Train trip to Mumbai on board 12164 Chennai Express!

All the way to Mumbai...

4th December 2014
Mom, dad and I board 12164 MS-DR SF Express...

Departing Chennai Egmore...

So, we depart Chennai Egmore sharp on time. In the lead is a red beast from Erode. It was WAP-4 #22259. So we start crawling slowly with some track music. And skip the heritage stations of the West Line. Pure nostalgia! You should you see one of the oldest stations! Royapuram! 

Overtake at Puliyamangalam:

Nearing Arakkonam... decently skipping the small station of Puliyamangalam. We swiftly overtake a BOXN rake hauled by two WAG-5HA locos horned at Arakkonam (AJJ).

Overtaking BOXN rake, Puliyamangalam

Skipping Arakkonam:

Soon, we smoothly accelerate past Arakkonam Junction. The weather was ideal and sunny. We were moving at a constant speed. Soon, I noticed a shiny WAP-4 in the distance. Yes it was! RPM babe WAP-4 #22962 hauling the Yeshwantpur-Muzaffarpur Express crossed our train at the outer.

Meeting Yeshwantpur-Muzaffarpur Express, Arakkonam outer

Arakkonam Outer:

Some nice curves were present at Arakkonam outskirts...

Nice and bouncy curves. ED beats loving it, Arakkonam outskirts

Arriving Renigunta:

So, we slowly crawled into the buzzing Renigunta Junction. After shooting the whole Ponpadi curve. I was relaxed. I got off the train and rested my legs a bit and we waited for some time before departure.

At Renigunta Junction.
Empty rake of 56011 Arakkonam-Kadapa Passenger is on the left side.

But on the other hand, there was a interesting sight. Next to my train, the Chennai-Tirupati Express had arrived with a WAM-4 of AJJ #21255 and on the other end which was to leave to Chennai, I spotted another AJJ WAM-4 #21272 coupled to it to take it back to MAS. Two loco operation! :-)

21255 WAM-4 which brought it from Chennai.

21272 which will haul

it to Chennai.

Arrival at Koduru:

I set out to the door of my B1 coach and was gazing at the scenic forests and hills from Renigunta to Koduru. Then we start to decelerate and come to a steady stop at an empty looking Koduru waiting for the arrival of 11042 CSTM-MAS Express.

Arrival at empty looking Koduru 

We had arrived 7 mins early so we had to wait for a bit to get the starter and proceed out of the lush country landscape! 

7 minute wait, Koduru

Departing Koduru:

We depart Koduru after a long wait. Swift acceleration from the WAP-4. Serene environment outside. Next stop HX! HX is Kadapa! 

Arrival at Kadapa:

Soon, we arrive at the upgraded and modern Kadapa station awaiting the arrival of the legend; 16381 CSTM-CAPE Jayanti Janata Express which we will encounter a crossing with us at a small station called Krishnapuram next to Kadapa.

Kadapa (HX), SCR, Andhra Pradesh! 

Some serene environment at Kadapa. But the other side was buzzing waiting for Jayanti to arrive! 

Ready to depart, Kadapa

Gooty...

We arrive at the buzzing Gooty! Huge place! Had some vanilla ice-cream :P

Meanwhile... ED WAP-4 is gonna end its time with this train! 

I took some shots...

Surprise at the other side! 

                 Gooty WDG-4 brothers slowly coupling themselves to a BOXN rake

Departure from Gooty:

We slowly crawl out of Gooty and WAP-4 seems to be tired! Next stop is Guntakal and there are 3 small stations in between them. At Guntakal WAP-4 will say bye and a diesel beast will take charge...

                                                             Curving out of Gooty

The classic Gooty level crossing... memories! A bus watches me as my train occupies the main line and marches towards GTL! 

Nakkanadoddi...

We meet a couple of WDG-3A's from Kazipet hauling a BCNA rake. Still two small stations and Guntakal will come. ED WAP-4 is gonna say goodbye! 

                                 KZJ twins with a BCNA consist, Nakkanadoddi, AP

Entry into Guntakal:

We snake into the massive Guntakal. 

Then ED WAP-4 #22259 says goodbye... Great time on the electrified MAS-GTL section! Diesel time now! 

Then this beast takes charge! PUNE WDM-3D #11369.

................................................. Later,

                                    Chennaiiiiieeee..........

