June 22, 2008

Trip Jottings: VKB-SBC-KCG

Here are a few snippets from the trip I made to Bangalore.

VKB-GTL:

* Departed from Vikarabad on 6593 NED-SBC Hampi Link express. Train departed 30mins late at 1515hrs behind MLY WDM-2 #16363.
* 2748 Palnadu departed VKB on schedule behind GTL WDM-2 # 16656
* SBC-NED link was behind MLY's #16336.
* The loco which takes out the 347 HYB-PAU passenger on Day 1 heads the Hampi link upto GTL the next day.
* A loaded BOXN rake led by UBL WDG-4 #12128 was let to pass VKB at 1505hrs, even while the 6593 was getting late. This made 6593 trail the same till Rukmapur where it overtook the freight. Rukmapur also had a BCNA rake led by GY WDG-3A Baldie #14551.
* At Kurgunta, a BTPN rake led by a WDG-4 crossed us.
* At Malkhaid Road, a pair of Pune WDM-2 locos #17694 & 17713R were at the helm of a cement rake.
* Passed an empty BOXN rake led by twin MLY WDM-2 with 17399 at the helm.
* Just after Sulehalli, about 1km before WADI, SCR territory ends and CR begins. Basically, the CR territory includes the Halkatta bypass. So, as one progress from SC side towards RC, one has to travel about a km in CR territory. The KM markers showing 606 (to CSTM) are sure signs of the same.
* Nalwar is almost a suburb of Wadi, and 6593 seemed to have an unscheduled halt at Halkatta everyday since a lot of people were waiting for the train and a quite a few got in. I could make out that a large number of those were destined for Nalwar and Yadgir, and a few for RC.
* The Nalwar- Yadgir section is a fantastic straight line section with the tracks separated by about 20metres. Our train was constantly doing 100+ on that section. I guess its a good section for high speed videography.
* Crossed an express led by a GTL loco as well as a GY twins #13358, 13314 led freighter.
* UBL WDG-4 #12087 was at Yadgir with an empty BOXN.
* The run to KSN was good and thence it was decent upto RC. The Krishna new bridge is going to be a dual track bridge and the present bridge would be phased out. The work on the bridge towards WADI end is complete, while it might take another few months to do so at the RC end. No tracks have been laid on the entire bridge and neither on the approach.
* Space is being made for another line to come up after the bridge uptil Yermarus, maybe for an extra line to hold rakes, or a possible minor realignment.

GTL:

* Reached Adoni 45mins late, but reached GTL half an hour early, thanks to the enormous slack this train has got.
* 6593 was put on pf 4 at GTL. Announcement was made for arrival of 7604 on pf 5 and it arrived soon with a GY Baldie 14009. It reversed and attached itself at the other end,
* The KCG-VSG/UBL slip coach attachment is now back to GTL. It was shifted to DNC for sometime, but apparently complaints by passengers about lack of facilities at DNC made the authorities get the same back to GTL. This also saved the need for an extra loco at DNC for the shunting.
* The HWH-VSG Amaravati was cancelled on that day and hence a single GTL WDM-2 had brought in the 4 slip coaches from VSG and was going to do the same on return.
* Spotted GTL WDM-2 17944 and 17498 at GTL.
* Soon after 7604 departed, 1013 CBE-LTT with WDP-4 20037 arrived on pf5.
* Ahmedabad-SBC weekly arrived and departed soon from pf 3.
* Pf 1 and 2 (erstwhile MG) are now non existant, and another island pf is coming up which might become the 1 & 2 soon.
* At 11PM, announcement was made for arrival of 6591 UBL-SBC Hampi express on pf 6. It arrived with dual KJM WDP-4 locos #20025, 20027.
* The 6591 locos reached only halfway through the platform and stopped the rake so that the last coach was at the end of the pf. Then the locos were cut from 6591. In the meantime, 16363 had cut off from 6593.
* The twin Dippys were shunted to pf 4, attached to 6593 and headed ahead. After crossing the GTL yard, the 6593 was reversed back onto pf 6 and attached to 6591.
* It was now a 24 coacher. Never knew that 6591 even had a HA coach!!
* Departed GTL at 2330hrs and retired for the night.

