Some time with my camera at Thane!

Today was a very brilliant day for I could spend some fun-filled hours at Thane station with my camera. Un-usually, I noticed that police presence was at its bare minimum, and platforms were too crowded for the remaining pandus to spot me! I reached Thane at about 8 AM. I was too depressed about "missing" the Madgaon bound Mandovi. I consoled myself that I'd get to see a WDP4 working the Udyan. But, suddenly I noticed that the boards at Platform 7 were still showing the coach positions for "0103" which is Mandovi express. Just around the same time, the PA system came alive and announced that the Mandovi express has not left Mumbai CST, and passengers would be informed as soon as the train leaves from CSTM. So that meant that the incoming Konkan Kanya was late today! I doubted if Pushpak would get a WDP4 today!
I decided to wait until the Pushpak rolled through! The first spotting of the day was the Guwahati express, which got WCAM3 #21956. Minutes after this, the PA system came alive to announce the arrival of 2620 Matsyagandha Express from Mangalore - My God! The train was over 2 hours late! The train came in at 0840 with WDM3A #14139 (Erode) in Charge.
While Matsyagandha was waiting for her signal, the Bangalore bound Udyan Express rushed through. The loco was WDP4 #20022 from Krishnarajapuram. About 15 anxiety filled moments later, the Pushpak express towards Lucknow too rolled past....The loco was WDP4 #20016!!!! This confirmed that the Mandovi is slated to get a WDM2 today!!!!! At about 0920, the PA system announced about a "Jalad Gaadi" (Fast train) that would rush through Platform 6. The starter was Red! At about 0926 the "fast train" pulled in slowly (the starter was still red). The train was the Sinhagad Express (Pune to Mumbai), and the loco incharge was WCG2 #20128. The red starter meant that the Mandovi had reached the outer, and is waiting to cross in. Sometime later, the sound of an Alco was heard, and the sinhagad pulled out!
The ALCO that I had heard earlier was WDM2 #17735 from Kalyan working the 22-Coach Mandovi Express! (Mandovi has not reached Madgaon even at this hour! The train should have reached there at 2000 if on time!). I was least surprised since I had expected this earlier! Sometime later, the loco gave off its ALCO horn and pulled out with liberal amounts of smoke. About 15 minutes later, the Kolhapur bound Koyna express pulled in with WCG2 #20131 in-charge.
I had planned to return by the Matsyagandha or the Ratnagiri passenger in the evening. Just as my lecturer post-poned her lecture to the noon, I saw the chances of Matsyagandha slimming down to a small 1mm thick line! As the lecture began, I saw the chances of the Ratnagiri passenger also thinning down to sub-millimetre thickness! Finally when I reached Thane, I saw the Ratnagiri passenger waiting for that signal. Just as I neared the FOB, the turquoise liveried loco gave a long horn, and disappeared towards the Parsik hills. I was left to the mercy of travelling via Kurla - Aha! My good old route!!!
While waiting for an EMU, I saw WCAM2 #21868 (Seen in the pic above) rolling through with a Tanker rake (which I spotted later at Kurla yard). Just whilst waiting at Thane, the Lucknow express sped past with a WCAM3 in-charge. I boarded the 16:50 Dadar Fast EMU from Thane. Just as my train pulled out, the Pragati express went in (could not check the loco). Some time later, the Nandigram sped past with a Diesel loco in charge. I reached Kurla at 1715, an rushed to Platform 7 (here?) to board the 1715 Vashi EMU that was yet to arrive. I found out the reason of the delay just moments after. A BCNA rake had come from south (mumbai) with WCAG1 #21978 in charge. The rake was on the Harbour Down line, and had to crossover into the Kurla Yard. Just as the loco crossed over, My train came in. I had tons to jobs to do, and finally made it to my home by 1900.
Thanks for your patient read...Hope to see u tomorrow!