Trip Report
Date: 30th July 2013
After a gap of 4 years, it was a day journey to Chennai by a day train. IRCTC site as usual gave a let down allotting seat No. 77 and 80 to a Railfan despite availabilit showing 500+ tickets- well luck does play
got up early morning and caught the 5:20AM bus to reach station by 5:55AM. went...
more... aroudn to check the vacany status and charts gave a shocking details till D8 showing all windows reserved along with the Middle seats. All aisles vacant. cursing fate boarded my d-3 coach and occupied seats 90 and 91 to enjoy till the true owners come. Coach was 93 made and had seats on opposite sides
Announcement was made for 12677 Ernakulam Intercity to depart from PF-3. Had a closer look on PF-2 to find 12610 to chennai standing there. at 6:32AM we got the starter as announcements went for Hampi to Mysore leaving from PF-5
Looked over the curve to find WAP7 30240 from RPM being our lead. The 56514 having its last days of run to Karaikkal from Bangalore City was being shunted by KJM WDM2. Erode WDM-3D honked as we passed by signalling clearance for 16731 tuticorin-Mysore to enter platform. Meanwhile my mom asked me what the lead is-I replied the white beauty and she asked whether one like that which brought Lalbagh with her 15 days back- I said yes WAP7 and she said then it will be a very good acceleration
As this conversation went on we had entered Bangalore Cantt and people started boarding but not completely yet. Twin Alcos from Guntakal shed entered on opposite side with the 12785 Kacheguda-Bangalore Express surprisingly close to time. We started our journey and at Bangalore East it was AJJ WAM4 entering with 56214 tirupati-Chamrajnagar pass. at Baiyappanhalli it was turn of Erode shed WAP4 with the 16525 Island Express slowly accelerating as the signal turned amber ahead. At KJM a huge crowd boarded but majority unreserved being daily travellers to BWT who didnt bother about seat availability
We moved on- at whitefield goods yard could find scores of people waiting for their passenger to go to city. Just as we passed through whitefield AJJ WAP1 hauled Jolarpettai-Bangalore Express crossed across. At Devangonthi it was tuen of WAP4(Erode??) with the 16316 from Kochuveli to cross us with both trains at good speeds of 90+. Took out my mobile for speed calculation which showed train hovering around 95 not slowing much. Next in the line was the Swarna passenger from Marikuppam with good crowd, followed in next 10 minutes by the solo MEMU of SWR from Bangarpet to Bangalore. Crossing all these , we de-accelerated to be welcomed by Twin WDG-3A's with BCNA rake waiting at Bangarpet junction where the good crowd, majorly tiruttani travellers for the Adi Krithigai function boarded, forcing me to leave the conquered seat and go to my own seat and TTE came for ticket checking a mere formality in the crowd
To be contd....
