Here is an trip report of 18030 SHM LTT EXPRESS journey date was : 27th November 2011...
Reached Shalimar station on journey date at 14:10 Hrs, My dad came to drop me and he was too much worried as I was about to
make journey all the way alone that too in Sleeper Class... My seat was in S-1 / 007 Side Lower Berth just near the exit...
Train...
more... departed at 15:00 Hrs with 22773 WAP-4 HWH loco with roof mounted headlights... we were about to cross Padmapukur and
TTE arrived... arrived Santragachi.Jn... The train was going at good speed at about 80 KMPH... Then halted at Ulubaria for
just 30 seconds... In time an man was asking for pen to me, I gave him pen... he sat in my seat and he was writing
something, I asked him about what was it, he replied he is an Trinamool Congress Association vendor in this train, and he
was writing an appeal letter against his colleage for physically assaulting him... Then we chatted for sometime... And our
usual Indian railways most pampered guests came - The Eunuchs (Chakka)..., The eunuchs had been knowing him, didn't
troubled both of us... Then at Mecheda for about 20 minutes, again at Panskura, the many passengers climbed up... The usual
chop wallas came, purchased one of them at Rs.10... Then came KHARAGPUR.JN halted there for only 7 minutes and procceded
to Tata Nagar.Jn, it was already dark now... Many RPF guys roaming inside the coaches... Our coach was fully jampacked, my
seat is encroached (I myself only permitted them to sit)... passed Jhargram... Chakulia... Galudih.. One of guys sat in my
seat from Kharagpur had actually got down from SC-HWH Falaknuma Superfast Expess... They were to go to Tatanagar... And now
TATA NAGAR.JN came at 20:30 Hrs... Then I had my dinner and slept... Woke up at CHAKRADHARPUR, It was 22:15 Hrs, our coach
was free of all encroachments... RPF guys roaming here and there, I felt relived atleast now I can sleep peacefully...
Again woke up due to mosquito bites at 02:30 Hrs, washed my face... leaned from door to see whole platform vaccant, except
RPF guys and some General Class passengers sleeping over the platform... I re-filled my water can by cool water... called
mom and again slept... woke again at 04:45 Hrs, I was still wondering why hasn'train still not departed...? Had some
chatting with an RPF guy, he told Train would depart around 05:00 Hrs due to winter season, as in summer it used to depart
around 04:00 Hrs... At 05:10 Hrs finally train departed slowly honking... and honking... passed through beautiful hills and
small stations... Passed Posotia.. Jaraikela... Bondamunda.Jn and came ROURKELA at 06:50 Hrs... then at Rajganjpur...
Bamra... and came agin guests of Indian railways the - Eunuchs... holding people at ransom at morning... I denied giving
money to them, and hurled abuses at them furiously and they fled off and get down at Jharsuguda.Jn at 08:45 Hrs... came
Raigarh... Champa... Naila... Akaltara...and BILASPUR.JN at 12:20 Hrs departed after an breif halt of 20 minutes... bought
3 samosas for Rs.10, they were quite good... And RAIPUR.JN came at 14:55 Hrs... there came Chattisgarh Sampark Kranti
Express trailing us... and we were let to go before... Here an unfortunate incident happened, an young girl aged around 20
was standing near the vestibule of the coach was talking in phone and weeping, I noticed it... as train departed
RAJNANDGAON, she came near the door, along with some boys who were our fellow travellers... and just after the level
crossing she jumped off the train!!! Some people shouted... but train was moving at 30 KMPH, didn't stop... Some people
from levelcrossing came running to her... And we procceded towards Dongargarh... Then I took some nap... At Dongargarh
Bilaspur Rajdhani Expess overtook us at blazing speed... Then it was dark and we were crossing Chattisgarh - Maharashtra
border, some curves amongst woods... had an unscheduled halt at Darekasa... we entered Maharashtra... Then passed many
stations and came GONDIA.JN... Bhandara.Rd at 20:25 Hrs... from there many General passengers came and encroached many
seats... I had an brawl with some of them... as against requesting me to let her sit... He argued that, the she an daily
passenger, an top of it she is an lady... I replied... "Lady hain toh ladies coach mein jao... Idher baithna hain toh
tameez ke bat karneka..." Then we separated from the Mumbai - Howrah Main line to enter Itwari... Here I had my dinner...
We were made to wait here for almost 20 minutes... passed through famous Nagpur Diamond Crossing... We entered NAGPUR.JN
platform no : 06 at 21:30 Hrs exact... there was usual hustle and bustle... Heard Announcement that HWH MUMBAI MAIL to
arrive at 23:30 Hrs... HWH ADI EXPRESS at 00:10 Hrs... Chicken biryani was sold at Rs.30... No other menu was served... I
re-filled my water can... and after an breif halt of 40 minutes we procceded at 22:10 Hrs... I after having dinner gone to
sleep... woke up at Malkapur... brushed up teeth and then BHUSAVAL.JN came at 06:10 Hrs... Then came Jalgaon.Jn... at 06:50
Hrs... passed Pachora.Jn... Chalisgaon... Nandgaon... unschedulled halt at Niphad... And MANMAD.JN came at 08:45 Hrs...
some daily passengers came... but they prefered to stand at the door itself... saw there an WCAM-3 KYN was attached to
Godavari Express to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus... passed Lasalgaon... NASHIK.RD came... And IGATPURI came at 11:10 Hrs, I
quickly ran to watch the de-coupling ceremony of my WAP-4 HWH loco... And an WCAM-3 KYN was attached to train... We left
Igatpuri at 11:35 Hrs... We were going through Thal Ghats... snaking down... suddenly Godavari Express was passing besides
us through the middle line... with two brakers attached... while we had no breakers attached to our train only the sole
WCAM-3 KYN... Then after sometime saw CSTM-LKO Pushpak Express going towards Igatpuri... We came to Kasara... here we
halted for almost 40 minutes... An local train too was allowed to pass ahead us... The fellow passengers were saying, what
a third class train is this being as Express... Then at Asangaon, we spotted CSTM-AWB Janshatabdi Expess with an WDG-3A
KYN... KALYAN.JN came... And I alighted at THANE at 12:55 Hrs...
Took an THANE - PANVEL Local from there and cam home at 15:10 Hrs
Thus end of an lenghty Journey...
Thank you all for reading this report...
