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Blog Entry# 4002310
Posted: Nov 13 2018 (22:36)

6 Responses
Last Response: Nov 26 2018 (02:58)
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Travelogue
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★★
Nov 13 2018 (22:36)   12040/New Delhi - Kathgodam Shatabdi Express | NDLS/New Delhi (16 PFs)
Siddharth S^~
Siddharth S^~   23600 blog posts
Entry# 4002310            Tags   Past Edits
1 compliments
rocking trip dairy in asusual style
Trip Report : 6th November 2018.... After the 6E2289 from Bangalore Airport landed at the IGI Airport New Delhi at 115AM, Ola was immediately booked and we reached the NDLS PF-16 side at 3AM. The winter in Delhi had started and the entrance had line of people sleeping well inside their rugs. The staircases was being washed with a hose pipe but the tea stall was closed. Something that was seriously required in the wee hours at that temperature. The RPF on PF-16 guided to the Jan aahar stall on Pf-16, but the door of same was kept ajar with the cleaning work in progress.
Walked over all the way to PF-1 side, and asking my mom to sit near the luggage
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next to RPF, me and dad went outside the station. A small cart held tea stall caught our attention and we went near him- 2 tea +1 parcel. He immediately pounded the ginger and added it to the tea tumbler and gave us 2 tea.. We asked him where is the 3rd.. Drink this sir.. If I give it to you now it will be cold before you finish your tea and take it in.. Customer service at that hour wow!!!!!.. The next cart next to him was busy making Aloo parottas and a line of people standing next to him .. Was quite tempting at the rate of Rs.10/-.. Same moment mom called "Come back in if you didnt get tea- the area is too chill".. I kiddingly "Tell me ok and i will get you Aaloo Parotta also"" "Well please get".. So discussion complete, Rs. 30/- handed over and Parottas parceled. Well for tea- Well that was another Rs. 30/-... Parotta cheaper than tea joked my dad as we walked in
Went inside the AC waiting hall for upper class passengers but it was full.. Found a place to sit and gulped down the Parottas.. Time was still 0330 but there was no place to sleep in this hall.. mom said, lets go to the platform itself-- Display board in meantime displayed PF-14 for our Kathgodam shatabdi and we walked towards the same
Reached PF-14 with hardly any soul- Tough to expect anyone also to be in that time.. The platform had been washed and floor wet- A wooden bench seemed tempting to avoid, facing PF-15.. Kept all the luggage and lay down myself on the bench preparing to sleep. Mom and dad not in sleepy mood
Just as I was about to sleep, the announcement went on for the Amritsar bound Mail, scheduled at 0415 running 04:15 hrs late , followed by delay of Purushottam by 2 hrs, Mahabodhi by an hour and Udyan Aabha Toofan Express running 12 hrs late.. What a status this train has become- Name and running seemed to have no reference . Palwal bounbd MEMU scheduled at 0445 was also announced while my eyes tried dozing off
Just as sleep took over heard a loud honk right next to my ear.. Woke up startled.. It was a WDS6AD pulling in a shatabdi rake on PF-15. The loco came in stopped right next to me, and within seconds reversed back in the direction it came.. 15 mins later, same process again and I wake up.. Mom smiled at me " I guess the Engine is asking you to select the rake you want to take- Now tell it something or else it will keep coming".. I said "Ask it to show me the worst possible rake, i will select it and may be I get all the rakes for my journey " (SDimilar to woodcutter story).
In the meantime, Dad saw the display boards and remarked " Looks like this is an all Shatabdi station".. For the departures indicated all shatabdis in an order leaving one behind the other.. Kathgodam, Bhopal, Dehradun, Lucknow, Chandigarh.. Name a City and looked like you had a shatabdi within the next one hour!!! National Capital station
the cold breeze of Winter had decided to make it way to any part of my body exposed and i decided its better to seat rather than lie down. As the time ticked close to 5AM, WAP7 of Ghaziabad pulled into PF-16 with the rake of the Jammu Rajadhani. Soon, announcement went for the Nanda Devi AC express which arrived shortly on PF-12 The Punjab mail soon followed it into the PF. As the clock ticked to 0515, the mikes went to announce the incoming empty rake of 12040 shatabdi entering PF-14.
