It was all a normal day today. I had some work in college (it was otherwise a holiday for me!), and had gone there. I left from college at about 1300. In the morning, i was expecting to see the Lucknow bound Pushpak Express - but IRFCAn Ranjeet SMSed me that the incoming train (Lucknow-Mumbai) was over 11 hours late, and the train had crossed Kurla only at 0700! So there was no chance of seeing the opposite train, and i decided to proceed to thane immediately from Kurla....
Back to noon: Just as I was entering into the station, I saw the 1014 Coimbatore- LTT Express pulling into Platform 6 with a WCAM3 in charge. Some minutes after the 1014 left, a Kalyan WDM2 rushed through with a Tanker rake towards Kurla. There were not much of movements after that. There was a Thane-Vashi EMU at 1420. I was eagerly waiting to see if the train had the new rake. And the train indeed had the latest Jessop built DC rake...
The rake was delivered about a month (or two) back. The rake is numbered #359-360-361. At around 1430, the Mangalore bound Matsyagandha came in...
...and the loco was WDM3A #14046 of Erode. The loco seemed to have leaked some lube oil, since there were marks of oil spillage near the pilots' cabin. The station was back to silence after the train went out. Just minutes after the Matsyagandha pulled out, the Mumbai-Chennai Express pulled in. The loco was WCG2 #20116 of Kalyan. I was waiting for the 1447 CSTM Fast EMU. Just as the Chennai express pulled in, there was an announcement that the EMU (1447 CSTM) is running indefinitely late! This announcement was closely followed by another one that an OHE wire has snapped on the Kalyan-Karjat section right next to Kalyan station. Hence all Up/Down trains to that side have been cancelled!
An Ambernath bound Slow EMU had just reached on Platform 2, then and that train was pre-maturely terminated at Thane. The rake was to return as a Special train towards Mumbai CST. Just around then a Twin WCAM3 hauled BCNA rake rushed towards Kalyan direction. I rushed to Platform 2 to catch that special train. The special pulled out at 1500, and the journey was normal upto Vikhroli. We crossed about 8 EMUs standing one behind the other between Thane Outer signal, and Bhandup Starter signal!!! The train was heavily crowded by the time we reached Bhandup. I was too tired and dozed off inside the train. While I woke up momentarily, I saw that the train was pulling out from Vikhroli. Just a kilometre after the station, we stopped for a signal. The time was 1525. The train stood there until 1605 (Reported earlier!). The train once again moved ahead, and once again stopped...
...and People started jumping out of the train and walking towards Ghatkopar station. Slow trains behind my train were being diverted to the Fast track, and about 8 EMUs overtook us by the time my EMU reached Ghatkopar. I jumped out of the train at Ghatkopar without any re-think! I took a "fast" EMU from Platform 4 of Ghatkopar, while the earlier EMU I had traveled was still waiting for her starter!
While my EMU was stuck for want of signal, the Dadar bound Sewagram went out with WCAM3 21951. Just behind Sewagram were Dadar-Ratnagiri Passenger (WDM3A #18748R of Pune) and the Bhubaneshwar bound Konark (WCG2 #20159).
I reached kurla at around 1635 (about an hour and 35 minutes after I left from Thane!). I boarded the 1625 Panvel EMU. This EMU started running just about two weeks back (Wadala Road - Panvel Shuttle). Thanks for reading & Bye....do drop in again....
Back to noon: Just as I was entering into the station, I saw the 1014 Coimbatore- LTT Express pulling into Platform 6 with a WCAM3 in charge. Some minutes after the 1014 left, a Kalyan WDM2 rushed through with a Tanker rake towards Kurla. There were not much of movements after that. There was a Thane-Vashi EMU at 1420. I was eagerly waiting to see if the train had the new rake. And the train indeed had the latest Jessop built DC rake...
The other end of the train...
The rake was delivered about a month (or two) back. The rake is numbered #359-360-361. At around 1430, the Mangalore bound Matsyagandha came in...
...and the loco was WDM3A #14046 of Erode. The loco seemed to have leaked some lube oil, since there were marks of oil spillage near the pilots' cabin. The station was back to silence after the train went out. Just minutes after the Matsyagandha pulled out, the Mumbai-Chennai Express pulled in. The loco was WCG2 #20116 of Kalyan. I was waiting for the 1447 CSTM Fast EMU. Just as the Chennai express pulled in, there was an announcement that the EMU (1447 CSTM) is running indefinitely late! This announcement was closely followed by another one that an OHE wire has snapped on the Kalyan-Karjat section right next to Kalyan station. Hence all Up/Down trains to that side have been cancelled!
An Ambernath bound Slow EMU had just reached on Platform 2, then and that train was pre-maturely terminated at Thane. The rake was to return as a Special train towards Mumbai CST. Just around then a Twin WCAM3 hauled BCNA rake rushed towards Kalyan direction. I rushed to Platform 2 to catch that special train. The special pulled out at 1500, and the journey was normal upto Vikhroli. We crossed about 8 EMUs standing one behind the other between Thane Outer signal, and Bhandup Starter signal!!! The train was heavily crowded by the time we reached Bhandup. I was too tired and dozed off inside the train. While I woke up momentarily, I saw that the train was pulling out from Vikhroli. Just a kilometre after the station, we stopped for a signal. The time was 1525. The train stood there until 1605 (Reported earlier!). The train once again moved ahead, and once again stopped...
...and People started jumping out of the train and walking towards Ghatkopar station. Slow trains behind my train were being diverted to the Fast track, and about 8 EMUs overtook us by the time my EMU reached Ghatkopar. I jumped out of the train at Ghatkopar without any re-think! I took a "fast" EMU from Platform 4 of Ghatkopar, while the earlier EMU I had traveled was still waiting for her starter!
While my EMU was stuck for want of signal, the Dadar bound Sewagram went out with WCAM3 21951. Just behind Sewagram were Dadar-Ratnagiri Passenger (WDM3A #18748R of Pune) and the Bhubaneshwar bound Konark (WCG2 #20159).
I reached kurla at around 1635 (about an hour and 35 minutes after I left from Thane!). I boarded the 1625 Panvel EMU. This EMU started running just about two weeks back (Wadala Road - Panvel Shuttle). Thanks for reading & Bye....do drop in again....
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