My experience with mumbai locals this feb:-
I am in mumbai for personal work and for that I had to use the famous Mumbai Local Trains. In morning at around 7 I started for Borivali from CSTM. Took a ticket that costed Rs. - 15 ( Had I known about return ticket then, I would hav taken that) but no worry. After taking the ticket I entered the suburban section of CST and waited for Andheri/Bandra local so that there I can change for BVI. In mumbai I mostly try to use local that serves end to end for me. After a wait of a minute or so ( better to say a few seconds) the Andheri local showed...
more... up from distance and slowly crawled into PF 2. Since it was early morning time and also towards suburbs, I easily got a window seat and after a TAT of around 5 mins the local started back for Andheri. As the train picked up speed a boy with a bag came running and boarded the train. And what he did afterwards was a bit scary. On every station he would rub his legs on PF as the train left the PF. And after crossing the PF as the train moved, he leaned forward and started to touch the plate on poles which is used to indicate pole number and distance. After he hit 2-3 boards his hand started bleeding. I could clearly see a cut between thumb and finger. But that guy still did the same all the way upto ADH. Don't know what happiness he got in it?? Had something bad happened then?? It passed through stations before finally meeting up with WR locals at Mahim. The display board in the coach showed next station and last station and also pointed an arrow towards direction of PF at next station. After stopping at all stations ( as it was a slow local) it finally entered Andheri. By the time train reached Andheri it had been occupied completely and almost good no. Of pax were waiting at ADH to board this again. At Andheri looked out for train going till Borivli and fortunately I didnt hav to change the PF. The CCG- BVI local arrived somewhat filled but many pax got down here so was able to get in easily. Journey till BVI was enjoyed by standing near the gate. After I finished my work in late afternoon, I reached BVI and saw for local train display boards. It mentioned an ADH local expected to arrive in 6 mins at PF 5 .And here I was at the farther end. I was like what the hell !! I queued up in the long queue and also kept seeing at the board. By the time I reached the window expected time had changed to 2 min and just as the ticket came in my hand it changed to 1 min. I looked out for FOB and rapidly climed up. From the FOB I saw it entering BVI. As I kept my foot on last step train had already halted. And in front of me I had a 1st class coach into which I couldn't get in. So I moved forward and as I stepped into coach train started moving. Lucky me. After passing a station a boy came and stood onto the gate. Beside him a person was sitting on floor. As the train was entering station, the person asked the boy "ये अन्धेरी है?" The boy replied "नहीं ये अन्धेरी नहीं है पर ये अन्धेरी है।" What he meant to say was that station was not Andheri but train was Andheri. The man looked perplexed and waited on his own. Finally after reaching ADH i boarded another CR local for CST and came back.
One Difference I found in CR & WR locals is that in CR locals they show arrow on display board indicating which side PF will come. And in WR locals also display board was there on which they indicate next station but it did not indicate the side of PF. So CR scores here above giving that precious piece of info for a new traveller in mumbai local.
