Shabdbhedi Express: गति इसकी शब्दों को भेदती है, पूरब को पूर्वांचल से जोड़ती है - Dr. Abhishek Rai

Raipur was added in 1980. Bcoz in 1979, my train did not have a halt there (and no KYN either). Though I was awake to witness the loco change from WDM2 to WAM4 at Durg, I slept off after that and was not sure whether it actually bypassed it (taking the Urkura-Sanora bypass) or went through the station. In summer of 1980, I took the Gitanjali special (running on a 5th day), using the regular Gitanjali rake, which also did not have a halt at Raipur. But my 1979 Gitanjali trip was truly special - my SLR-cum-3-tier-coach was next to the loco - we got a WCAM1 till IGP, then WAM4 till BSL, then WDM2 till Durg, then a WAM4 again. The train was almost 1/2 hour early at NGP outer. There was a bandh in Howrah, next day, and all trains were being...
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terminated at TATA. No worries for us, since we were going till TATA only. Was also awake at BSP to hear one of the coolest WAM4 honking ever! We left Bombay VT at 6.00am and pulled into TATA around 7.30am. The total traveling time from BBVT to HWH was less than 29.5 hrs, if I recall.
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My FB albums has a travelogue on this Gitanjali trip. Feel free to peruse that if you are my FB friend :-)