#ObservationsAtPune
* Observations at Pune : 26 Decemeber 2008 * IRCTC Jain Yatra Spl at Pune!
* 2 NR Specials at Pune at the same time! * Both specials to/from Nizamuddin, but taking different routes!
* 0477 Special delayed as incoming 0478 is late!
Afternoon...
more...

observations at Pune on Friday, 26.12.2008 from 14:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs!
I came to Pune Station to spot the biweekly 0463 Vasco-Nizamuddin Winter Special (via Londa-Miraj-Pune-Vasai-Surat-Vadodara-Ratlam route). This 463 VSG-NZM Spl was expected at Pune at around 14:15 hrs today. Also, weekly special 0478 Nizamuddin-Pune Winter Spl was running late and was expected at around 14:30 hrs. Hence, to spot these 2 specials, I came to Pune station at around 14:00 hrs.
Rake of outgoing 1008 Pune-Mumbai Deccan Exp was seen on PF4. One KYN WCG2 loco was getting ready inside electric trip shed. The same WCG2 should have come with 1007 Deccan Exp at 11:10 hrs. Lonavla EMU was seen on PF6.
Rake of 9311 Pune-Indore Exp was seen on PF3. Later, BL WCAM1 21831 got attached to this rake so as to haul 9311 PUNE-INDB Exp towards Kalyan-Vasai-Surat section.
Pit line near PF6 had SECR Raipur WDM3A # 16008R (at dead end) and ED WDM2 # 18535 (ready to move out position). Erode loco will haul Mumbai-Nagercoil Exp and Raipur Diesel will haul Pune-Bilaspur Exp.
In the mean time, Daund-Pune Shuttle came on PF5. I could not see the loco of this passenger. And later, the same
rake departed back as 1321 Pune-NZB Passenger (bound for Nanded/Nizamabad) with blue PUNE WDM2 # 17987R.
And first surprise of the day! Guru Rajendra Express at Pune!
At around 14:05 hrs, a train arrived on PF1 with blue GTL WDM2A # 17778. Initially, I thought that this may be Vasco-NZM Special. However, no announcement was made and scheduled arrival of 0463 was not yet expected. Hence, I rushed to PF1.
There I saw an entire SR rake marked as GuruRajendra Express (in Hindi). On first and last coach, multi-colored printed posters with words Guru Rajendra Express was seen.
This was IRCTC Yatra Special Train with poster having following details (as written in Hindi):
Guru Rajendra Exp Chennai Mahanagar Se Shri Siddhachalji Shri Sammet Shikharji 21 Divaseey Jain Teerth Yatra Sangha
Aayojak : Sha Kesarimal Parajmalaji Shri Shrimal
I spoke with few passengers who mentioned that this is fully reserved special train (having all SL coaches, 1 pantry car and
2 SLR coaches) which has started from Madras (chennai) and will go towards Ahmedabad, Veraval (in Gujarat) and will finally go towards Calcutta (Howrah/Kolkata).
All the sleeper coaches had following markings / colored metal name plates on this special train!
Loco GTL WDM2A 17778
SLR cum luggage van
Pantry Car SR
S1 - KP1 - Sri Mohankheda (KP-1)
S2 - KP2 - Sri Shankheshwarji
S3 - KP3 - Sri Siddhachalaji
S4 - KP4 - Sri Abuji
S5 - KP5 - Sri Chandrapuri
S6 - KP6 - Sri Ranakpur
S7 - KP7 - Sri Saraneshwarji
S8 - KP8 - Sri Hastinapur
S9 - KP9 - Sri Pawapuri
S10 - KP10 - Sri Rajgruhi
S11 - KP11 - Sri Guniyaji
S12 - KP12 - Sri SammetShikharaji
SLR cum luggage van
On PF1, there was heavy rush and lot of fan fare! Group with Dholaks and Tasha were seen. There was a folk dance. There was video shooting taking place. Many relatives were seen hugging each other, younger ones touching the feet of others
elderly people who were travelling.
Later, at around 14:30 hrs, the same IRCTC Special Yatra Train then departed towards Kalyan direction with same GTL WDM.2A 1778 loco! I could not understand the coach naming conventions as KP-1, KP-2 or KP-9, KP-10, etc.