SBC:

* Woke up at 5AM to find the train being looped at Dodballapur and a WDG-4 led freighter crossing us.
* Reached YNK at 0530hrs and departed after 5mins. YNK is now under wires. The catenary is ready so that electrics can come upto YNK from BYPL/KJM side. Empty rake of YPR-Muzaffarpur was at YNK.
* The YPR branch has poles up till Lottegollahalli where the Hebbal line joins. No wires though. After Lottegollahalli till YPR, the catenary masts are slowly coming up and most are not even fixed.
* Arrived at YPR at 6AM after a slow run, but were stopped for more than 15mins so that the JS could cross us.
* Rani Chennamma has also just arrived at YPR with dual WDP-4 locos #20007 and 20006.
* Soon we exited YPR and made our way to SBC which we reached at 0630hrs, 20 mins behind schedule after a small halt at MVM.
* Just as I reached pf1, Lalbagh was departing with LGD WAP-4 Monster #22716 !!
* Spotted the usual suspects at SBC, KJM locos 16669, 36016.

BYPL:

* Had a small session at BYPL, the same place where my IRFCA days all began.
* Thanks to Ramdev Gowda who spent the hot afternoon with me.
* Spotted ED WAG-7 #27756 and an OHE inspection car doing the rounds.
* The highlight was a fast running Brindavan led by ED WAP-4 #22526.
* Prashanti went with a WDP-4 LHF.
* The BWT-SBC MEMU arrived and was also seen departing later.
* The rake of SBC-KCVL exp was brought in from probably CSDR to BYPL and after a short halt, went towards SBC led by KJM WDM-2 #16670.
* CBE-LTT came in with ERS WDM-3A #14075.

YPR-KCG-BMT:

* On the return journey, I was booked on the 7604 YPR-KCG exp. It was stationed on pf 2 with GTL WDM-3A #18914R at the helm. (I made one mistake here. Did not actually see the shed name written. It was in the GTL blue-yellow-grey livery hence I assumed the home shed).
* The loco which provided me my first ever FP a few years back, KJM's 18704R was seen idling.
* Sidhaganga Intercity to UBL was late behind 20054.
* We started from YPR bang on time and SBC gangman Pavan Kumar was rushing to YPR to meet me, but I guess he made it to YPR just as the last coach crossed the platform.. never mind Pavan, there's always a next time. :)
* The run was good all the way although we were running just around 10-15 mins behind schedule.
* At Dodballapur, we were made to wait for the GNT-YPR passenger to cross. It was led by GTL's 18756, but had a dead 20032 WDP-4 behind it.
* Makalidurg never disappoints me. 7 out of 10 times I travelled on the section in the evenings, it has rained. And on this occasion, it did not pour but was a light drizzle. It was a wonderful scenery and the loco was making mincemeat of the rake down the ghats.
* The scenery changes from lush green to dull brown barren as we cross Vidhuraswatha, the last station in Karnataka and cross Devarapalle, the first station in AP on that section.
* Crossed Hindupur, Penukonda and SSPN uneventfully and just as we were approaching DMM, an unknown train led by an Alco was on its way on the direct line to PKD.
* The IRCTC stall at DMM was serving hot Dal vadas, idlis and rail aahar (poori and aloo sabzi). The rail ahaar is served in boxes and the rate was mentioned clearly and in bold as Rs 10. But the vendor was charging Rs 15 for the same. Of course I did not pay and a simple threat of putting in a complaint against him made him charge Rs 10 only. And he did that for all the people while I was lurking around !!
* The run to GY was fast. The MG line between DMM and Kalluru is still intact with no sign of GC. However, at Kalluru, the MG line has been replaced by BG. Also a new cross-over line has been built from the existing BG line to the newly converted BG line over a new embankment.
* The tracks and sleepers have been pulled off the MG bridge over the Pennar. I am not sure if the old girder bridge is strong and wide enough to accomodate the BG. I also think that is the exact reason why the GC has been halted between Kalluru and DMM and thats why connection to the old line.
* 7604 (and not 7603) has a loco change at GY. I assume it should be a GY-GY change as 18914 sped into the shed after being replaced by GY's 14038. Thats when my mistake of taking the loco's livery for granted came to haunt me. I was assured by the RPF hawaldar that it is a daily occurrence.
* The RPF on duty takes over 7604 at DMM and they disembark at DNC and take the 2785 back to DMM. This is their daily link. Another common link is Karnataka/7603 between DMM-GTL.
* Arrived on time at GTL on pf5. At the same time, MLY's 18539 brought in the Hampi Link from NED to pf 6.
* CBE-LTT arrived in sometime on pf4 behind KJM's 14084.
* 14038 reversed at GTL while the UBL slip coaches were attached at the RC end of 7604 and off we were towards KCG.
* I took up the side upper berth and dozed off. Woke up at 0445hrs to find ourselves entering Falaknuma. We were put on the pf 3 loop because a MMTS rake for FL-1 was blocking the pf2 mainline! That rake spent the entire night at FM. It could have been put on the pf 3 loop!!
* #360 FM-GR passenger was on pf1.
* Reached KCG 5 minutes behind schedule, probably missing the punctual arrival time due to the looping at FM. Took the FL-1 to BMT.
* At SC, Krishna exp was getting ready behind 22658. 22231 was idling near the pf 1 siding.
* Tungabhadra was on pf 8 while 713 BZA-SC special (which would go as 2706 SC-GNT intercity) was on pf 9.
* Announcements were being made about cancellation of SC-GHY exp and impending arrival of Godavari exp.
* Reached BMT at 0655hrs after a through run. I expected a crossing with AP to happen between SC-HSJ but there was no sign of 2723.

