Ting ting... The SMS on the travel day generally triggers chatting status, but this was not on starting day, but 2 days before !!!
What is YA ?? Asked my Dad... Ya I said ... Dei , railway code which station is YA ... Yarraguntala I said , having my breakfast , leaving for office... Why suddenly ... No message has come train is diverted via YA and will skip stop at DHNE ..whaaat...yes ... That will be a deviation of 60kms... What a starting notice .
...
more...
From the day tickets were booked , butterflies churned in my heart and tummy. For this was 1st time I booked in a Garib rath coach ever since the series was introduced . And as everyone knows , the dreaded SMB is always present to welcome people . And our tickets were a MB, UB, SLB .. SLB is not a issue I guess
Anyway D-day arrived and a rush from office through the packing , dinner and a sudden thought, what to do with diverted train for breakfast. .. bindi at home became Bindi fry , corteous mom, and a set of philkas from Tasty bites ordered and packed before departure , we were off through the Saturday evening rush, to the YPR station !!!
YPR station always seems to have some grudge against me. I enter through PF-6 , the rake will be on PF-1, I enter through 1, the rake will be on 6. But this time no go, for PF-1 exit is closed for works, so we have to go through PF-6 and our green beauty , 22884 to PURI is stationed on PF-1 , the LGD WAP-7 pulling the rake for testing after the loco attachment . PF-5 had the arrived rake of intercity from Shimoga , PF-6 was empty mostly for Dilli Duronto
The rake was pulled into the platform way in, and the display position was way ahead of coSch position by 2 places. So our G-13 was in place where G-15 was supossed to be ..and Garib rath ICF coach ...number starting with 08xxxx
Contrary to expectations, coach was bright, clean , non stinking , full, with well padded cushions with brown covers (Just wish some thought goes into authorities cushioning the LHB thin cushions ), a very few small cockroaches rounding about . Time struck 2215 hours , a 25 min left for departure .
A group of youngster immigrant were on lower berth looking to sleep . Took chance and asked dad to request them for a lower, as we had a long day ahead next day . A lower middle will be more comfortable for day journey do as you wish type
Mom settled in SLB, the guys settled in UB, and opposite LB, MB were occupied, leaving my LB and MB only left . It's going to be same status till next evening, all berths up only our berth down
The 16506 Gandhidham weekly pulled into PF-3 with crowded UR coaches as time ticked to 2235 hrs . At 2240 hrs , Gandhidham proceeded and we too got the starter . Was waiting to witness the parallel action but a LHB rake was shunted into PF-2 blocking the view
Proceeded to sleep , thinking about views tomorrow. ICF has its own charm, most importantly the heavy sounds of the thugginf wheels and the lack of the customary jerk . We slowly pulled out, cleared the Bangalore urban, ring roads and pulled into Yelahanka 20 mins later as we laid the berths , after getting the pillow bedsheets from the attender
The berth was a full length berth, and a well cushioned one , giving a good sleep. Slept well enough , keeping data switched off for saving battery , WIMT anyway on to check the location
Chaos and lights woke me up in the coach . Noticed the trainnhad stopped somewhere and a huge group has boarded , berths allocated across the coaches.. all lights on, shouting for seat numbers. Checked the time , it was 335AM and we were departing Anantapur . Went off to sleep
Woke up around 615AM and we were ripping on double track . WIMT status had stopped at GY cabin at 5AM with no further updates but it was clear. The rising sun on the Madras bound line from Bombay , we were on the trunk route . The wheels moved as smooth as butter , soundless and sensed we are slowing down .