We are coupled to the ALCO and ready to take on the rest of the scenic route! <3

Departing Guntakal...

We slowly crawl out of Guntakal with some super chugging and nice whistles! We rounded the huge bend and were back on the mainline! Soon, freight crossed us! 

                         Fully loaded BOXN rake crosses, Guntakal, AP

The rest of SCR was filled with barren plateaus and scenic sections and industrial plants at Raichur! Stay tuned! We are now arriving Adoni!

At Adoni!

We came to a standstill... I read the board... ADONI.

A very cute and well maintained station.

We depart after a halt... ALL ABOARD! 

Next stop... sacred road! 

We accelerate out of Adoni with some good chugging from the LHF monster. Our next stop is the great Mantralayam Road. The LP was doing a good job in stopping the train at the right position!

Brown and green all the way! 

A short halt at Kupgal! Crossing time!

A pair of WDG-4's produce superb humming and cross my train at Kupgal. We decelerate and in course of time and came to a standstill...

We had a crossing here with 11027 Mumbai CST-Chennai Central Mail! So we had quite a long wait and this guy did not show up! Meanwhile I was enjoying the serene landscape! 

Drama in the air! 

Before Mantralayam, through the barren lands we were doing a good speed and there was a small level crossing. There KYN WDM-3D whizzed past us with 11027 Chennai-Mumbai Mail! 

Mantralayam... 

                             
The scene is calm and enjoyable. We are at Mantralayam. Abode of the Saint of Mantralaya, Sri Raghavendra Swami. As dusk was approaching, the golden hour starts! 

I got down, relaxed a bit.
Meanwhile, photography doesn't hide! 

Reflections bounce back on the windows! 

We were about to depart now.

Meanwhile this was what I got from the glass of the door on the other side of my B1 coach... it was mesmerizing.

                       The sun putting up stunning visuals as we gear up for departure! 

Soon, the scene is back to original. Everybody is ready for departure! 

We depart Mantralayam... and cross the mighty Tungabhadra river bridge! 

Our next stop is Raichur... the zone of twilight and industry! 

Arrival at Raichur!

We come to a stop at the great Raichur.

And the clock stood at 17:25

And the environment outside was beautiful. Perfect time for doorplating! The moon could be seen and this is the best time for standing at the door and gazing at the industrial and remote outback until the next stop at Saidapur. Raichur Thermal Power Plant was a massive structure that was upcoming. We gear up for departure.

A pigeon stands on the roof and the moon gives a nice background. We depart Raichur! 

Then we cross another river after Raichur and the Thermal Plant. This time it is the Krishna! 

Dusk settles in...

Dusk settles in and everything outside becomes purple and the ground is brown and it seems like we are heading into fantasy. It's a nice cool feeling outside. I go through some snacks and gaze out the window...

Dusk settles in, nearing Saidapur, KA. SCR outskirts...

That was a video snap :P

We are practically in the middle of nowhere in the barren SCR outskirts. We entered Karnataka and we are nearing Saidapur. Then Yadgir. Diesel heaven! 

Saidapur, Yadgir and all...

We make stops at Saidapur and Yadgir and it gets dark. Nothing is seen outside. Our next stop is one of the busiest and it was gonna be a nightmare! Wadi, Karnataka.

Probably the longest halt so far! Wadi, CR:

We enter CR territory and stop at the buzzing Wadi Junction. Lots of activity was going on. And this was the scene.

And on the other side...

What a cool outdoors! KJM WDP-4 with an express had arrived on that end. It was now over 15 mins since we arrived. Then Bhavnagar-Kochuveli Express arrived with an orange ALCO. It was late, so it was given clearance first! Then the Hyderabad-Raichur Passenger crawled in with a WDM-3A and it departed too!
There was also one major problem! The power was out! So it became eerie!! 

They were also people who sold Idli's and bhel puri sorts of things and some people was munching them. 

Then at last, we our loco honked loudly and finally we departed from the great WADI! 

This is the end! Of shooting. All I remember was that we stopped at Pune at 2 AM and loco change and we got off Kalyan Junction and took EMU to Mulund and went to my aunt's house.

We attended the function and returned to Chennai by Indigo Airline 6E 483! 

Thank you so much. Comments, corrections and suggestions are always welcome! 

S.Sudhindra
Chennai, TN

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