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Departure of 329 Down, Pune - Wadi - Hyderabad Passenger. This
is the train that brought us to Daund in the morning. It will now
continue its slow plodding journey towards Hyderabad and arrive at
its destination next morning. |
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The 329 Dn. is a 'mixed' passenger carrying elements of
freight. The three insulated (but not refrigerated) milk tankers
behind the engine home far away at Erode and Vijaywada. I doubt if
they actually carry milk, the 329 Dn. seems to be just ferrying
them nearer to home. As with all trains in India, passengers will
get on the train till the very last moment. Drivers know this and
make concessions by slowing down to a crawl. specially if they see
women and children rushing to catch the train after it has started
moving. |
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A Pune WDM2 refuels at the South Eastern end of Daund station.
The storage tanks are behind the the loco and one more refuelling
station can be seen in the foreground. The pumps and the metering
equipment is in the white shed. |
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Returning to Pune on the 1602 Up Manmad - Daund - Pune
passenger we cross the 6529 Down Udyan Express at Yevat. The
distance marker 232/8 is the kilometers from Mumbai CSTM (which is
KM zero). The entire Central Railway system follows this distance
nomenclature. The 1602 Up loco has just notched up, as the smoke
indicates while the 6529 has crested the gradient at the horizon
and is now powering down the slope at high speed. |
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The dark blue/light blue Krishnarajapuram (mercifully referred
to as KJM) WDM2 speeds the Udyan Express towards Bangalore while
the 1602 Up is just crawling out of Yewat. The four lines at Yewat
consist of the Down main (occupied by the 6529) and the Up main
next to our train. The other two are the Down loop line (without
platform) and the Up loop line via platform on which we roll. A
leaking oil sump of a passing loco has left a trail of oil on the
Up main line. |
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The reason behind the trip to Daund - my daughter Aditi
(nickname Iti, the iti in our email address), hyperactive three
years old and very enthusiastic about trains. A less enthusiastic
and sleepy wife Shyama is out of synch with Iti. Iti has just woken
up after a nap and is delighted to be sitting in a train while
Shyama may pass out any second now due to fatigue. |
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Equally tired dad Apurva (me!) wonders what make Iti tick. Iti
cannot stop grinning. |
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Back at home at Pune, after a bath and a nap, Iti plays trains
with Shyama. |
