Yet another sunday played host to railfanning! Today, I had an opportunity to meet Mr. V Srinivasa Prasad (Fondly called as VSP) from Hyderabad. He is a "timetable expert", and a member of Indian Railway Fans Club or IRFCA.
I left my home at 1155 towards Thane to take part in the meeting. The Belapur-Panvel section was closed for the day, and all EMUs were terminated at Belapur. I took an EMU towards Kurla from Belapur. I reached Kurla at around 1245. I went towards Platform 5 to catch a fast train. Just around then a WDS4 rushed towards DR with 10 coaches in tow. While on Platform 5, I spotted a light WCAM3, and the Hyderabad Express hauled by WCG2 rushing towards Thane side. My EMU pulled in at 1313, early by 2 minutes. It was a Fast EMU, BUT being a Sunday it halts at Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund in addition to the normal halts. The journey took 30 minutes instead of the usual 17-20 minutes. The platform at Thane was crowded heavily.
I had a tough time finding IRFCAn Ranjeet from the crowd. Just then, a Gorakhpur bound Special train pulled out of the station with a WCAM3 in-charge. Just then I got a call from VSP stating that his EMU was at Thane Outer waiting for the Special to cross over! I located Ranjeet, and we walked towards VSP (and Abhishek) whose train had by then pulled in. We went towards Platform 7 where Deepesh, Sachin and Sagar were waiting. We were joined by Giridhar Patnaik later on.
A few minutes after we reached the platform, we spotted the 1014 Coimbatore-LTT Express pulling in. The loco was WCAM3 #21945. The train had 20 coaches including a Pantry Car. A few minutes after the 1014 express went through, a long BOXN rake hauled by twin WDM2s #17608 and #17590 of Kalyan went through. Some more minutes later, a BCNA rake hauled by WDM2 #17717 of Abu Road went through the station towards Kurla. At 1439, the Mangalore bound Matsyagandha pulled in with WDM3A #14125 of Erode. While the Matsyagandha was stationary, the Dadar bound passenger from Ratnagiri pulled in with WDG3A #13063 of Pune in charge. Around the same time, the Mumbai-Chennai Express pulled in with a WCG2 in-charge.
We stayed at the platform till the Matsyagandha towards Mangalore went. After that, we took a group photo, and walked out of the station for some refreshments. While, we were sitting in the hotel for refreshments, we spotted the Sinhagad towards Pune leaving the station. VSP and Sagar went towards Borivali, while we dispersed! Just as myself, Deepesh, Ranjeet, Giridhar and Abhishek were entering the station, we saw the Manmad bound Godavari pulling in. We stayed over the FOB for a long time. Around this time, the HTE-LTT Superfast rushed through with WCAM3 #21958 in charge. Finally, Abhishek went off towards Dombivali. While on Platform 6, we spotted the Sewagram towards Nagpur pulling in. The Main line trains were running heavily crowded due to a mega block on the slow line, and finally myself, Giridhar and Deepesh decided to take the Thane-Vashi train at 1605. We parted ways at Vashi, and I finally made it home at 1700.
Photos of the meet are uploaded here. There is another railfanning planned for tomorrow! So bye till then!
I left my home at 1155 towards Thane to take part in the meeting. The Belapur-Panvel section was closed for the day, and all EMUs were terminated at Belapur. I took an EMU towards Kurla from Belapur. I reached Kurla at around 1245. I went towards Platform 5 to catch a fast train. Just around then a WDS4 rushed towards DR with 10 coaches in tow. While on Platform 5, I spotted a light WCAM3, and the Hyderabad Express hauled by WCG2 rushing towards Thane side. My EMU pulled in at 1313, early by 2 minutes. It was a Fast EMU, BUT being a Sunday it halts at Vikhroli, Bhandup and Mulund in addition to the normal halts. The journey took 30 minutes instead of the usual 17-20 minutes. The platform at Thane was crowded heavily.
I had a tough time finding IRFCAn Ranjeet from the crowd. Just then, a Gorakhpur bound Special train pulled out of the station with a WCAM3 in-charge. Just then I got a call from VSP stating that his EMU was at Thane Outer waiting for the Special to cross over! I located Ranjeet, and we walked towards VSP (and Abhishek) whose train had by then pulled in. We went towards Platform 7 where Deepesh, Sachin and Sagar were waiting. We were joined by Giridhar Patnaik later on.
A few minutes after we reached the platform, we spotted the 1014 Coimbatore-LTT Express pulling in. The loco was WCAM3 #21945. The train had 20 coaches including a Pantry Car. A few minutes after the 1014 express went through, a long BOXN rake hauled by twin WDM2s #17608 and #17590 of Kalyan went through. Some more minutes later, a BCNA rake hauled by WDM2 #17717 of Abu Road went through the station towards Kurla. At 1439, the Mangalore bound Matsyagandha pulled in with WDM3A #14125 of Erode. While the Matsyagandha was stationary, the Dadar bound passenger from Ratnagiri pulled in with WDG3A #13063 of Pune in charge. Around the same time, the Mumbai-Chennai Express pulled in with a WCG2 in-charge.
We stayed at the platform till the Matsyagandha towards Mangalore went. After that, we took a group photo, and walked out of the station for some refreshments. While, we were sitting in the hotel for refreshments, we spotted the Sinhagad towards Pune leaving the station. VSP and Sagar went towards Borivali, while we dispersed! Just as myself, Deepesh, Ranjeet, Giridhar and Abhishek were entering the station, we saw the Manmad bound Godavari pulling in. We stayed over the FOB for a long time. Around this time, the HTE-LTT Superfast rushed through with WCAM3 #21958 in charge. Finally, Abhishek went off towards Dombivali. While on Platform 6, we spotted the Sewagram towards Nagpur pulling in. The Main line trains were running heavily crowded due to a mega block on the slow line, and finally myself, Giridhar and Deepesh decided to take the Thane-Vashi train at 1605. We parted ways at Vashi, and I finally made it home at 1700.
Photos of the meet are uploaded here. There is another railfanning planned for tomorrow! So bye till then!
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