7 September 2014:
Preface:
This was the journey I was looking forward to from a long time. It was planned and scrapped a no. of times, but finally the day came. It was a sudden planned trip. A relative sparked the fire to come over on the occasion of Ganpati. After convincing my mother I finally landed up in Pune. The journey to Pune was in a bus journey but I made sure that the return journey is a train one and one in DQ.So, tickets were swiftly booked (unfortunately in AC CC).
Journey:
So, I reached Pune station at around 635-40 and at around 645, the rake was shunted by a derated blue Pune WDM 2. My coach was C4, just besides the Dining Car. I started walking towards the first coach and as I reached there I could see the loco. After the Lonavala local left, the loco started its movement towards us. It was 21897, a Kalyan WCAM 3. The loco soon coupled with the rake and did a pull-push to see if the rake is coupled properly.
I started my return, reached my coach and took my seat. At around 717 am the rake moved. The coach was nice,clean with a couple of paintings and pictures on either ends. The seats were all in journey direction. Meanwhile, a WDM 3D and a WDG 3A had come in the middle line (the line next to Pf 1 line). Also WDP 4D 4015x was moving to join towards station. The electric loco tripshed had a WCAM 2 and a couple of WCAM 3s. We soon negotiated the turnouts and started accelerating.
We skipped stations one by one, overtook Sahyadri and were cruising at MPS. We crossed Pune - Jaipur which was with a WAP 4. Also met a BCNA rake in the way. Suddenly, the MPS run was cut short and we were moving at a moderate speed. Since my side was trackside, I could see Indrayani river running parallel to us, looking kind of muddy due to rain.
We reached reached Lonavala yard where a couple of freight trains were seen. As we entered the station 166xx loco was with Indrayani Express which departed as soon as we arrived. Surprise came here when I saw the AC converted WCAM 2 6P(?) 21876 in the chocolate WAG 5 livery doing banking duty. The loco looks yuck as compared to the awesome LHB livery.
In a bid to take its picture I went to dining car. I couldn't take its picture but decided to stay there and have something. I had heard a lot about the Cheese toast of DQ. So, I decided to order that one first. That one came quick and I started eating it. The train had departed Lonavala and had reached Khandala for a brake testing halt. Around a minute and whoosh! Brakes released and we depart. Meanwhile, I finished the toast and ordered the omelette. I was in full mood to eat as much as I can but.... *burp* the stomach was full... We cleared the Monkey Hill halt and kept moving down the middle line.
The monsoon is the correct time to visit both the ghats on CR. The deep valleys, water falls - small and large, the scene is always exciting, and treat to eyes. I returned to my coach popped a Mentos and sat watching the beautiful scenes. Twists and turns and tunnels - it was wonderful. We went through a left curve and kept going down crossing Palasdari. Karjat was next and was skipped at near MPS speed. We were in local territory which meant no more MPS run and was true. We had slowdowns and moderate speeds but no MPS except for some stations. In some time we reached Kalyan, made a parallel entry with local. We slowed down near the middle of platform to go through some turnouts. The yard had some freight trains but only I could see was their tails.
After going through turnouts we passed Thakurli at good speed then came Dombivali and then Kopar after which we slowed down at Diva. WCAM 3 was doing a lovely job (of course the LP responsible for such a wonderful job). This was the first time that I really liked riding behind a WCAM 3. We quickly went through the Parsik tunnel and reached Thane. We had an unscheduled halt there. I thought of getting down at Thane but then who wouldn't like to continue such a journey when you can.. So I dropped the idea and glued myself to the seat. A minute or so later we departed. Locals were giving tough competition to DQ but DQ managed to speed past them! Some time later I heard chugging, I thought what could be it.. Honks and Kalyan Shakti sped past with Mangalore - CSTM SFE! It overtook us from sixth line!And we overtook it again!!! The tom and jerry soon finished and we blasted Kurla at MPS. Reached Dadar pretty much on time and thus the journey ended and I made my way towards WR to go back home.
