MAS-KJM TRIP:
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Date:03.06.2017(Saturday)
Train:12292 Chennai-Yesvantpur Weekly SF Express
Loco:RPM WAP7
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It was a dream come true for me. I always wanted to travel by an LHB Sleeper coach. So I chose this train over Mail. As predicted by our PNR experts, the WL cleared. 2 SL berths were allotted which it made it even more exciting. I was very happy and eager to travel in the state of art sleeper coach.We reached MAS by 10:50 PM. I was expecting this train to depart from PF.No.11. So we reached the suburban complex side entrance. But the display board showed that our train would depart from PF.No.3. So we made our way through the crowd. Now the sleep killer and this train were berthed side by side. Mail was scheduled to depart from PF.No.4. PF.No.5 was empty. Mail was shunted by a TNP WDM2. Our train was shunted by BHEL made JHS WAG7. Passengers were in a hurry to board the Mail as only 15 minutes were left for departure. Announcements were being made for the Mail gang viz.,SBC/HWH/CSTM Mail. 12292's rake was clean and shining. JHS WAG7 had already been decoupled from the rake. The EOG was 2010 made and belonged to SWR. The 3 AC coaches all belonged to SWR with one of them being based at MYS. The EOG was not turned on. Perhaps, the other one was powering the rake. The sleeper coaches were all brand new of 2017 make and belonged to SCR. They were manufactured by RCF, Rae Bareli. As we were making our way to coach S4, I spotted AJJ WAM4 resting at PF.No.2 after bringing in the BZA Janshatabdi. The LHB sleeper coach seems spacious to me. There was lot of space near the door too. As I settled on to the SLB, I heard the noise of a growling EOG. It was the SRC MAS AC Superfast that arrived onto PF.No.5 with a slight delay. It had more number of Duronto liveried coaches. Outside the window, I could see the majestic SBC Mail standing. Though it was dark, I could see that it was S7. At around 11:10 PM, our link arrived from the ETS. Our rake moved back and forth during the coupling. It was 11:15 PM but Mail was still. After 2 minutes, around 11:17 PM, sleep killer departed with the TNP WDM2 piggybacking all the way till the starter.
Announcements were being made for our train that it would depart at 11:30 PM. At around 11:35 PM, we got the starter. Our rake slowly made its way out of MAS. 30449 was ready to haul HWH Mail from PF.No.8. The LHB rake made wonderful and magical sounds along with the twin tone honking of P7. I liked the sound made by the FIAT bogie, the clanking of the metals. We slowly cleared the points and curved through BBQ. WAP7 started accelerating madly after encoutering the 'T' sign. At VJM, we slowed down to switch to the fast down line. After the entire rake switched on to the line and after termination of PSR, surprisingly, we slowed down insteading of accelerating due to double amber signal. As we neared PER, we got an amber signal and P7 was not in a mood to obey the caution. With a melodious twin tone honking, we skipped PER,PCW and PEW at 70 kmph. PCW was dark with no lights around. Then we got an all clear signal at VLK and within no time wer were hitting 110. But that did not last long. Once again, we slowed down at KOTR to negotiate the TSR. New tracks were being laid on the slow line but still the signals were green on the EMU line though there wasnt a single EMU running towards TRL. After KOTR, it was full of double amber and amber signals which meant we had to crawl. Even if one signal was green, the next signal was a caution. So, the LPs proceeded at lower speeds. We skipped ABU and AVD at 90 kmph. And we skipped PAB and NEC at a sedate pace. Post TI, it was all clear. Now the annoyed P7 became happy and started honking merrily and accelerated furiously. We skipped TRL at MPS withe P7 whining and warning trespassers. This MPS run was cut short at TO. At TO, an EMU was waitiny for us to switch onto old line. This was contrary to when I travelled by 7 Mail, when Mail used the new track all the way till AJJ. After switching onto the old line, we got only caution signal which meant no MPS run. But even a 60 kmph offered me a musical, magical and melodious track souds with P7's twin tone honking. We inched through PLGM at less than 10 kmph and halted just outside the PF near the AJJ ELS. I could hear the sounds of traction motors of the conventional locos inside the ELS. Many locos could be seen live with their pantos up. After a short while, we started with a sharp jolt and a short toot from the P7. Finally we reached AJJ at 01:00 AM exact, delayed by 40 minutes. After a five minute halt, we departed from AJJ. Work is going on for PF.No.7 and 8 at AJJ. AJJ outer signal,I could see from the window, was amber which meant that we had to crawl again. We are running at 50 kmph for nearly fifteen minutes after which we skipped CTRE. At MDVE, we overtook a freight which I thought could have been the culprit for making us crawl all the way. Then we got all clear signal and P7 once again accelerated to MPS and then we had to slow down to halt at WJR. We reached WJR at 01:50 delayed by an hour.
