JOURNEY REPORT FROM VARANASI TO NASIK ROAD BY 12168 ( /diary/trip/22632 )
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PART-1:
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After a sense of satisfaction and contentment, courtesy DLW Visit and a pilgrimage to Varanasi, it was time...
more... to head back home. I had already booked by 12168 BSB-LTT SF Express which was
RAC 3, stuck on RAC 1 for quite a few weeks and finally confirmed. Saw the status of PNR in the morning of 05.03.2013, BE2, 57 read the status which meant LB. Once again, a good one for RF and a window seat to top it all.
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Arrived at BSB at around 08.30 am, did some RF at the station. The train status board showed 12168 would depart from PF-9. After about 15-20 minutes, went to PF-9. BSB-ANVT GR was placed on PF-7, 13005 Amritsar Mail would arrive on PF-8, the prestigious Shiv Ganga on PF-1, Vibhuti on PF-5 and so on. The station was buzzing with activities. Exactly at 10.05, the rake of 12168 was shunted in from the yard by 16677 ET WDM-2 which was the loco link till ET. Surprised to see this train getting WDM-2, nevertheless it did a good job thereafter. Now since my coach was BE2, I was anticipating 3 AC Coaches, namely B1, BE1 and BE2. To my horror, I saw only 2. Just when I thought of asking TTE about BE2, the Chart was affixed which read BE2 and displayed my name against Seat 57. I was much relieved now. So improper numbering in the system, instead of BE-1, it was written BE-2. Many passengers were automatically as well as manually upgraded by TTE from SL to 3AC. At 10.25, the starter turned yellow and it was time to bid BSB goodbye, hoping to return again in the future someday.
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WDM-2 steadily crossed onto the mainline. Skipped Kashi station cautiously, since there is PSR for Malviya (Dufferin) Bridge over Ganga. After magnificent view of Ganga, the LP notched up again and the deemer chugged hard emitting smoke clouds. We had a fantastic run, skipped Chunar, Mirzapur and Vindhyachal swiftly and entered Chheoki right on time.
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(To be continued....)
