TRIP REPORT. MAQ TO MAS. 19.02.2012
Apologies for the late reporting, did not have good net access.
Departure from Manipal at 1915 hours by cab.
Luggage : Trolley Bag one, Backpack one, Laptop bag one, Handbag one, Plastic bag one, Musical instrument (sitar) one, Squash Raquet one
Arrival at Mangalore Central at 2035 hours.
Hired a porter, who brought a trolley to carry my luggage. Tried to explain to him in broken Kannada that he must not just drop my luggage on the platform but get it onto the train. On arrival at the platform he flatly refused to wait till the train arrived and...
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charged me a whopping Rs 80.
12653 Mangalore Trichy express was parked on pf1 and started moving out at 2045. Had 3 a/c coaches - a1, b1, b2.
Noticed a fob under construction.
MAQ MAS West Coast was shunted in backwards, i got into my coach (first class) and settled in.
First class compartment had 4 cabins ie 4 berths - 2 at either end and 3 cabins ie 2 berths in between.
Train hauled by GOC WDG3A, departed on time.
As the train was pulling out, saw a train pulling in - consisted of 2S and CC accomodation and was quite empty. Took me a while to figure out that it might be Palghat Mangalore Express.
Also crossed MS MAQ express soon.
Was in cabin B, alone for the moment and sat peering out of the window and enjoying the cool breeze on my face - an old childhood practice but one that has gotten curtailed in recent years due to travel in a/c.
Dinner consisted of Egg Biriyani brought from Mangalore station, cost Rs 40, was quite decent.
Slept off by 2230ish, all other co pasengers had arrived by then.
Woke up in the morning just before Erode arrived.
Grabbed breakfast - Pongal n vada. Was quite satisfied with the Pongal. The vada was a totally different story - it was soft, soggy, looked deformed and was dripping with oil. A perfect vada should be crisp on the outside, light on the inside, be shaped properly and not be dripping with oil. Only once had i encountered such a perfect vada before - on a passenger train from CBE TO Madurai, at a small station in the CBE ED section in 2008.
Loco changed at ED to LGD WAP4.
CBE mayiladutrai Janshatabdi came in while we were waiting.
As we were leaving ED, MS Trichy MAQ exp hauled in from Karur side by WDM3D ED shed.
Crossed Sankaridurg - on the left side while heading towards MAS can be seen a vast area filled with old oil carrying rolling stock.
Lunch oredered after Salem, loaded at JTJ, served half an hour later, consisted of Chicken Biriyani at Rs 60, was excellent.
Post lunch took a nap.
Arrived at MAS at 1505 hours, 10 minutes ahead of scedule. Prior to that crossed shed housing RPM WAP4, RPM WAP1, AJJ WAG5, TNP WDM7.
Took a bed In a/c dormitory, charged at Rs 210 for a 12 hour period.
Experience at MAS to follow.