A Trip filled with Memories, A Journey in one of the last remaining FC coaches in commercial service in IR.
To be brief, the FC coach of the 56213/56214 Chamrajnagar-Tirupati-Chamrajnagar Fast Passenger and its RSA 16204/16203 Tirupati-Chennai Central-Tirupati Garudadhri express has been permanently withdrawn from service. No more privacy at affordable costs.......
This posts is an attempt to briefly showcase my Journey in this legendary coach, with whose suspension from service, an Era has ended. RIP BC non-AC FC....
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1:- KJM WDM3A 16296 awaiting its starter with the Tirupati bound Fast Passenger on pf2 of MYS.
Pic 2:- Surprise.... Surprise.... our FC coach doesn't even belong to the same zone as the train. 90955 borrowed from SCR
Pic 3:- Those Wide Windows, their uniqueness, the nostalgic 'F' board, not to be seen anymore.
Pic 4:- "प्रथम श्रेणी" u read that right.
Pic 5:- Coupe E, our home for the next 12:30hrs.
Pic 6:- A Mistimed shot, KJM WDP4 20044 stands coupled to a train in MYS yard, while UBL WDG4 12137 gets ready to shunt the rake of Hubballi bound Hampi Express.
Pic 7:- The 'F' Class of travel, Retro Perspective.
Pic 8:- A Scheduled halt at Shrirangapatna, the North Cauvery lies ahead of us.
Pic 9:- Shrirangapatna, the only station that is yet to be doubled in the 138km stretch of SBC-MYS line, the reason is in that enclosure behind the ballast mound.
Pic 10:- Pandavpura, the SL coaches of this train are as good as GS class upto SBC, beyond which some order is restored.
Pic 11:- And Proceed, we depart from PANP.
Pic 12:- 'A Setting Sun still whispers a Promise for Tomorrow'
But for non AC BG FC, there is no tomorrow, departing from Naganahalli.
Pic 13:- Curving out of Naganahalli, the home signal indicates the arrival of a train, the SBC-CMNR Passenger
Pic 14:- Charging points, in a 25year old coach about to face the axe, SCR _/\_
Pic 15:- An attempt at capturing a light streak, departing from Malur.
Pic 16:- Arrived at Gudiyattam @ 01:05hrs, the deathly silence swallows even the sounds of the cold breeze, preparing for the 3 crossings and 5 overtakes, a regular affair with this train in this station.
Pic 17:- Good Morning Tirupati, part 1 of trip ended.
We continued our Journey to Chennai in the same train with a different name. 16204 Garudadhri Express
Pic 18:- Departed bang on time, from Left to right
- with the Milk Tankers, the Puri Express
- shunted by the WAP7, the Tirumala Express
- shunted by the GY ALCo, the Overnight Passenger from Guntakal
- on pf3, The Rayalseema Express from HYB
Pic 19:- A new day, a new beginning, the morning is definitely wiser than the evening. Heading towards Renigunta Jn.
Pic 20:- Slowing down at Renigunta outer, we are instructed to enter pf4.
Pic 21:- The only reversal in our Journey, Renigunta Jn., the breakfast varities available here is a must try for people passing through this train around 07:00-08:00 in the morning.
Pic 22:- GY WDP4D is a silent spectator to our exit, notice the express train departing from pf3, it was the Padmavati Express from SC, departing parallel to us.
Pic 23:- The Pudi curve. AJJ WAP1 22026 charges ahead with the 17 coach rake, it took charge from RU, our steed for the SBC-RU leg was AJJ WAP1 22023.
Pic 24:- Ekambarakuppam; tracks on 2 different levels, As the clouds cast their shadows on the hills, we depart and say goodbye to the Tirupati bound Sapthagiri Express.
Pic 25:- Reflections..... Aftermath of the recent rains that lashed out parts of the TN-AP border near Chennai and surrounding districts.
Pic 26:- Arakkonam Jn. outer
Pic 27:- SR seems to have begun the process of scrapping; FC coaches that have lived their usefulness, await the Grim Reaper
Pic 28:- We were allotted Coupe C, from TPTY to MAS, Emergency Window is anyday a bliss for Railfans. Sriram, my companion for the last 24hrs on rails; was enjoying it thoroughly.
Pic 29:- BL tigerface hauling a colorful CONCOR rake, patiently waits in the third line at TRL home, for us to enter.
Pic 30:- Thanks Sriram for this pic(myself in the Emergency Window @ Avadi), memories to be cherished for life.
Pic 31:- Curving towards Basin Bridge, last leg of my Journey; my first and last ride in a BG FC carriage.
Pic 32:- Arrived Chennai Central 5mins before time. RPM WAP7 which probably brought in the daily SF from TVC, waits for us to enter pf6, before proceeding to the Trip shed. To be noted, even the TVC Daily express (12695/96) had a FC coach until a few years ago. Its now replaced with a 3AC coach.
Pic 33:- Adiós First Class..... You will be missed.

One Saturday morning, 2 Railfans decided to explore the majestic gradient filled 139km stretch between Bangalore and Mysore. A Lazy weekend outing to Mysore which involved getting up early in the morning to catch the Golgumbaz express at Bangalore City had its own benefits.
Check out that benefit here - click here
After a hurried breakfast in Yeshvantpur, the 2 of us rushed to pf3 where UBL WDP4 had pulled in with the Golgumbaz from Solapur; unexpectedly before time. This gave us space to find some good seats. The rest of the journey...
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was a breeze, although we ended up a good 25minutes late at Mysore, but had a surprise waiting for us there too.
UBL WDP4 20007 'BOND' was in charge of the Bagalkot bound Basava Express. This was also the train we had planned to take back to Bangalore. After spotting the bond, my friend insisted that we travel in the first coach after the loco, to 'FEEL' the loco as he called it. Quite funny....
Nonetheless, i quite understood his enthusiasm and didn't stand in its way. The humming and notch up sounds of the imported EMD gave quite an adrenaline rush every time. And the super honking sounds was source for the thrills. Due to inadequate battery power managed only a few captures on the way back.
Hope you liked the video, please provide comments, reviews or suggestions if any.
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