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| Link of train |
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| The other side of CR |
Late but here it is..
2 Nov, 2013:
After a sleepless night I reached Dadar Station early at 430 am to board 12051 Madgao Janashatabdi Express. I was excited as it was the first time I was going to experience KR and JS. I walked into the station with luggage. The rake along with the loco was already at platform no. 7. I settled the luggage and decided to check the chart. All 9 names of my family members were there though there was problem in numbering ; it was all fine later. I took a picture of destination board and decided to go to loco. Walking through the half awake platform I covered the short rake and reached the loco. ERS WDM 3A 14051 'baldie' was the link. The shunting crew was still sitting waiting for the LP, ALP crew to take over. I stood there listening the the sound of loco. Soon the crew came and started checking loco. I took a quick picture and started walking back to my coach. Since it was D1, it was a pretty long walk. 525 am and the loco honked and pulled out of the station. Negotiating the turn-outs the train skipped Matunga six minutes later. Loco was a hell of a chugger. It chugged and honked all the way till Thane- the first halt. Like always this time too I found some confusion regarding the coach numbers and positions and saw the crowd was running helter-skelter. The train departed but again came to a halt. Finally after a long honk it accelerated. The coach was crowded with people at door, in the vestibules. We quickly covered Parsik Tunnel and halted at Diva Outer. We entered the station and found the Dadar bound Rajyarani accelerating. Diva - Madgao was at platform with some orange AlCo and another Mumbai bound train was behind it. We entered the Panvel line and skipped Datavali. Skipping stations one by one we came to an halt at Kalamboli but before we could completely stop the train started.
We crawled through Panvel outer and did parallel with a DC EMU. UBL WDG 4 12133 and KYN WDM 3A 16012 were seen resting while another UBL WDG 4 was waiting for clearance with BCNA. Bought a packet of Samosa. Rs 10 for one packet with 3 Samosas. They were small but were good. We pulled out of Panvel and found an ERS WDM 3A 16237 waiting for some duty. Busy with the samosas I realized that wires above had gone and we were in a diesel territory! Crossed Kalyan Shakti led Roha - Diva Passenger. And some moments later crossed another Kalyan Shakti led train.. We soon slowed down and entered loop at Apta and skipped it through loop line.. And whom did we overtake? A Yellow UBL WDG 4 12004 with a flatbed like consist! I was overjoyed to see a UBL WDG 4 that too a yellow one! Waiting for the train to enter KR, I slept. I woke up and the train had stopped at Kolad. We had entered KR! Curves, small bridges, and a foggy morning environment was a delight! The train skipped Mangao at MPS and was maintaining the MPS run! We pulled into Diwankhavati loop. I expected a RORO but what came was a Ratlam beauty with Kochuveli - Dehradun Express! We overtook a UBL WDG 4 12312 led BOXN at Khed and reached Chiplun. NZM bound Mangala Lakshadweep Express entered Chiplun with a Green WDM 3A did not get to see shed as there was a BOXN rake in between.
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| Kolad |
After a long halt we accelerated. The last leg of my journey had started. Finally I got tea at Chiplun after a long haltless journey.. It was a great relief! Skipping stations one by one, I was waiting for a RoRo to meet me. And finally it did! It was waiting for crossing at Sangameshwar! Tunnels, bridges, and no network was the story of that moment. We were literally cruising at MPS. Oh! I forgot that we met Ratnagiri - Dadar Passenger somewhere which was with a navy blue KYN AlCo. We negotiated the final tunnel and curve before Ratnagiri and we entered Ratnagiri! Found another RoRo with a fresh painted (may be new) WDG 4 and just besides it was a UBL duo waiting with BCNA. Both towards Mumbai. We got down and Mumbai bound Netravati arrived with ED WDM 3A.. Thus the journey to the land of mangoes in one of fastest KR train ended.
My verdict on the train -
My coach was D1. 103 seats in a JS coach was a cramped seating arrangement. But it did not feel as the seats were good. All over the journey was good. In whole journey from Dadar to Ratnagiri only a SAMOSAwala came. No tea till Chiplun where infact I got it from station than in train. No breakfast although the food was loaded at Dadar. Train was jampacked with WL pax all over the train (even in AC CC). I would only recommend this train if
- You are in a hurry
- You love high speed
- You can stay without food (you can carry your own)
- You are ready to take very early morning trouble
I would rate this train a 4/5.
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| Overtaking yellow UBL WDG 4 led BRNA rake at Apta |
