It was as I remember my first experience with Indian railways. I was 8 years old studying 3rd Standard. I along with my dad, mom, brother and uncle were travelling to TPJ for a marriage on one of those summer holidays. The train we boarded was 56848-Pallakad Town Trichirapally fast passenger. In those days back in 1997, it was not a fast passenger and it started from CBE. Later in the years it was extended upto PKD and was made as a fast passenger.
The train was relatively new and was not overcrowded despite the holiday season. The people boarded it was mostly the commuters of those who were working in textile mills of TUP. I dont remember anything about the cleaniness of the rakes but the rakes, I believe were new. It was a typical 2S kind of seating....
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3 people facing each other on the either side of the rake and a passage in between. This train during those days had its compartments interconnected just like in that those of the express train. I dono when they have stopped inter-connections and wonder why? Even on those days it was pulled by a electric loco upto ED and changed to its diesel counter-part upto TPJ. Being an 8 year old I dont remember what the locos are and it is when I landed here last year after 15 years of my first train journey I knew what WAP and WDM are.
In 1997, Train No 56848 had only one rake. It started @ 8.30 in CBE and reaches TPJ @ 13.30 and starts back @14.00 and reached CBE@ 1700 hrs. It also had 10 compartments when it was started. Latter as the years passed by one by one they reduced to six when the IR was at its peak discriminating CBE junction and later after protests by Coimbatore Rail Struggle Committee I believe it is now running with 8 compartments.
It is really sad that even when it was a passenger train and with a single rake it took only 5 hrs between reach CBE & TPJ and now with two rakes and upgraded as super fast passenger it is damn slow. Though the time table says it takes 6 hrs but believe me it is always running late.
It was one hell of a journey which I want to remember but I have also have to forgot because it is in this train journey I met my first crush, a gorgeous classmate of mine who held my hands and walked me through the lengths of the train to introduce to her parents. Though after 5th Standard we changed schools, after 15 years I recently catched up with her in facebook. Afterall she was my first love :) :) :)