As there used to be gap between the two freight bogies, which was exactly present near the track sided window seat of mine, I was checking the running status of amravati express, eager to see it's link. In a short while, I was able to hear a loud honk following which amaravathi express bound to howrah slowly strolled into platform 2 of Dhone Jn, lead by some WAP 4 locomotive. Could not figure out the shed.
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After this, went to the platform, strolled towards locomotive and came back, there was some shop selling only idlis and vadas, got some and had my dinner. Cost was 60 rs for 4 idlis and 2 vadas and taste was decent. still 10 minutes was there for departure of my train, and announcement was made for vijayawada bound amaravathi from hubbali at platform 2.
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Our train departed dhone bang on time. since the whole day for me went in continuous journey and two transits already, was tired enough and laid down bed and started sleeping immediately after the train departing dhone. Actually had an idea that there will be a huge lineup for crossing thereafter till mahabubnagar post which will be double line, and expected that will wake up post kamareddi. Slept for a while and started sweating after some 10 - 15 minutes of sleep to find out that our train has been looped at Bogolu, the very next station of Dhone junction.
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Wondering that is it looped for crossing with some goods train, started to check the line-up on the opposite that is supposed to cross us within mahabubnagar, and surprised to see that the Passenger train from Kacheguda to Guntakal is more than 3 hours delayed as of now is yet to reach dhone and this is the one that was supposed to cross us. After some 10 mts halt, was able to hear a loud honk of alcos and their chugging and lights started to come closely. It was diamond twins (Guntakal based WDG - 3A twins), powering the puny rake of 12 coaches.
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Now the status of on time has gone to the status of "delayed by 20 minutes", and again I resumed my sleep. Again, I woke up when my train was stopped at kurnool. When I checked the time in my phone, it was 2215 hrs, so the delay increased from "20 mts" to "1hr20mts". Anyways i expected this to happen due to huge line up at the opposite direction is supposed to cross our train within our train reaches the third double line section we are supposed to witness, and expected to make up the lost time at Kacheguda, and started sleeping again.
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Woke up for the third time, this time it was 0220 hrs when i woke up and opened the windows to find that my train has just arrived kacheguda with the delay of 40 mts, indicating it had recovered it's delay in third of four double line section this train passes. Surprising to see that there were some deboarding and boarding in this train even at this odd hours. Then, i continued my sleep again.
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Woke up for the fourth and the last time, this time it was 0510 hrs, and anticipating that our train should have crossed atleast kamareddy by now, opened the window to find that our train has been looped at akanapet platform - 2. So the delay has been increased to 1h40m now. Then, started refreshing myself for the next day, brushed my teeth and heard a distant honk, indicating that it is some EMD hauling the train. As it slowly arrived at platform 1, i actually expected it to be Nanded - Tandur express, but train board indicated it as Krishna express. Now it is getting electric traction till its destination all the way from adilabad.
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Our train started moving after Krishna express departed akanapet. Since I was travelling after long time in that section and that trains started plying on 17 km new railway line to medak, I was eager to see the bifurcation of line to medak from akanapet, even at those cold dark hours, went to the free left sided window and when i saw, the Kacheguda bound morning passenger train from medak with Guntakal based WDG - 3A in long hood front, was patiently waiting for our train to clear the line to enter the akanapet.
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Our train eventually started gaining speed once we departed akanapet and slowly, the sun started appearing for the day. Maintained at full speed till we arrived kamareddy platform 2 at 0600 hrs, which is a mainline platform, expected a quick takeoff during departure.Now delay of our train has become 2 hrs. Our train made a slow and a steady departure, though being in mainline platform, and the platform 1 and nearby sick line has been occupied by the goods train, facing towards nizamabad, hauled by gooty based EMDs. Slowly picked up speed and again decelerated this time, and got looped at uppalavai this time. Checked WIMT app to find that the legend of this route, the Ajanta Express is supposed to cross us at anytime and the weekly visakhapatnam from sainagar shirdi is also closely following us.
