TRIP REPORT of my Journey Experience on Kolkata - Amritsar Superfast Express via Dhanbad - Gaya - Sultanpur - Saharanpur :-
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My Parents and I have enjoyed this train journey very much . We had entered into Kolkata (Chitpur) Station by reaching at around 11:00 AM . The station parking has enormous space for cars . We went to Platform No : 4 for boarding our train . At around 11:50 AM our train entered into Pl : 4 that too with a WAP - 4 Loco . We stepped into our...
more... 2nd AC Coach and our train had departed from KOAA at 12:20 PM . Our train picked up speed near Dankuni Jn . It crossed the Kolkata Chitpur - Dum Dum Section at very low speeds of around 30 Kmph with unofficial halts to get signal clearance(Members from the Eunuch Community had entered into our coach & we told them to go) . After crossing Dankuni Jn , our train notched up from around 30 Kmph to 110+ Kmph and the speed was ... WoW !!! It passed important stoppages like Burdwan Jn and Durgapur at fantastic speed . Our train had reached at Asansol Jn, 10 Minutes before time. We had Lunch at 1:30 PM , which was Home Cooked by my Mother and it consisted of Rotis & Potatoes (Alu Jeera Matar) . We had slept by 10 PM .
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Our train reached at Asansol Jn 10 Minutes before time . A Railway Staff Member told us to buy Food for Dinner(Rs. 60) which he could only load from Asansol. He said that the packets will remain warm uptil 7 PM & they can't load food from other stoppages due to the train's tight schedule. We had dinner at around 8:20 PM which consisted of Dal, Rice, Rotis, Vegetables(Ginger-Potato), Onions, Yogurt & Packed Water. Only the taste of the Dal had changed a bit. After a 5 Min Stoppage , our train left for Dhanbad Jn which was it's next Stoppage . The train ran at a fantastic speed after Dhanbad for it's next stoppage of Gaya Jn. NSCB Jn Gomoh was the last stop which I could see before Sunset(People like Cobblers, Hawkers etc were coming into our coach giving an EMU feeling between KOAA & DHN) . An unknown person was taking cool breeze by keeping our coach's main gate open after DHN(As seen in my video). Our train ran at rapping speeds on GAYA-MGS Section where I could see only lights for some seconds each time. It was not possible to capture videos of stations like Parasnath, Dehri-On-Sone, Sasaram etc from a 2nd AC Window in this train at an MPS of what I felt was 115+ Kmph. A Young TTE told me near the Main Gate that major politics has been played with this train in demoting it from a Duronto. He was tracking our train's location from his GPS Enabled Smart Phone along with his colleague. He & a coach attendant agreed that this train's stoppages are enough so that it might not get spoiled like Himgiri Exp or SDAH-AJM SF Exp. Our train reached at MGS and was late by Half an Hour. After MGS, it slowly waded through Kashi on MGS-BSB Section and was made to stand for around 20 Minutes at BSB Outer. Then it made an Unofficial Halt at BSB. Our lights were off by 10 PM and I woke up at around 5:00 AM Next Morning . After BSB, our train started speeding up as I could see from the window. My Father told me that the train again ran at great speed between BSB & LKO. My parents told the coach attendant to chase away Wait Listed Passengers who were sitting near the Main Gate of our coach & then they were never seen again. It was the result of again opening the Vestibule Shutter of our coach after BSB. We were served with Veg Breakfast by around 8:40 AM at Moradabad Jn after the train reached late over there by 1 Hour . In Veg Breakfast there was Cutlet , Bread n Butter with Sauce which my Parents had (I opted for the Non-Veg Omlette Option) . Then our train had reached at Saharanpur Jn after stopping unofficially at Bareilly Jn for 2 Minutes where our coach's Main Gates did not open.
In Lunch we were served with Dal , Rice , Chana - Paneer , Roti , Onions, Pickle & Packed Water Glass(Tasty Lunch loaded from SRE) . In After - Noon Time we were served with Alu Pakoras n Tomato Ketchup . The Best MPS Performance by our train was on sections like Gaya-Mughalsarai, Varanasi-Lucknow & Saharanpur-Ambala Cantt :)
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Our train crossed many WDG Hauled Freight & Passenger Trains between MGS & MB . After MB, we could also see Electric Trains passing by us. Our train was becoming late by stopping at various places for giving pass to Freight Trains coming from the opposite direction . Due to various slowdowns & unofficial halts , our train was late by 1 Hour . In totality , it was a Sweet & Sour Experience on this train to Punjab :-)
Thanks a lot for giving a Patient Reading to my Trip Report :-D
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My marks for this train on the following parameters :-
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1) Security: 0/10 [Slack Coach Attendant(s) {& Inadequate GRP and/or RPF} was unseen for most times inspite of his telling us that theft has taken place on this train before]
2) Food Catering: 3/10 [Absence of Pantry makes food difficult]
3) Punctuality: 8.5/10 [ Delays due to Freight Trains pass giving]
4) Speed Performance(MPS Behavior): 9/10 [Speed was great from train's side]
5) Cleanliness: 4/10 [Coach & Toilets were only cleaned at KOAA & MGS]
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This picture has been taken by me, railfan86 (of indiarailinfo.com) ; of 2nd AC Coach from outside of Kolkata - Amritsar Superfast Express - (Source: Self)
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PS: The Honorable Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has examined this train but still it's running in shambles which the Indian Railways should rectify as soon as possible to make it a clean & secure train for passengers ;-p
