Shirdi, Pune
by Lakshman T.
2002-01-29
The joureney to Shirdi and Pune and back to SC was fablous on read on and you will know why.
I started off by the 7032 HYB-CSTM express from Begumpet station which came in by a WDM 2A no 16022 KZJ (more on this wonderfull machine later) and left 5 min late with LHF it ran at around 40-50 kmph till Lingampalli and after that picked up speed to aroudn 75+ after Shankarapalli station I slept soon after but woke up at 3AM and we were in CR somewhere near Hotgi in Karnataka. Then again dozed off and got up just before Duand junction where I had to get off.
Duand was reached 5 min late at 7.25 and it was around 8 degress with a lot of mist. I then went around the station and saw some breaksown cars etc. and took their snaps also I took a shot of the empty platform with some swirling mist with the rakes in the background.
I then went ahead to the loco which hauled my train and took some snaps of it in the early morning mist as it was leaving Duand station.
Having done that I and my cousin decided to take the SBC-ADI express which was due in 10 min time and we waited for the train which came in hauled by a KJM 14024 WDM2c baldie which I snapped and was SHF.
Having got into the II class coach I took a window seat (what else could I do the temptation was too much ) and waited for the deprature. The train left about 15 min late and the WDM2c started screaming her way past the points which seperated the DD-MMR line and the CSTM-DD line. We soon crossed a small river and the loco slowly started climbing upto the 60kmph mark then the real thrill began.
The loco was doing 60kmph and increasing its speed rapidly with the shrill whistling sound of the exhaust almost tearing my ears(joking anyway).
Then we came to section after the bridge where there were numerous curves all of them which were left sided. And the loco kept blasting its way through the curves and even on the curves the speed limits were 90 80 or 95kmph amazing track maintence and the ride was very smooth. I took many shots sitting in the seat but jutting my camera outside the window to match the view of the driver and got some shots of the loco entering viaducts on curves with the semphores and W/L boards in the foreground.
This continued almost till ahmednagar before which I took a stationary passneger train with a WDM 2 as we were blasting through the station at 80 kmph. We reached ahmednagar 15 min late and after leaving Ahmednagar we stopped at a station called Rahuari where the Pune bound Jhelum express crossed us at 75 kmph hauled by a Pune WDM 2 I took a shot of our exp and the Jhelum entering from a curve. We soon reached Belapur where I asked the driver if I could foot plate but he politely said it was not allowed.
We then reached Koperagon 30 min late and I tried for SL class on next days Jhelum to Pune but said it was packed for a month!!!!!!
All IRFCA members if you want perfect location for diesel railfanning with Semphore and some super curves with high speed the KPG-DD strecth is for you.
After darshan at Shirdi which was packed we left for pune by BUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No don't brickbat me all the trains were packed on that day.