17316 Velankanni to Vasco-da-gama Express at Full Speed | Indian railways

17316 / Velankanni - Vasco-da-gama Express
Locomotive - KJM WDP4D 40454
Location - Bhairanayakana Halli
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of Capture - 31st Jan 2024

Part - 3 : Monstrous run by WAP - 7!
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For those who have not read
Part - 1 : /blog/post/5963414
Part - 2 : /blog/post/5963946
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As we bid adieu for the Villupuram - mayavaram passenger that was looped at platform - 2 of vaithiswaran kovil, we steadily accelerated and attained a decent speed till our train skipped sirkazhi. There still exists a speed restriction for trains that doesn't stop at sirkazhi. The white stallion accelerates further to touch the maximum permissible speed, and kollidam station came at no time, indicating that we would be crossing kollidam river, which is the longest in this single line section. This time, i shifted to the left side window of my bay, which was still not occupied, to get a better view of the road bridge that passes kind of near to the railway bridge and it is exciting to witness the overtake of buses and other road vehicles.
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There was no sign of deceleration, and "dhadak dhadak, dhadak dhadak sound started coming as we skipped past kollidam bridge at maximum speed, overtaking the buses that is passing in the adjacent bridge, and making entry into cuddalore district. Yes, that bridge marks the district border between mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore districts. Went back to the track sided side lower again, which remained vacant till my destination as per TTE. We continued at MPS after entering the Cuddalore district, and the backdrop of farmlands were slowly replaced by buildings and houses, indicating that we will be crossing chidambaram anytime now.
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This is such an important and holy place that no other train plying in this route skips chidambaram as of now. There was no intention to decrease the pace, and the sound at the track switching point when your train travels at a higher speeds - "dhadak dhadak datrrr" followed by "thad thad" sounds, the green flag exchange between the loco pilot and the railway staff and a wave of dust that appeared from platform 2 and the tracks, was creating quite a scene for people outside the train around chidambaram railway station area. Could see the wonder in their faces that which train was skipping their place in such a speed. It was such a show put up by the white stallion, which was towing our train, and for the passengers inside the train, it was quite a good show.
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Within some time that, the landscape was again replaced by farmlands, but in addition some canals were also traversing between them and some water bodies, and the train, now reduces it's pace a little to negotiate the beautiful curves among the farmlands and water bodies. After a while, could see a power plant like thing at a distance and railway track starts appearing, which amalgates with our track at puduchatram, where at loop line, a katni based WAG 9 was taking a nap with a freight rake. Started decelerating once we arrived at the vicinity of Cuddalore port junction, to 90 kmph, and to 70 kmph, negotiating series of beautiful curves, went to nostalgia of diesel days for a second. Maintained the same speed till the home of tiruppadrippuliyur and steadily came to a halt at the mainline platform, i.e, platform - 2 at 0949 hrs. Since the momentary halt at vaithiswaran kovil till now, it took just 44 minutes for the distance of 65 kms in a single line section, with an average of 87 kmph. There was good boarding at this station.
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Started moving slowly as we halted for less than 120 seconds, and started picking up speed only after crossing gedilam river, touched MPS in a short while. Again our train slowing down a bit after 15 minutes of its departure at Cuddalore and picked up speed after negotiating the long curve, duly skipping panruti station which is constructed along the curvature of tracks. Maintained the maximum speed from then till a double electrified like started appearing at the left side of the train and started approaching towards end, indicating that we have approached Villupuram. Cleared lot of loops after slowing down gradually, was able to see kazipet based WAG - 9 hauled train at platform - 5, taking a small nap at Villupuram junction. Yes, it was Nagercoil bound special from tambaram that is operated using the rake of Nagercoil Kacheguda express. We enter at the platform - 1 at 10:29 hrs, taking just 39 minutes for last 42 kms at average of 65 kmph, ending up with a delay of just 14 mts against the delay of 1hr 11 mts previously.
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It was a nice recovery run till now. Did we recover this small delay further or delay kept adding up?
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See here - /blog/post/5965020

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