Samaleshwari Express/18006

I am posting an account of my journey in18005UP Howrah-Koraput Express on 13/6/2012. Though I am late in posting my report, still I thought that I should post it as there are infact not many reports of journey in this train. I was to travel from Howrah to Ambodala (AMB), a station enroute Koraput from Titlagarh, about 62 Kms from the latter. This train was my only option from Howrah. This train, at that time used to terminate at Koraput, but has later been extended to Jagdalpur. The scheduled time of departure from Howrah was 2135hrs. I reached Howrah station an hour and a half in advance and had to wait at the station. While waiting, I observed that 12810UP Mumbai Mail departed from platform no. 21, while 12863UP Yesvantpur Express left from platform no. 22 and 12848DN Digha Duronto arrived at platform no. 20. 18005 was scheduled to depart...
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from platform no. 17 at 2135 hrs. At around 2100 hrs, a blue coloured KGP WDM3A hauled in with the empty rake of 18005 at platform no. 17. My coach was SK1 and after finding my name in the reservation chart, I proceeded to find my coach.
Let me tell you something about the rake of this train. The portion of the rake towards the back portion of the train (towards Howrah) goes upto Sambalpur Jn. and is named Samaleswari Express (as per the train nameboard), while the front portion of the train goes to Koraput (and Jagdalpur) and is called Howrah-Koraput Express (as per the train nameboard). The portion of the rake upto Sambalpur has the following coaches: S1 to S5, A1, HA1, 1 general coach and 1 SLR; the portion of the rake upto Koraput contains SK1 to SK3, B1, B2 apart from 3 general and 2 SLR coaches. Most of the coaches, especially the HA1 and A1 coaches were very old.
An SRC WAP4 was to allotted to my train. I had a lower berth and the coach was clean and in good condition, despite being old (manufactured in 1998). The toilets were also clean. At 2130 hrs, 12130 UP Azad Hind Express was shunted to Platform no. 20 and at 2135 hrs, 18005 started. As the train made its way to SRC, I saw the rake of 12837UP Puri Express being shunted towards Howrah. The train made its scheduled halts at Uluberia, Baghnan and Mecheda. At Panskura also, another halt was made and it was here that we got overtaken by the 12130UP Azad Hind Express. We left Panskura and reached Kharagpur at about 2355 hrs. After the train left Kharagpur, I was feeling sleepy and fell asleep. We reached Tatanagar at about 0200 hrs, about 15 minutes behind schedule. At aroung 0500 hrs, in the morning I woke up and found that we had reached Manoharpur. We reached Rourkela Jn. at about 0555 hrs, 1hour and 10 minutes behind schedule. Here, the train changed locomotive; the SRC WAP4 was removed and a BNDM WDM3A was coupled to the rake because of the unelectrified section from Jharsuguda. After 20 minutes we left Rourkela and after leaving Rourkela, saw the 12833DN ADI-HWH Express and 12859DN Geetanjali Express, as we proceeded towarda Jharsuguda. After leaving Rourkela, many passengers with unreserved tickets got in the reserved coaches and there was a sort of a small crowding near the doors. There was no pantry in the train and all we got for breakfast was tea and samosas from local vendors, who got into the coaches. At 0800 hrs, we reached Jharsuguda (platform no. 1). After a quarter of an hour, we left Jharsuguda and slowly entered the JSG-SBP unelectrified single-track section. The train moved very slowly and many unscheduled halts. I saw the 12872DN Ispat Express between Rengali and Jharsuguda. We reached Sambalpur Jn, at about 0955 hrs, more than an hour late. Here, the part of the rake upto Sambalpur, was decoupled and after half an hour, we left Sambalpur. Again, we proceeded very slowly and made many unscheduled halts, a few of which even exceeded 20-25 minutes.
The weather was very hot and humid and the journey was getting very uncomfortable. Now, the toilets very also becoming very dirty and neither the toilets, nor the coaches were cleaned up at any station. Another practically very unpleasant situation was the unavailability of food. The stations at which the train stopped were small stations, some even without any platforms and no canteen, or, provisions for food supply by IRCTC/any catering agency was available. It was past 12 noon, and the train was running more than 2 hours late. I was feeling very hungry and no provision for lunch was there. Most of the passengers had got down either at Sambalpur, or, Bargarh Road and now there were not many passengers in the coach. Those passengers, who were in the coach were eating biscuits, or, food which they had already brought along with themselves. However, I managed to buy lunch @ Rs. 40 from a local vendor, who had got into the coach. The lunch consisted of a small quantity of rice, dal, mixed vegetables and chutney; but the quality was very bad and not hygienic at all because they had stacked the food in front of the lavatories. I had a little food, just to satisfy my hunger. Some people had bought lunch from Sambalpur Jn. station, which I did not as I had no idea that such an unfavourable situation is going to arise. Had I known, I could have bought lunch from Sambalpur station itself.
The train reached Titlagarh at 1520 hrs, more than 2 hours behind schedule and finally reached my destination, Ambodala at 1630 hrs.
The journey was very tiresome and if anybody is to travel in this train to those parts of Orissa, especially during summer, I would suggest that you reserve your sets in AC coaches, if possible and carry sufficient amount of dry food with you and if you can, buy your lunch from Sambalpur Jn.
I will post an account of the return leg of my journey in 18006DN Koraput-Howrah Express soon.