ಮೈಸೂರು - ವಾರಣಾಸಿ ಎಕ್ಸ್‌ಪ್ರೆಸ್: ಕಾವೇರಿ ಮತ್ತು ಗಂಗಾ ನದಿಗಳ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ಸೇತುವೆ - Vishwanath Joshi

Part - 2 : Looping, looping and looping.
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For those who have not read part - 1 : /blog/post/5963414
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As I board the train and went to my berth to see that...
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my bay was still not changed into seats from berth and all were sleeping tight in my bay. I was not ready to sleep and wanted to enjoy the day journey in mainline after a very long time (could have been more than 3 years from now), went to a next bay where a track sided side lower and side upper remained unoccupied. As I occupy the side lower, felt a jerk customary for LHB rakes, indicating departure of our train that halted for less than 2 minutes here.
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After clearing multiple points and entering the main line, the white stallion, which was towing our train for that day, accelerated quite well and attained MPS within we cross the city limits. Our train traversing through lush greenery in the orangish yellow early morning sunlight at full speed, was a visual treat for me. As I was enjoying this, our train crossed thittai, pandaravadai in no time and skipped papanasam in just 20 minutes after departing from Thanjavur. After few minutes of crossing papanasam, our train started decelerating steadily, and I realised that our train was looped at sundaraperumal kovil, only after our train was looped at platform 2. Reckoning that it was for crossing with Salem express from mayiladuthurai, checked it's running status at WIMT, and it deciphered that it has just crossed thiruvidaimarudhur by then, and this having around 5 halts before it reaches the crossing station where our train is looped, took its own time to arrive at platform - 1 with some random WAP - 4 in lead, which was around 20 minutes since we were halted for a crossing. Our train gave a customary jerk after this arrived, indicating the departure.
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Once we cleared the line and picked up speed, crossed suburb station of Kumbakonam and our train gave a speedy entry at mainline platform of kumbakonam, and it was 2 minutes, 5 minutes and there was no signs of our train to take off from Kumbakonam. As I was sensing that it should be for the Thanjavur bound passenger from mayiladuthurai, and it made entry in a short while at platform 2 with an off link, a raipur based WAG - 7, with same locomotive that i spotted the same train a few days back. People deboarding that passenger train, being lazy enough to cross the platform through the foot over bridge, crossed through our train which halted in a double discharge platform. Just imagine the scenario if our train has immediately taken off from the mainline and double discharge platform immediately after arrival of Thanjavur passenger. Anyways, even after arrival of Thanjavur passenger, our train stopped for few more minutes before taking off, sensing that the crew understood this. So the 2 minute halt at Kumbakonam now extended easily to more than 5 minutes and due to a crossing, it took the time which is usually taken by a passenger train between Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.
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The train kept maintaing full speed, after our train sprinted from mainline platform at Kumbakonam steadily, skipping stations enroute at maximum speed, untill we slow down and slowly loop at platform 2 of kuthalam. This time, it was 0805 hrs at the morning. Reckoning that it should be the RSA of the same LHB train i witnessed in the morning when I entered the station, checked the WIMT for the running status. Still there was 5 more minutes for the same to depart from the source. So, realising that it should take 20 more minutes for this crossing, hopped down the train, strolled towards pantry car. They had two options for breakfast, either Pongal - sambhar or Upma with tomato sauce. I opted for the latter, which sounded quite weird, got it along with the water bottle and a snack platter, that contained a samosa, an aalu bhaji and dhal vada, and went back to my coach. Took some time to savour all the food i brought, except for the tomato sauce. After 20 minutes of halt, Erode diesel shed based brand new WAP -7 was strolling with the RSA of the LHB train i met early this morning when I went to the station, departing from platform - 3 of Thanjavur. After that train arrives, we get starter and our train was slowly making its way towards mayiladuthurai junction.
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As we maintained a decent speed till mayiladuthurai outers, after which we decelerate steadily as enter the vicinity of the station and enter platform - 3 of mayiladuthurai junction at 0841 hours with a delay of more than an hour. As of now, it took 1hour 55 mts for just 70 kms, with an average speed of 37 kmph. Our train made a customary jerk just after a minute of halt, indicating departure. But, this time, after departing mayiladuthurai, our train accelerated steadily, but did not attain maximum speed. Meanwhile our train skipped ananthathandavapuram, and thereafter steadily decelerated and made an unscheduled halt at outers of vaithiswaran kovil. Wondering who is it this time, checked the running status of trains that's supposed to arrive mayiladuthurai. So, it was daily passenger from Villupuram to mayiladuthurai that is supposed to cross us this time, indicating that it departed sirkazhi.
At 0900hrs, after halting for 10 minutes, heard a shrill honk, indicating the take off of our train at mainline, and as we steadily accelerate through vaithiswaran kovil, we witnessed the erode based WAP 1, towing the daily passenger from Villupuram, was taking a small rest at platform 2 after sprinting quickly from sirkazhi.
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For this leg of thanjavur to vaithiswaran kovil, for just 84 kms, it took 2h18m with an average of 38 kmph.
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Did our train recover the delay in the remaining leg of the journey? Did any more crossings remain for us in the remaining leg of the single line? Stay tuned for the next part.
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Thanks for reading this patiently.
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Part - 3 : /blog/post/5965012