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Heard a loud honk, suggestive of ALCO locomotive, negotiating the upgrade towards uppalavai and made a quick entry with ajanta express, skipped at a very good speed. Moula ali based WDG - 3A twins was hauling it. No signs of departure even after ajanta express crossed us. Checked WIMT again to find that the weekly visakhapatnam could cross us at anytime now. This time, a shrill loud honk, and Moula ali based WDG - 3A twins was powering it, and it was sprinting through uppalavai towards its next scheduled halt at kamareddy. After it departed, our train got starter and entered the mainline. Witnessed the beautiful ghat like section that's present between uppalavai - sirnapalli section of Kamareddy - Nizamabad section, lush green forest, chill morning and speed restriction of 80kmph, this time as an extra addition could see electrical poles with wires. Yes, travelled in this section last time when only till medchal these were found.
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After crossing sirnapalli, our train picked up speed and maintained the MPS, till our train reached dichpalli, the station before nizamabad, and it is a crossing station, and as usual, our train was looped. After some 15 - 20 minutes, Gooty based WDG - 4 twins made a very slow and casual entry with BOXN rakes, entered dichpalli, and we were given starter after a long wait at dichpalli. Arrived nizamabad at platform - 1 around 0810 hrs, now delay increasing to 3 hours. Got down to get some snacks this time, and suddenly our train was given starter, for less than 2 minutes that it halted there. immediately boarded the nearby coach and went to my berth.
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As our train departed nizamabad, saw some WAG - 5 twins parked in station outers towards mudkhed side, was kind of surprise for me. Last time when i travelled in this section, it was pole free and diesels were dominating this section. Our train picked up MPS and skipped jankampet in a very good speed. Maintained good speed till basar and skipped basar at MPS, till where the electrification works were done when I was travelling, after that, it was a pole free zone, with just the foundation works complete. Crossed the state border and entered Maharashtra, and our train arrived Dharmabad within 30 mts of departing nizamabad, and made a short halt for a minute at platform 1 and departed.
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As I was heading to Sambhaji Nagar / Aurangabad, before booking, I checked the arrival/departure status at Nanded for a sequence of 4 weeks, indicating that maximum it reaches with a delay of 90 minutes, thought that if not for sachkhand, atleast I can manage to catch the tapovan express to Sambhaji Nagar. So, with the current pace of the train, thought that atleast we could be able to reach Nanded by 0930 hrs and atleast could able to catch Tapovan, and checked for current availability between NED and AWB. since there was no availability in 2S, booked in ACC.
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After Dharmabad, our train picked up speed and maintained MPS, and slowed down, again this time was looped at karkheli, a station devoid of electric poles at that time, now fully under wires. Waited for 10 minutes and a gooty based EMD twins made entry with BCNA rakes at a decent to good speed. After this crossed, starter was given and we depart karkheli.
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After giving way for so many trains right from Bogolu, this time, after departing, we maintained good pace till mudkhed outers, anyway after mudkhed it is double line till its only reversal point. I still had the hope to catch Tapovan by now. I went to the left side window and enjoyed our long train, hauled by ALCo twins, beautifully negotiating the huge curve before we enter the mudkhed junction. As we enter, i could see that even the wiring was completed towards adilabad side, and poles were laid in pole pits when i travelled.
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Unusually, our train made entry into platform - 4 of mudkhed at 0930 hrs, late by 2h40m as of now, taking much loops from the mainline, though the platform 1, 2 was free, this made me to wonder why. Some good amount of deboarding and boarding I was able to see at mudkhed for this train. Some LHB rake was parked at sick line and UBL based WDG - 4D and WDG - 4 was sleeping at platform - 3. After a brief halt of 5 mins, our train departed mudkhed, entered main line after taking multiple loops again, now entering the fourth double line section among 4 double line section that our train supposed to pass through. Slowly, the hope of catching tapovan express started fading away, but still had some hope to catch it.
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As we enter the mainline, our train starts chugging, as at the home signal in the opposite line, Kalyan based WDP - 4D cab 2 faced, with shining new LHB coaches of devagiri express, was waiting for us to give way for it to enter mudkhed. Sleeper class and unreserved was way much overcrowded. Many coaches had markings of ER. As we crossed it, we maintained MPS of 110 kmph, once we neared Nanded city limits, we started slowing down and as we approach maltekdi, one of the station in Nanded suburbs, our train halted. It was 8 minutes to 10 hrs, and still I had the same 8 minutes to catch Tapovan express, and it is just 3 kms from maltekdi to Nanded.
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Did I reach Nanded within 10 hrs? Did I catch the tapovan express to Sambhaji Nagar? Stay tuned for the final part.
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Thanks for reading it patiently.
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For part - 4, the sequel :
/blog/post/5969328 