Dad woke up from LB and sending opportunity jumped out of the MB. Time to take over the window seat for the day ahead , our destination is at night . Well this was what we actually thought in mind, when we discarded the expensive flight to this train- hardly a few hours of saving compared to cost - and despite the 9th berth, seating is pretty comfortable, courteous none of the UB guys are ever going to come to LB
We have pulled into Yarraguntala in the meantime with the tracks glittering under the sun. We move to the rightmosy track switching across the main lines and stopped onto the PF. WAP -7 had reversed itself on the other platform line and was waiting for departure with the Dharmavaram bound express from Machilipatnam, the sleeper coaches giving an half filed look
Tea vendors boarded across , so took a gulp. Rs.30/- he said , a shocking one . Not understanding what was there for Rs.25/- per cup of the liquid , anyway already taken, gulped it down
Nandyal 120 kms, showed the gmaps , so average of 2 hours if we depart. Went to the door and spotted our WAP7 at the end of the rake at a faint look, waiting to enter the main line for reversing . WAG9 pulled in with a BOBYN rake and halted between us and the Dharmavaram express. Our WAP7 now pulled into between us and the BOBYN for reversal, as the WAP7 with DMM announced its departure . So it is going to be a line up for the station controllers here
The DMM express slowly moved out , clearing points and onto the GTL line. Once he cleared the section later , the WAG9 too left . Our WAP7 too went ahead to join us at other end, and we were now the 4th coach from the loco . A LHB rake blasted past on opposite as another WAG9 pulled into halt on mainline next to us
Time slowly ticked to 705, our scheduled time of arrival at NDL. We are 120 kms away , so on average we are 2 hours late as of now. Of course , we need to see when we get the proceed
At 715AM we got the time to proceed, slowly cleared off the GTL points ,veering off to the Nandyal line , as. WAG9 awaited towards Cuddapah with a BOXN rake . One of the new experiences on this line and a once in a lifetime opportunity. The belt wasn't dry as expected and the landbeds and cotton plants spring up . Before long we had slowed down, and as I wondered the reason, a huge gap in land was visible, indicating an approaching bridge. Penna river beamed the board and a distant town indicated our approach to Prodattur . The semi filled river bed was crossed , tracks diverted and slowly pull into unscheduled halt at Prodattur
10 mins into the halt, the staff came enquiring about breakfast order. We contemplated finishing chappatti vs the breakfast , and decided for the latter. Upma Vada * 3 ordered for Rs.180/-, same cost as swiggy order for chappatti previous night .
A WAG7 freight ran across and we pull out . There were mild shakes across the coach as we speed up on the not much explored section. Delay adding up, but only relief there were not much of crossings expected , but for freights . And trains on diverted route seldom get chance to recover .. do they ??
A quick dart past a small station past the waiting DMU to Kadapa and next we slow down again for a halt . Strained again to see the name , S Uppalapaadu said the board. We held up there and wondered what was next ?? Freight crossing ?? Only possibility
A long 10 minutes halt with the early morning liveliness across the farmlands. Drongos and sunbirds hovering about on bushes close to tracks , as a group of storks take a long flight above . Egrets flutter across as if to say - aaya Naya ujaala , chaar boondon waalah aa aa as their white contrasts the green fields below .
Songs praising Lord Venkateshwara suddenly flew across the coach echoing through. The group who boarded and woke us up at Anantapur have now decided to wake up the sleeping G-13 in entirety as they join chorus in singing . Meanwhile our signal changes to amber and we pull out
20-25 mins and now the coach is again silent . There are hardly any obstacles now and the km mark changes quickly . Koilakontla, Banaganapalle pass through and as time ticks to 10 mins past 9, an approaching line indicating our approach to the junction. It was our original line we were supossed to take , and now we are back into the track . We slowly cross the bridge across the Kundi stream and pull into Nandyal junction 2 hrs 10 mins past our regular schedule. Not bad thought to myself , we have enough slack till Vijayawada to make up this and reduce
Breakfast was served and I quickly open mine to devour. Upma no Vada... Look up at the caterer and he immediately replaces it with one with Vada. I will get it changed immediately he runs out of the coach , as our WAP7 leaves
WAP7 prepares to tackle the Nallamalla forest section as I quickly savour the upma and Vada with the chutney . 2 hours delayed, slack to makeup, a 9PM arrival at VSKp seems a good time to reach . Well it does is a good time , provided we do not encounter any further obstacles. No passenger train crossing till Guntur atleast , I am a free guy , cries out the horn of WAP7, echoing with the EoG sound , barely few coaches away ....
But , we do not know what could be in store.. that's Railways ...
Time for popcorn and snacks guys !!!
