducts! Train reached Ambale (ABLE) soon and was held up for 10 minutes!
At ABLE, pairing train 1030 Kolhapur-Mumbai Koyana Exp was seen moving towards Pune behind blue GY WDM3A # 14031 balide loco (buldge face to Miraj)! I thought, as 1030 has passed, my train will be given starter! However, that was not the case!
After 7 minutes or so, 2781 Mysore-Nizamuddin SwarnaJayanti Exp arrived at ABLE behind twin GTL WDMx locos! The leading loco (towards Pune) was skyblue/yellow GTL WDM2A # 17278 and trailing loco was orange GTL WDM2A # 17944! This 17944 was in orange KZJ livery and GTL diamond logo was repainted and GTL words replacing KZJ words on loco side walls! 2781 MYS-NZM Swarna Jayanti halted at Ambale and my train started onward journey!
At lots of places on Shindwane-Ambale-Jejuri Section, I could clearly see old MG alignment, rock cutting between which old
MG tracks were running (and new rock cutting nearby where BG line was running)! Small bridges or water outlets/hole on MG
line are still intact and in place!
At Jejuri (JJR), my train stopped for scheduled commercial halt. Here, orange PUNE WDG3A # 14679 was ready with a goods train to proceed towards Pune. My train started journey towards Satara and goods train also simultaneously started moving towards Pune!
At Daundaj (DNJ), twin Shakti locos hauled goods train was waiting to proceed towards Pune. Leading loco was turquoise Shakti WDG3A and trailing loco was orange Shakti WDG3A. I could not see any details of locos due to high speed of my train. Similarly, at Valha (WLH), twin KJM WDG3A locos hauled goods train was waiting to proceed towards Pune. Again, due to high speed, I could not note the loco numbers of KJM twins!
At Nira (NIRA), where my train had stopped for regular halt, 6532 Yashvantpur-Ajmer Garib Navaz Exp speeded towards Pune
behind twin diesel locos. I could not see any details, except the fact that those were twin locos!
Again at Wathar (WTR), scheduled halt for Koyana Exp, I saw 1050 Kolhapur-Ahmedabad Exp speeding towards Pune with blue
PUNE WDM3A # 18951R! So, between Pune and Wathar, a distance of just 119 Kms, there were 8 crossings, viz., 1610, 1030,
2781, Goods, Goods, Goods, 6532, 1050! This shows how busy this section is, especially on Saturday, when we have weekly 2781, 6532 and 1050 trains! Also, lots of goods traffic on this single BG line!
Journey from WTR to KRD (Karad) was without any action, except the fact that train stopped for official halts at Satara (STR),
Koregaon (KRG), Rahimatpur (RMP), Targaon (TAZ), Masur (MSR) and Shirravde (SIW)! Local folks have long pending demand
that 1029/1030 Koyana Exp should be converted to a fast passenger, so that travellers will save more money!
We reached Karad (KRD) at 18:30 hrs, now late by 30 minutes! Here, 1039 Kolhapur-Gondia Maharashtra Exp arrived with
skyblue/yellow GTL WDM2A # 16752! 1039 KOP-G Maharashtra Exp was also late by 20-25 minutes! As 1039 arrived, my train
left KRD at 18:36 hrs, now late by 36 minutes!
Interesting observation was made at Karad! Karad station still has semaphore signals. I think, work of electric signal
installation is complete only on Pune-Karad section. Further section still seems to be with old signalling system.
Now, it was getting darker and outside view was not clear anymore! At Kirloskarwadi (KOV), one passenger train with complex rake sharing arrangement (RSA) boards (like Miraj-Pune-Kolhapur-Satara) was waiting to proceed towards Satara direction, headed by brown PUNE WDM2 loco. At Bhilavadi (BVQ), a single loco (probably WDS6 shunter or derated WDM2S shunter) was idling on the outer yard (with head lights on).
Finally, my train arrived at Miraj Jn (MRJ) at around 20:20 hrs, late by 30 minutes! My next train 1047 Miraj-Hubli Exp was scheduled to depart from Miraj at 00:20 hrs (next day!) and so, I had around 4 hrs 'free' time at Miraj. I decided to go out of station for dinner and return back ASAP to see some action at MRJ!
Observations at Miraj to follow soon as Part 3!
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