For 12394 departing Ndls on 16 nov, unfortunately it was a loco failure that caused the delay. I was travelling by the same. To start with the PNBE rajdhani departed late and so SK started 12 mins late.. Then after when Sk crossed maripat a buffalo got strangled n cut by the engine. The engine was damaged n failed ( pipes damaged n brake no not working. So all other trains overtook from left down line. Since arranging engine is tricky ( also need drivers) it took a lot of time n infact a WAG 9 was made to haul it till CNb. Although it maintained good speed and hardly stopped, but again with all those trains in front and a wag 9 with the damaged wap 4, it took could only reach at 2.30 am.. (3.5 hrs delay as compared to 2.5 when it started from maripat). At CNb the...
more... engines were changed again to remove the damaged ones n replace the wag by regular wap4. In addition the pipe connectors to EOG had to be fixed. This delayed further and 2410 n 2818 overtook Sk. It left CNb at 4 am but then had an excellent run to reach Ald by 6.15. It did not stop there though I was expecting as was running quite late. It maintained good speed then up to Mgs but had to slow down several times as SK had caught up with 2818 n was right behind it. Once it left Mgs it then made n excellent run to reach danapur in 2hrs 20 mins.. After that the usual pf issues caused a further delay and finally made to PNBE at 12.30 pm