Just like the last year, this year too I welcomed the new year with a session of railfanning. The venue was the same both the years - the ever familiar Panvel station.
I returned from Bangalore on Sunday alone, and my parents would be back only the next week. I left home at around 1130 to a nearby restaurant to have lunch and then proceed to Panvel. I had lunch and drove down towards Panvel. I dove about 50% of the distance when I realised that I hadn't taken the batteries of my camera! The camera takes only Li-Ion batteries, and I had to drive back home to fetch the batteries. I called up Panvel and enquired the status of some trains.
I then drove down to Panvel, and headed straight to the Level cross. The gate was closed, and Netravati Express to Panvel was readying to start! WDM3D #11112 of Erode was in charge! The loco was a mild smoker. A twin Kalyan WDM2 hauled BCNA rake too was waiting to start from Panvel.
The KR4 passenger from Ratnagiri was running late, and pulled in at around 1345 only (about an hour late!). The loco in charge was WDM2 #17739 of Pune. Nizamuddin bound Mangala was also running late. So was the Nizamuddin bound Holiday special and the LTT bound Netravati Express.
Mangala Express pulled in at around 1411 with WDM2 #16859 of Ernakulam in charge. The train was about an hour and 11 minutes late. The train pulled out in about 5 minutes. There were pretty less number of RPF around - much to my happiness!
The Kochuveli-H.Nizamuddin Winter special pulled in at around 1428 with WDM3a #18735 of Vatva doing the honours. The train, according to the announcement, was only 16 coaches long (2x SLR, 2X GS, 10X SL, 2X 3A, 1X 2A). But, when the train pulled in, she was 20 coaches long (2X SLR, 1X GS, 14X SL, 2X 3A, 1X 2A)! I met one of my office colleagues at the station! He was on his way back from Goa! The train left at around 1442. (The loco was a good smoker - but appeared to be in a very bad state!)
Matsyagandha Express to Mangalore was announced to arrive about 15 minutes late. The train turned up at 1527 with WDM2 #17474 of Ernakulam doing the honours! This loco arrived Mumbai on December 30, and then worked the JS yesterday! The train was moderately crowded, and there was a good number of upgradations from SL to 3A! The train left at around 1535.
Lokmanya Tilak Terminus bound Netravati Express pulled in at around 1616 (about an hour late) with WDM2 #16881 of Golden Rock doing the honours! This train has a real volatile link rotating among all loco sheds of SR! (The link officially is with Ernakulam!)
I concluded the "New Year Bash" at around 1630 and returned home.
Images of the day can be seen here. The above one is a very short write up. I plan to edit this to add more information very soon...
I returned from Bangalore on Sunday alone, and my parents would be back only the next week. I left home at around 1130 to a nearby restaurant to have lunch and then proceed to Panvel. I had lunch and drove down towards Panvel. I dove about 50% of the distance when I realised that I hadn't taken the batteries of my camera! The camera takes only Li-Ion batteries, and I had to drive back home to fetch the batteries. I called up Panvel and enquired the status of some trains.
I then drove down to Panvel, and headed straight to the Level cross. The gate was closed, and Netravati Express to Panvel was readying to start! WDM3D #11112 of Erode was in charge! The loco was a mild smoker. A twin Kalyan WDM2 hauled BCNA rake too was waiting to start from Panvel.
The KR4 passenger from Ratnagiri was running late, and pulled in at around 1345 only (about an hour late!). The loco in charge was WDM2 #17739 of Pune. Nizamuddin bound Mangala was also running late. So was the Nizamuddin bound Holiday special and the LTT bound Netravati Express.
Mangala Express pulled in at around 1411 with WDM2 #16859 of Ernakulam in charge. The train was about an hour and 11 minutes late. The train pulled out in about 5 minutes. There were pretty less number of RPF around - much to my happiness!
The Kochuveli-H.Nizamuddin Winter special pulled in at around 1428 with WDM3a #18735 of Vatva doing the honours. The train, according to the announcement, was only 16 coaches long (2x SLR, 2X GS, 10X SL, 2X 3A, 1X 2A). But, when the train pulled in, she was 20 coaches long (2X SLR, 1X GS, 14X SL, 2X 3A, 1X 2A)! I met one of my office colleagues at the station! He was on his way back from Goa! The train left at around 1442. (The loco was a good smoker - but appeared to be in a very bad state!)
Matsyagandha Express to Mangalore was announced to arrive about 15 minutes late. The train turned up at 1527 with WDM2 #17474 of Ernakulam doing the honours! This loco arrived Mumbai on December 30, and then worked the JS yesterday! The train was moderately crowded, and there was a good number of upgradations from SL to 3A! The train left at around 1535.
Lokmanya Tilak Terminus bound Netravati Express pulled in at around 1616 (about an hour late) with WDM2 #16881 of Golden Rock doing the honours! This train has a real volatile link rotating among all loco sheds of SR! (The link officially is with Ernakulam!)
I concluded the "New Year Bash" at around 1630 and returned home.
Images of the day can be seen here. The above one is a very short write up. I plan to edit this to add more information very soon...
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