For RailFans, seeing RAC-1/2/3 in Mumbai-UP Trains is more exciting than Election Results - rdb

LONG JOURNEY OF GEETANJALI EXP from 59/60 (1977) to 12859/12860 (2018)
Geetanjali Express 1977 to 2018 is well into 40th year of its journey since its introduction since Nov'77. Below TT depicts its beginning , middle & current time slot.
1977-------1998-----2018 --------------------------1977-----1998-----2018
16:45-----12:15----13:50--dep HWH arr.--11:00----15:20----12:30
--------------------------------------------SRC---...
more...

-arr-----------------------------11:49
--------------14:03----15:30--arr--KGP---arr------ ----------13:13----10:20
20:00-----16:10----17:25--arr--TATA-arr---07:30--- -11:00----08:05
---------------------------18:26--arr--CKP---arr-- ---------------------------07:08
22:30-----19:05----19:50--arr--ROU---arr---05:15-- --08:00----05:42
--------------20:53----21:41--arr--JSG---arr------ -----------06:18----04:25
--------------21:51----22:29--arr--RIG----arr----- ------------04:45----03:01
--------------00:00----00:30--arr--BSP----arr----- -----------03:00----01:15
--------------01:40----02:15--arr--R--------arr--- -------------01:10----23:25
04:15-----03:00----03:20--arr--DURG-arr---23:15--- -00:30----22:45
--------------03:32----03:46--arr--RJN----arr----- ----------23:45----22:03
--------------05:24----05:13--arr--G--------arr--- ------------22:11----20:46
--------------------------06:00--arr--BRD----arr-- ---------------------------19:49
08:30----07:35----07:20--arr--NGP----arr---19:00-- --20:05----18:55
--------------------------08:32--arr--WR------arr- ----------------------------17:19
-------------10:35----10:07--arr--BD-------arr---- -----------17:00----16:10
-------------11:35----11:10--arr--AK-------arr---- -----------15:20----14:40
--------------------------11:44--arr--SEG-----arr- ---------------------------14:09
--------------------------12:19--arr--MKU----arr-- --------------------------13:24
15:00----13:35----13:10--arr--BSL------arr 12:40---13:10----12:40
--------------------------13:43--arr--JL--------ar r----------------------------11:58
--------------------------16:20--arr--NK-------arr ----------------------------09:28
--------------------------18:10--arr--IGP-----arr- ---------------08:55----08:43
-------------20:20----20:02--arr--KYN----arr------ ----------07:00----06:52
-------------21:20----20:47--arr--DR-------arr---- -----------06:15----06:10
21:45----21:40----21:20--arr--CSTM-dep--06:00---06 :00----06:00
-
* In 1977 Geetanjali was a biweekly classless train with just 9 SL, 2SLR, 1PC coaches hauled by 3900HP WAM4 on HWH-Durg & BSL-CSTM stretch and 2600HP WDM2 on Durg-BSL stretch. Today it is a daily 24 coached train with 2ACII,2ACIII,14 SL,3GEN,2SLR,1PC hauled by 6000HP WAP7 loco. It has distinction of carrying maximum number of passengers on IR network.
* In 1977 IGP-Kasara were operational halts & Traction change Diesel-Electric at DURG & BSL
* AK, BSP were next to get stoppages
* Today Overall HWH-CSTM run has stretched from 29:00 hrs (68kmph) to 31:30 hrs (62kmph) (i.e. by 2:30 hrs) and CSTM-HWH run has been stretched from 29:00 hrs (68kmph) to 30:30 hrs (65kmph) (i.e. by 1:30 hrs.) and number of stops have increased from just 5 to a whopping 25 today! Interestingly during 1998 the run time was 33:25 hrs (59kmph) and 33:20 hrs (59kmph)
* Track upgradation i.e. use of concrete sleepers, 60kg 90UTS sturdier rails, long welded rails, colour light signalling, strengthening of loop lines, etc in last 2 decades have resulted in increased MPS and saving of journey time in spite of drastic increase in traffic and congestion of route. Today Journey has become jerk free which in 1977 was full of lateral jerks with Gitanjali accorded higher speed than other ME trains on the route.
-
* Today Geetanjali is a bit faster than its 1977 version on CSTM-Durg Route where it takes about half an hour lesser in spite of 12 additional stops, mainly due to track upgradation, especially of Wardha-BSL & NGP-Durg Section, time saved in traction change.
* It has lost its glamour on Electrified Durg-HWH section where it take 13:50 hrs (2hrs more) instead of only 11:45 hrs earlier, a drop of avg speed from astonishing 75kmph to just 62kmph.
* Similarly on HWH-Durg Section it take 14:30 hrs instead of just 11:45 i.e. a drop of avg speed from 75kmph to just 60kmph
* On Durg-CSTM section it take 17:55 hrs today against just 17:00 hrs in 1977.
* In 1977, the max speed was 95-105 kmph and today 110 kmph on most of the stretch. Gitanjali had distinction of reaching before time very often during its initial years, but today it take more time as well as reach late often but never before time as earlier. Increased traffic especially the freight traffic on Durg-KGP section is the main reason. Another reason is increased number of stoppages.
-
* It is expected that on its golden jubilee i.e. the year 2027, Geetanjali shall be a 24 coached LHB SF with a max speed of 130 kmph through most of its run with a running time of 29 hours against about 31:00 hrs today!
* I wish in next 9-10 years, A day time daily LHB SF with IIS, CC, SL, ACIII, ACII, GEN coach composition and abundant stops is introduced to take care of short distance daytime paxs on
(1) CSTM-NGP/NayaRaipur departing at 6:00 am and reaching destination by 23:00
(2) HWH-NGP route departing at 6:00 am and reaching destination by 23:00
Then the stoppages of Gitanjali can be limited to just 14 DR-KYN-NK-BSL-AK-NGP-G-Durg-R-BSP-JSG-ROU-TATA-KGP instead of present 25 stops and journey can be covered in 28 hours or less.