The place where I stood had a rope barricade to prevent people from entering to platform at that end. The rake was supossed to stop further into the platform and our coach C5 way ahead from where we were. Slowly walked down towards the display boards, as the LDH WDM-3A in Sakthi Livery bought in the rake of the shatabdi. Boarded the train and settled in seats 55-57 forming in a line. The train had a pretty decent crowd at the start . in the meantime, the Bihar Sampark Kranti entered into PF-13. A crowded MEMU pulled into NDLS from Tilak bridge side at 0550AM
The mike inside the train came to life, announcing the departure of the train and welcoming all the passengers for a happy journey and the stations where we would stop enroute. The display board started displaying the schedule at next station and the upcoming 2 stations after the next station.At 0600AM, we were given the starter and the customary LHB jolt indicated the departure
As we pulled out of the station, saw another shatabdi slowly pulling out of the station parallel . The 12001 bound to Bhopal!!!! So it was the fastest and the slowest shatabdi leaving at the same time. Looked like we were on the main line soon and our alco gathered speed to race over the WAP5, before WAP5 gathered back the speed gaining over us at Tilak Bridge. Soon we bid it bye and turned left towards the Eastern journey as the Bhopal shatabdi moved further South
The sun hadnt risen yet and hence 2-3 stations went under complete dakrness. Tea was served with 2 biscuits and railneer bottle . We crossed anand Vihar and there was a rake stationed at the other end of the platform . Slowly gained speed and sun began to rise, coloring up the space , as the line from Delhi joined us from the left, while we crossed the Delhi bound line through a bridge. curved right and joined to the line to Ghaziabad. just as we crossed the bridge on the 4 line section, a WAP4 hauled ICF rake crossed us on the slow line, with a LHB rake gaining speed overtaking it on the fast line. The run slowly came to a halt with lines diverging, indicating our arrival at Ghaziabad station, as another train started pulling out towards delhi
Though the announcement said we would halt only for 2 minutes, there was a huge crowd there. Was startled at the crowd that boarded our train before convincing myself it was a shatabdi and only reserved passengers would be boarding. there were many vacant seats still present to accommodate everyone who boarded, and the halt extended beyond 5 mins.. in the meantime, the Lucknow shatabdi pulled in on the adjoining platform and a BOXN moved out from our left, with a SWR Caboose
We soon got the signal to leave, followed by a chain pulling, before we finally pulled out at 0650AM. Slowly gathered speed, with the display board ahead showing the distance to next stop and the speed of the train.. 75-85-95-102-104-105 before we maintained out run at 105 for close to 6 mins before reducing back to double digits for a short while. Spent time reading the Hindustan times, which seemed to have only discussion on the Delhi pollution for its entire sheets . Mom and dad managed to catch their sleep, while my eyes stayed glued to the window . Being Diwali, the crowd was mainly of families going to their natives, young parents with infants, kids dotting the coach completely. The kids were completely in their mood, each of them chanting their nursery rhymes, tables, alphabets, story while time just kept passing
Diwali day, its a common question in South to enquire about "Ganga snanam aacha" (Has the bath in ganges been completed). for me it was a travel day and no time to bath, I was elated that i would be spotting the Ganga Devi on this festival day. The previous day sleepless night made me wink a few moments before i said myself- Not before Ganga darshan.. The Alco was in full mood and the 14 coacher was a mere toy as it jostled past the buses and cars on the highway. Tiem ticked.. 0722 0724 while speed stayed at 3 figures.
Mom woke up at 730 and asked whether Ganges crossed. I said no not yet.. The train was still blasting and we crossed Garmukteshwar 5 mins later and I told mom " anytime soon".. The speed was maintained and the welcome drink juice was served. I was feeling hungryand no mood for the juice kept it aside for time being. The pull was felt.. speeds trotting down to 2 digits.. 80-75-70 and saw the loco curving left into Garmukteshwar bridge, trotting past at 50-- Signalling the approach of the bridge.. Thud Thud.. the girder bridge was entered.. What a rhythm.. There she was!!!! Not in complete flow.. But still water was present and flow too.. Darshan done.. Speed up!!!!
The fields , rivulets and lakes were brimming with activity around. Waterhens, Lapwings, Plowers all had their field day,. along with the likes of Kingfishers, egrets. surprising that Lapwing, though present all over India, had a more population in the northern fields. In southern fields, its tough to see one in a field, but in north, its like a dozen in a square inch.