Preface:
This was the journey I was looking forward to from a long time. It was planned and scrapped a no. of times, but finally the day came. It was a sudden planned trip. A relative sparked the fire to come over on the occasion of Ganpati. After convincing my mother I finally landed up in Pune. The journey to Pune was in a bus journey but I made sure that the return journey is a train one and one in DQ.So, tickets were swiftly booked (unfortunately in AC CC).
Journey:
So, I reached Pune station at around 635-40 and at around 645, the rake was shunted by a derated blue Pune WDM 2. My coach was C4, just besides the Dining Car. I started walking towards the first coach and as I reached there I could see the loco. After the Lonavala local left, the loco started its movement towards us. It was 21897, a Kalyan WCAM 3. The loco soon coupled with the rake and did a pull-push to see if the rake is coupled properly.
 |
| WCAM 3 #21897 |
I started my return, reached my coach and took my seat. At around 717 am the rake moved. The coach was nice,clean with a couple of paintings and pictures on either ends. The seats were all in journey direction. Meanwhile, a WDM 3D and a WDG 3A had come in the middle line (the line next to Pf 1 line). Also WDP 4D 4015x was moving to join towards station. The electric loco tripshed had a WCAM 2 and a couple of WCAM 3s. We soon negotiated the turnouts and started accelerating.
We skipped stations one by one, overtook Sahyadri and were cruising at MPS. We crossed Pune - Jaipur which was with a WAP 4. Also met a BCNA rake in the way. Suddenly, the MPS run was cut short and we were moving at a moderate speed. Since my side was trackside, I could see Indrayani river running parallel to us, looking kind of muddy due to rain.
We reached reached Lonavala yard where a couple of freight trains were seen. As we entered the station 166xx loco was with Indrayani Express which departed as soon as we arrived. Surprise came here when I saw the AC converted WCAM 2 6P(?) 21876 in the chocolate WAG 5 livery doing banking duty. The loco looks yuck as compared to the awesome LHB livery.
 |
| Monkey Hill.. |
In a bid to take its picture I went to dining car. I couldn't take its picture but decided to stay there and have something. I had heard a lot about the Cheese toast of DQ. So, I decided to order that one first. That one came quick and I started eating it. The train had departed Lonavala and had reached Khandala for a brake testing halt. Around a minute and whoosh! Brakes released and we depart. Meanwhile, I finished the toast and ordered the omelette. I was in full mood to eat as much as I can but.... *burp* the stomach was full... We cleared the Monkey Hill halt and kept moving down the middle line.
 |
| Cheese Toast! |
The monsoon is the correct time to visit both the ghats on CR. The deep valleys, water falls - small and large, the scene is always exciting, and treat to eyes. I returned to my coach popped a Mentos and sat watching the beautiful scenes. Twists and turns and tunnels - it was wonderful. We went through a left curve and kept going down crossing Palasdari. Karjat was next and was skipped at near MPS speed. We were in local territory which meant no more MPS run and was true. We had slowdowns and moderate speeds but no MPS except for some stations. In some time we reached Kalyan, made a parallel entry with local. We slowed down near the middle of platform to go through some turnouts. The yard had some freight trains but only I could see was their tails.
After going through turnouts we passed Thakurli at good speed then came Dombivali and then Kopar after which we slowed down at Diva. WCAM 3 was doing a lovely job (of course the LP responsible for such a wonderful job). This was the first time that I really liked riding behind a WCAM 3. We quickly went through the Parsik tunnel and reached Thane. We had an unscheduled halt there. I thought of getting down at Thane but then who wouldn't like to continue such a journey when you can.. So I dropped the idea and glued myself to the seat. A minute or so later we departed. Locals were giving tough competition to DQ but DQ managed to speed past them! Some time later I heard chugging, I thought what could be it.. Honks and Kalyan Shakti sped past with Mangalore - CSTM SFE! It overtook us from sixth line!And we overtook it again!!! The tom and jerry soon finished and we blasted Kurla at MPS. Reached Dadar pretty much on time and thus the journey ended and I made my way towards WR to go back home.
 |
| Deccan Queen!! |
