Purulia Express: লালপাহাড়ীর দ‍্যাশে যাবি? চিন্তা কিসের লো? বিকাল বেলা হাওড়া থেকে পুরুল্যা এক্সপেরেস পাবি। - Dip

A friend and I travelled in this train on 2nd February from YPR to SC, in 3A (B2) coach. We were hauled by GTL ALCO Twins till GTL from where a WAP 7 took charge. Food is loaded into this train probably from Chikka Bannavar Jn, and though you don't get a steady stream of food supply, lunch, snacks and water bottles are available. Tea and coffee are also available, but not at frequent intervals.
Owing to the humongous slack this train has, we were Before time at a majority of the stations. We were held up at Rayadurgam on the main line, while the Chikjajur Guntakal pass which had come before us, was allowed to proceed first. We were further held...
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up for around 30 minutes at Somalapuram, and again for some 15 odd minutes at GTL home.
We pulled into Lingampalli Jn at around 0545 am. This train has a scheduled arrival of 0655 AM at SC, and I had intended to take this train up to SC, and take any MMTS to Vidyanagar (VAR), but my friend who got off at LPI told me to take an incoming Falaknuma LPI MMTS, that would leave first, as the return LPI FM MMTS and get me to Vidyananagar much faster. I took the MMTS to VAR and reached VAR by around 0655 am.
This train can easily be made to depart YPR by around 1230 or even 1300, and it can still reach SC by 0655 am, such is the amount of slack it has..