Reached home in another 10mins and dozed off again!!

Hope you enjoyed.



10 comments:

Aarti said...

Whoa.....that was quite a bit to take in at 11.30pm.. :)

- welcome back
- that post probably has the most number of train details i've ever read.. but thoroughly fascinated with all the details you've written..awesome insight...now i shall enjoy my train journeys more i know... :)

-"The scenery changes from lush green to dull brown barren as we cross Vidhuraswatha,"
= the best part about travelling by train... :)[there is something comforting about train travel.. i am so at peace]

Preeti said...

Whoooaaaaa!!!!!!U know a brief glance at it looked like a whole lotta numbers!!!!

Ankur said...

baapp re bapp...

were u doin this only kya all time long!! :P

heheh... but whopping boss!!!
and u left a msg sayin call me... i left u a mail but u didnt reply???

btw.. u r tagged in midst of all this!! :D

Cheers!!!

RiĆ  said...

oh my god!tht was like a technical explanation of ur journey! :P

Cinderella said...

Baapre yeh kya tha ?!!!!
Poora thesis likh dala tumne boss !!!

Bravo !!

Anonymous said...

I refreshed my memories of all the alphabets from a to Z from this post! ;)

thanks vrij!

Mysterious Mia said...

OMG...is all i have to say..

Chakoli said...

What shud I say???

Vrijilesh Rai said...

@ Aarti

Thanks. If its too much at 1130, try it at 0730!!

And yes, the scenery change is the bestest part of any journey.


@ Preeti

Indeed there is a lotta numbers involved!


@ Ankur

Indeed, I was doing this most of the time..

Msged to find if u have Cindy's contact, but wasnt there when u replied. I was at a cyber cafe then.


@ Ria

This is only jottings, not the full report!!


@ Cindy

Grrrr.. couldnt call me atleast...


@ Curious

Hahahahaha :))


@ Mia

:)


@ Chaks

Say what u like!!

Sriram said...

wow... one hell of a read! And the twin DP4s - a ride behind them would be serious fun :p