And second spl of the day! At around 14:20 hrs or so, on PF2, 0463 Vasco-NZM Special came with twin KZJ WDM3A locos. The leading loco (towards Mumbai direction) was orange KZJ WDM3A 18793 and trailing loco was orange KZJ WDM3A 16387R. This loco pair went back towards Ghorpuri Yard. And later 0463 Vasco-Nizamuddin Spl departed towards Kalyan with BL WCAM1 21849. This special had around 25% occupancy and General UR coaches were almost fully empty!
The rake composition of this NR Spl:
Loco (today KZJ 18793+16387 / BL 21849)
Guard Van - NC - 99709 - AMV
S10 - NR - 03251 - LKO
S9 - NR - 04229 - FZR
S8 - NR - 12535 - DLI
S7 - NR - 12167 - LKO
S6 - NR - 98244 - DLI
S5 - NR - 13631 - DLI
S4 - NR - 12501 - DLI
S3 - NR - 17075 - UMB
S2 - NR - 04294 - DLI
S1 - NR - 99260 - LKO
(S1 coach had computer printed posters marked in both Hindi/English as:
ShaikhulHind Express
Shaikh - Ul - Hind Express
National Integration Peace Carawan
Aman Ekta Karvan
8/9/10 November 2008 Hyderabad)
AC2T - SWR - 01909 - SBC
AC3T - NR -05133 - AMV
GEN UR - NR - 05404/A - DLI
GEN UR - NR - 06414 - DLI
GEN U/R - NR - 14663 - LKO
GEN UR - NR - 98417
Guard Van - NR - 01712 - MB (Moradabad Division)
Only 2-3 coaches on the entire train had boards Vasco-Nizamuddin-Vasco Special and boards did not display
anywhere train numbers 0464/0463/0464! Infact, yellow/black metal name plates indicating VSG-NZM Spl were poorly
repainted and words "Nanded-Chandigarh-Nanded" Special were seen/visibile. That means, few coaches of this special were previously used for NED-CDG-NED Guru.Ta.Gaddi Specials!
And 3rd special of the day! 0478 NZM-PUNE Winter special (late running as usual!) came on PF5 with orange JHS WDM3A 16083R. This Jhansi WDM3A 16083R had words Jhansi in Hindi and Microprocessor controlled written in English on the loco side walls.
Actually, theoretically, every Friday, 0478 Nizamuddin-Pune Spl come to Pune at 11:10 hrs and the same rake run back
at 14:10 hrs as 0477 Pune-Nizamuddin Spl. And every Friday, the incoming train itself is arriving late anywhere from
3 to 10 hrs (due to fog once/twice, once due to some derailment, etc).
And today, there was no announcement about delayed departure of 477 NZM Spl from Pune (departure time already passed
by when 478 PUNE Spl came in). The train had 25% occupancy in SL/AC coaches and around 75% in unreserved bogies. No idea if this train is running diesel under wires or if it got Jhansi power 16083R from BSL or MMR (as the train takes MMR-DD-PUNE route). The train composition was:
Loco Jhansi WDM.3A 16083R
Guard van - NR - 05706/A - DLI
GEN UR - NR - 14805 - DLI
GEN UR - NR - 02411 - DLI
H1 AC1T - NR - 06005
AC2T - NR - 1594 - DLI
AC3T - NR - 08917
S8 - NR - 08205
S7 - NR - 05271
S6 - NR - 0246
PC - Pantry Car - NR - 99801 - DLI - JUDW
S5 - NR - 02236 - DLI - JUDW
(Again S5 coach was having same posters, as seen in Vasco-NZM Spl, indicating it to be Saikh-Ul-Hind-Express)!
S4 - NR 00251 - DLI
S3 - NR - 08263 (81 Berths with SMB!)
S2 - NR - 06217 - DLI
S1 - NR - 04219 - DLI
GEN UR IInd Seating - NR - 96610 Standard CR Day Train Liveried Coach (i.e. this coach must be previously used for NR's
Taj Express with blue/white bogeys)!
GEN UR - NR - 00419 - DLI
Guard Van - NR - 99710
1610 Miraj-Pune Passenger came on PF6 with brown PUNE WDM2 16750.
Later, at around 16:15 to 16:20 hrs, near GIT yard, I saw a goods train with turquoise PUNE WDG3A 13039 Shakti
moving towards Pune. Also, CSTM-NCJ Exp was hauled by ED WDM2 18535. And 2103 Pune-Lucknow SF Exp was hauled
by brown PUNE WDM3A # 18724R.