Breakfast was served soon after- a major rewamp required in this breakfast menu. God knows who decided that this menu would suffice for the journey.. 2 pieces of bread and 2 pieces of cutlet and few finger chips with tea completed the breakfast menu. Just after breakfast , sensed train slowing down and announcement went that Moradabad was arriving and its again a 2 minute halt.. But we halted as soon as announcement stopped at Moradabad outer at 835, arriving close to 15 mins ahead of schedule
Dehradhun bound Doon Expresshauled by a EMD came to a stop right next to us on the main line. Just was we wondered why the train halted leaving the station, Bhuj bound Ala Hazrat Express went in the middle line, overtaking the doon Express. Soon we got clearance to pull into the platform1, as a Mahamana liveried rake waited on Pf-3 for departure. Few passengers from our coach got down here.
Pulled out of Moradabad and soon curved to our left , still in electrified territorry. We pulled out soon and now the shatabdi halts are much closer to each other, almost like a day time express . The previous night sleeplessnes and bit of filled tummy had its effect now and I dozed off soon, only to wake up at the next jerk, barely 25 mins later, as we slowed down to enter into Rampur junction . The sleep had by then vanished full and it was a complete fresh body and mind . On opposite side, a WDP-4B hauled train blasted past giving a awe of shock.. A station where Shatabdi has a halt and an ordinary express blasting past the station in opposite!!!
Quickly we moved from there and moved into the single unelectrified section. . Filled with fields, with speed restrictions, the speed barely exceeding 75-80, At Kemri outer, we were stopped for as few seconds, before proceeding, as we waited for the Moradabad bound passenger with a Izaatnagar Alco to enter into the station. we made our way to Rudrapur city, with a low level platform, with a much lower station wall, that people had their cars parked right next to the coaches and just jumped over the wall to their vehicles. . This station saw about 20% of the train deboarding, with families excited for the deepawali celebration
We soon departed the station with the board displaying the last 3 stations in line with each other. A slow run and throttle, myself and dad kept our eyes open for the MSL, which till now was bitterly low at 250MSL, without a feeling that we are headed to a hill station. The speeds now kept low, the habitation suddenly giving way to a small forested shrubbed area as we proceeded ahead. A town visible ahead, with a factory chimney protruding itself, making the presence felt. We negotiated a huge curve to enter into the station , Lal Kuan junction, with the MSL in the last 20 kms increased by close to 100 to 370 MSL. again The halt here extended for a few minutes as my dad remarked " This should have been an intercity rather than a Shatabdi.. Keeps halting every 15 kms once on average and once halted, fails to depart. The ?chennai bound trains have lesser stops comparatively". He continued" Of course on a section where trains are limited, even shatabdi happens to cater to people needs. Every town has got its tickets this train".. Of course coz Lal Kuan saw another 25% of people deboarding, and we left the station at 11AM, as soon as the Bareilly pass entered,. The display now shows the train running 11 mins late
We now proceeded towards the Hills, now lining up in the border, marking their presence. Speeds never exceeded beyond 75 and of course the mild gradient present. Huge habitation welcomed us into the town of Haldwani, reminding us of the 16227 trip, where Sagar welcomes us with a bigger town compared to Talaguppa. We slow down into Haldwani and 95% of the train deboards. clock ticks to 11:20AM, MSL ticks to 450MSL . after a 2 minute halt we leave, with the Himalayan mountains giving us full comnpany now. We slowly and steadily chug into the PF-1 of Kathgodham station, our destination at 11:35AM, ahead of schedule by 5 mins, welcomed into the station with the rakes of Ranikhet and Dehradhun express, as we curve to the terminal to complete the journey , covering the 290 kms in 5hrs 35 mins

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Nov 13 2018 (22:54)
SRG^~
SRG^~   44861 blog posts
Re# 4002310-2              
Marvelous Writeup sir..Enjoyed every bit of it.
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Nov 13 2018 (23:12)
SaurabhDubey^~
SaurabhDubey^~   30088 blog posts
Re# 4002310-3               Past Edits
This along with usk should be converted to a intercity as both are a bloat in the name of their respective classes.BTW which mail passes through ndls for amritsar? Do you were referring to 11057
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Nov 14 2018 (00:06)
Siddharth S^~   23600 blog posts
Re# 4002310-4              
Yes Mumbai to Amritsar..They were announcing it as Mail
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Nov 26 2018 (02:35)
haclil   1 blog posts
Re# 4002310-5               Past Edits
The most enjoyable trip report appearing in long time sir. You may be being birder but dare I say writer also. If I may say also you are writing just as you might be speaking. Much talent.
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Nov 26 2018 (02:58)
Shahzad Mikrani~   1965 blog posts
Re# 4002310-6              
No, As it is provided a very high priority over many trains, even SF ones. If it will be converted to ICE than it will lose that priority and will always keep on being late just like U.K. Sampark kranti ex.
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