DOJ: 09th May 2024
One Word: Phenomenal. ER Premium Trains are ❤️
Excellent Food, Mind Blowing Mishti Doi (Purchased 12 of them for Home), Courteous Staff. Coaches are somewhat old still have Impeccable Maintenance.
This train truly is the epitome of REAL DEAL.
The...
more...

kind of train I'd wish LTT Prayagraj Duronto, Shatabdi Trains of Delhi, Vande Bharat Trains could be. Reminded me of the joy I felt when I first traveled in ICF 3A of 12417 Prayagraj Express decades ago
After a Loooong time finally felt like traveling in a Premium Train that too in 2A. I'd definitely go for end to end 1A travel whenever I get time.
Granted Bikaner clearly doesn't deserve this Phenomenal Stuff especially occupancy wise, major boarding from Ratangarh only that too for mostly New Delhi. But Railfanning wise this route is amazing. I could finally open my Tablet after crossing Rewari, before that route is filled with views of Desert.
Good Slack given for crossing with Counterpart and with Prayagraj Bikaner Express.
I took an extra night of Hotel Stay in Bikaner in order to travel in this train next day. The experience was totally worth it.
Enjoyed both Lower Berth for Some time and Side Lower when I got bored 🫡😂

3 coffee please , I said at the Nescafe counter outside PF-1 of SBC. Time was 920PM, exactly 30 mins to go for my train . As per WIMT, the train was still at Bangalore East, which meant an ontime departure wasn't on cards , a minimal departure delay was expected , enough to consume the coffee. The display board beamed PF-4 , the most horrible platform of the station .


...
more...

Hmm, relaxing for coffee, asked my Mom as I took the 1st sip. Much more relaxed than the relaxed schedule of our train , I replied. Barely an hour back, I had the whole house in tantrums running on my toes , the face , mins, body completely tensed.



A Friday evening , leaving office at 650PM, waiting for auto till 710PM, auto fellow going in round and staying in same place at 725PM , the traffic and private buses standing still as if the entire weekend was available . Not for me, who had to go home, refresh, finish dinner and hop on to another cab to station and all I had was 2.5 hours in hand . Enough , but may not be .



The Hosur road signal , after eternity , changed to green. WIMT showed the train at Yelahanka, having arrived on schedule . The "relaxed" schedule for the train, not for me. The roads all seemed against me, lanes getting blocked and every passing minute was increasing the heart beat . Called up mom and asked them to finish dinner and pack my dinner. I can have it in the cab too



After what seemed like eternity , a good 1 hour after boarding the auto , reached Home at 8:05 PM. Changed into casuals and came back to gobble up the dinner. No worries said my Dad. We have Cantt why worry said my Mom. As if he will come on time , Kurla generally is delayed right said my dad. No pa, he is in Yelahanka at 730, no scope for delay I said, finishing my dinner and running to wash the plate and clear the table ,as time ticked to 840PM, 70 mins to go .



Uber had a very positive sign, a 40 mins schedule . Should be fine said Dad . Book it will give 30 mins buffer . Booked it, can arrived in 4 mins time and 845 we were off



I have a very bad habit in app based aggregator especially while going to Majestic . Generally don't allow driver to follow Uber route, but to take my route . Driver understood the route and despite Uber advising him to take a right, took multiple lefts and finally Uber let it go and came to my route . End result , a good relaxed coffee at enterance with Mom taunting me of the incident some time back .



Walked into PF-1 , Mail not shunted , we can take the trolley ramp instead of single FoB that connects to PF-4 . Slowly walked towards the ramp, and just as we reached, got a shocker...whistle blowing .. 12658 rake was getting ready to be shunted into PF-1 and whistle being blown at the end to prevent people . Mom was few steps behind and I wondered what next ?? Walk all the way to othee end and take the FoB .. suddenly Dad said , chalo move... The "X" was visible at PF end , and we crossed the line safely without hurry . The rake slowly was pushed into PF-1 .



