Cntd......... from Yesterday's Leg 1: /blog/post/958357
Leg 2 of
THE WINTER TOUR TO HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS
-----AN RF TRIP REPORT
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Leg...
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2:
12723 Andhra Pradesh Express
SC-AGC, Dep: 30th Dec 2013, Arr: 31st Dec 2013.
Pnr entry: /pnr/post/902064
Trip Dairy: /diary/trip/40143
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I was so sure that the train starts at 5:50 am from SC and put my alarm to 4:30 am. We wokeup and after a brief freshup, I called in the pre-booked taxi and reached SC by 5:30 am.
That's when I realized that I made a huge blunder. 5:50 am was its arrival AGC but departure at SC was 6:50 am.
Now you can imagine what I would have got from my wife to have made them wait in the waiting room for 1.5 hrs. A harsh treatment.
Can't go back to Kukatpally. So I made them sit in the upper class ladies waiting room on PF 1 at SC and went out to ALFA cafe for my dose of Irani Chai & Malai-Bun.
Soon after we started slowly moving to our coach position as my Kid helped me drag one suitcase as he did through out the vacation. (In Pics)
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the AP express arrived on time, hauled by LGD Wap 7, we boarded and convinced the SL, SU guys to exchange our MB & UB for seating purpose.
Then we see the regular ripping action of AP to KZJ and onto BPQ all on time.
Enroute, I found the loco of SKZR-SC intercity shunting back to haul the train to HYB at SKZR PF3.
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Food the hot Upma, Vada was too good served by the Pantry for breakfast. The tomato soup was too spicy much to our liking, so we had two cups full.
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For lunch they choose to serve at BPQ. I though I would not buy Pantry stuff and went all around BPQ PF 4 to by food. But no food available except for Bread-Omlet. So got back into the train and opted Pantry food. Veg Biryiani. Ok in taste. But I did capture the pics of Sevagram Slip otherwise BPQ-CSTM passenger on PF 5 closely.
That's when I saw the SBC bound Rajdhani arrived on PF 2 for technical halt, hauled by LGD Wap7. AP express left BPQ ripping to NGP to halt only at BUX for unschedule halt to let the NZM bound SBC raj overtake us. Otherwise AP was the king. Soon after we started from BUX, we found the MAS bound Andaman Express entering BUX outer with ET Wap 4.
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Soon after departing, the train paced towards NGP, ripping. As we were entering NGP, We saw the Prarana Express being pulled into the PIT lines. Arrived on PF 1 at NGP, I went around PF 1 of NGP inquiring for Haldiram's outlet to buy snacks. To my surprise we don't have one though NGP is the HQ for Haldiram's.
With disappointment I boarded the train back and captured the pics of PUNE bound Azadhind express and RMM bound BSB-RMM Express hauled by Et WAM4/6P.
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Departed NGP to head towards BPL. Passing thru ET before time at 8 pm and ontime arrival at BPL without any stoppage between NGP & BPL. A superb ripping action by AP. Meanwhile, as promissed by our fellow member Sumanth, we did get the Paneer Pakoda.. Great in taste n quality, sold by the Pantry folks. For dinner the meal for 90/- was more than worth it. Good quality and taste.
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we went to sleep early at BPL as we had to wake up 5:30 am next morning in case AP would arrive on time. Forget about arriving on time, AP arrived 10 minutes before time at AGC so was halted for 5 minutes in the outer for PF clearance. Arrived at 5:40 am at AGC's PF 2, de boarded and straight headed to Enquiry to claim our pre-booked AC retiring room by paying 700/-.
Room was equipped with AC, Gyeeser, Fridge all in working condition except that the room itself was little old. The staff was so helpful that they brokeopen my suitcase of which I thought I had lost keys.
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We took rest until 9 am, went down to eat masala dosa, poori-bhaji at Comesum on Pf 1. for 50/- a place each. Which I though costly, but later realized cheap after going into the private outlets all over North India.
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I had the pleasure of capturing the fastest train in India, BPL Shatabadi on PF 1 of which I would post the pics soon.
Later in the RF session, I captured the pics of the Most luxurious train in India, the Palace on Wheels.
Later a train from my region, Rayalaseema to the capital of India, the AP Samprak Kranti, bound to NZM, skipping AGC....
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To be Cntd......