WJR-JTJ was the best part of the entire journey. We had a non-stop MPS run till JTJ. We departed WJR after a quick halt. We had hardly maintained MPS till WJR not even for 10 minutes. After WJR, all I could see was green and green signal everywhere. P7 sped past all wayside stations with furious honking and belted on the curves as if all hells had broken loose. We crossed lot of P4/7 hauled trains. Until KPD outer, it was all clear and at KPD outer we got an amber. This train, 12673(not 12674) and CBE Shatabdi are the only trains to skip KPD now. I had once travelled by MYS Shatabdi when it skipped KPD by looping onto the PF. This time I was expecting a mainline skip at 90kmph. But then we braked. As we were nearing KPD, the Bangalore Mail from SBC accelerated out of KPD after a scheduled halt and crossed our train. It was led by RPM P7. The mainline was blocked by a freight train. We skipped KPD through PF.No.1. As we were skipping, announcements were being made for 11005 Dadar Pondicherry Express which me met somewhere after KPD. As we made our way out of the PF, Nilagiri was entering KPD. And I could see a distant green signal for us. And we were back to 110 again. We Crossed AB at 02:50. KPD-AB was covered in half an hour. We slowed to 20 kmph at VGM to negotiate a TSR. We overtook a freight train at VN. At KDY, we overtook a WAP7 hauled train. At JTJ yard, LGD WAP7 30299 was waiting to shunt few coaches and so did WAP4 22626.A madly honking and accelerating WAP7 crossed us with a train, probably Kaveri. We pulled onto PF.No.1 at 03:25 AM, 40 minutes behind schedule. We had covered WJR-JTJ in 95 minutes flat at 69kmph. Yelagiri's rake was at PF.No.3 and a WAG9 led freight departed as we arrived. Soon, the train which we overtook at KDY arrived onto PF.No.4. It was HWH-YPR SF led by LGD WAP7 30345.
After a 7 minute halt, we departed JTJ. It was time to bid bye to SR. The silheoutte of the Yelagiri hills could be seen in the background. As we were moving out, 30299 made its way onto PF.No.2 and caught up with us. We had a small parallel run within the platform limits. Then wenegotiated the famous curve at JTJ and 12292 entered SWR. The MPS was restricted to 75kmph. The chill winds hit my face and I dozed away. A huge CBC jerk woke me up as were about to have an unscheduled halt on the mainline at KPN. But the starter turned green just in time and we accelerated again. We overtook a express train at BSM. We arrived BWT onto PF.No.3 at 04:45 AM, 57 minutes behind schedule. After a 2 minute halt, we departed BWT.
As we neared MLO, the MPS of 75 kmph came to an end and we accelerated to 110 within seconds. We skipped MLO at full speeds and deafening track sounds. It was well past 5 AM and the Sun was coming out. We once again slowed down before DKN and once again accelerated to MPS. WFD was skipped within seconds with P7 honking madly and the coaches shaking violently. We had an unscheduled halt before Hoodi for about 5-10 minutes. Finally, the train reached KJM at 05:45 AM 1 hour behind scheduled where I deboarded. After a 5 minute halt, 12292 left for YPR. As per NTES, 12292 reached YPR at 06:30 AM, 30 minutes late.
For pics-/blog/post/2307401.
Overall rating:
Cleanliness- 10/10. (Brand new coaches.)
Comfort-10/10. (Not to mention, its LHB).
Speed & Punctuality-7/10.
Railfanning-10/10. (Numerous crossings, wonderful LHB/FIAT Bogie track sounds and a twin tone honking WAP7).