12678 was asleep on PF-2, and PF-3 had the rumbling WAP-7 awaiting for 11013 . Walked over to PF-4, my parents S-2 and my S-4 being at the other end of the rake , so not much walking involved



Announcement came in for the 20664 Mysore Vande Bharat running 20 mins late and just as the announcement ended , Erode WAP-7 pulled into the corner with the 11013 , sans any announcement . Poor guy was pretty relaxed, looks like he slept , for he had taken 2 hours 15 mins for the YNK SBC section , arriving 40 mins late into SBC . My coach S-4 was a NFR coach, the red LHB being black in dirt. S-2 was much better with Red being red from CR



Settled my parents in S-2 and moved to my coach, with a water bottle and bed sheets, the luggage safely deposited with parents . The Vande Bharat in meantime came onto PF-7 at 945PM and soon Lalbagh followed at 950PM. The WAP-7 that bought in 11013 moved through PF-3, followed closely by WAP-4 that came with 12678



The rake of 16593 Nanded was shunted out in meantime from the pitline onto PF-6 as Vande Bharat moved out . At 1015PM the customary LHB jerk was felt and we too pulled out



Seat No. 55 occupant hadn't arrived yet , so sat by the emergency window . The sliding windows were half open and emergency grill wasn't there giving a temptation to drop something out through open. Pulled the shutter into half as we arrived into BNC at 1025PM, with a WAP-7 hauled 12027 shatabdi arrived on opposite .



Slowly we pulls out of BNC, picked.up good speed and arrived into BYPL, slowing to cross the track. KJM WAG-9 was on PF-1 with the KIK SMVT rake. We slowly went out climbing the gradient and picking up speed passing through the suburbs of Bangalore



Seat No. 55 passenger arrived soon and I set off to sleep . The TTE came shortly after and after ticket checking , went off to sleep



Lights switching on and people speaking woke me up , as clock ticked to 325AM. The passenger was waking up his younger son from UB , indicating arrival into Salem. Slept back again





Faintly heard my mobile ringing and woke up. Time was 535AM and it was my Dad . Are you awake ?? Come to S2 noone is there he called. Yes I replied and got up and walked to S2 and in sleepy town asked Dad - have we crossed Tiruppur ??





Tiruppur aa... That went too long back. We are almost at Irugur said my Dad . We pulled to a halt at the outer , then slowly pulled in and stopped inside the station for almost 5 mins, before pulling out again after 550AM



What a schedule allocated , said my Dad. Spend 2 hours for YNK SBC, almost 30 mins at Omalur to move to Salem and now crawling from Tiruppur to Coimbatore. Looks like even if they speed up by 4 hours he should still reach Coimbatore on time .



Slowly crossed the points, leaving the Podanur line and entering into CBE limits . There was a line up of trains at CBE, so PF could be a constrain . And of course we were ahead of schedule . Had a quick cup of tea from the vendor, a relaxed tea, much more relaxed than the schedule of the train



Zig zig zig zig flash went across, as the 22666 Bangalore bound Uday went past us , as we went past the COIMBATORE suburbs of Singanallur and Peelamedu . The Chennai bound 20644 Vande Bharat went past us soon and soon we pulled into Coimbatore North at 620AM



As a surprise we weren't held up at Coimbatore North , but slowly trotted past as WAP-7 pulled out with the Chennai bound 12680 intercity express . The hapiness soon went off as were held up at Coimbatore outer



The wait continued till a WAP-7 exited with a series of 14 D marked coaches , with 2 sleeper and 2 AC , the Nagercoil Dibrugarh special slowly pulling out from PF-1. We slowly pulled into PF-4 of Coimbatore , with Mayiladuthurai Jan shatabdi on PF-2, Nagercoil express on PF-3 , Cheran on PF-5 and 20642 Vande Bharat as PF-6 as announcement went on for the Raptisagar to arrive on PF-1





Thanks for reading !!

#Admin #Moderator Kindly Add It
Source Western Railway X Handle

Rake Zone Nr

WR...
more...

will run 04006/05 Bandra Terminus - Delhi Special for the convenience of passengers and to meet the travel demand.

The booking for train no. 04006 will open on 05.06.2024 on all PRS Counters and the IRCTC Website.

#WRUpdates