Kalyan to Shegaon and Back
by Abhishek Tamhankar
2010-09-25
I had planned a one day trip to Shegaon to visit Shri Gajanan Maharaj Temple. Accordingly booked tickets for 2105 and 2112 for the return trip.
Left home on 25th Sept at about 19:00 hrs to take 2105 from Kalyan (KYN). Got a slow EMU (Electric Multiple Unit)from DI (Dombivli) to KYN which dropped us to platform # 1 at KYN. Took the new FOB to reach platform # 4 where 2105 was supposed to arrive. Our coach was S1 with SL, SU, LB, and MB.
Bhavnagar-Kakinada arrived on platform # 6 with a MLY loco. It halted at KYN for more than 15 minutes and then started. Meanwhile 6340 Nagercoil-CSTM arrived on platform # 5 with an ED link. After that 2128 passed from platform # 7. A man trying to get down from that train fell on the platform with his luggage. He was very lucky to survive.
An announcement was made for the arrival of 2105. In the mean time, KYN member Shantanu Kulkarni SMS'd me that he would be meeting me near our coach.
Shantanu and 2105 arrived together.
We got inside the coach and took our seats. My kid was busy with his kurkure snacks. The coach was good with clean floors. I got off the coach to chat with Shantanu for a couple of minutes. Soon the starter was given and we left Kalyan.
Not much to spot between Kalyan and Kasara with the daily mail/express and EMU traffic.
Cutlets were served. That was the only food available inside the train till kasara untill the vendor came and took the dinner orders. Biryani was available which was promised to be served hot at 10pm, that was at Igatpuri. It was loaded from the Irani canteen.
I ordered for one and it was ok.
My kid wanted to have vada pav. So he had one at IGP (Igatpuri) and also tasted some biryani. Needless to say he liked it as it was not spicy for him and he enjoyed the rice.
We left IGP at 22.05 hrs. There were at least 6-7 SRC WAP-4 locos at the ETS along with other shed locos.
My wife took the SLB while mom and dad opted for LB and MB. I was awake till NK which was reached somewhere around 22.45 or so. I spotted the MMR-IGP shuttle with a BSL WAM-4 leaving NK, which was followed by the 1058 Dadar express which was hauled by a GZB WAP-1.
After NK, I had a good sleep till MMR (manmad) where a family of 5 occupied our bay. They were supposed to go to Shegaon. After Manmad I again slept well till Jalgaon and the time here showed 01:53am. I came down to the SLB and enjoyed the high speed run till BSL. Here both my wife and kid were awake doing an inspection of BSL station.
Adjacent to our platform the BSL-NZM Gondwana express rake was parked. The other platforms were occupied by a BCNA rake lead by a WAG-5, the 2618 Mangala was with a WAM-4 probably from BSL. Soon 1077 arrived with an LDH power.
A tea vendor was busy selling the tea and vada pav which my kid also wanted.
We left BSL after a 10-minute halt, I guess at 02.30am or so and took the line towards NGP. After brief halts at Malkapur and Nandura, we reached SEG (Shegaon) at 04:07 am on platform # 1. Many passengers got down and similar were the numbers to board the train.
We took the FOB and hopped into the bus which took us straight to the temple. No rooms were available at Bhakt Niwas so we had to settle in a nearby hotel. The railway tracks were right opposite the hotel. While enquiring for the rooms, a train with EOG sound passed. I guess that would be the Pune Nagpur GR.
The return journey was by 2112 Amravati-Mumbai express. I had booked the tickets in 3A coach which was 5th from the loco. We reached the station at around 6:20pm, a good 1 hour early. Indicators showed that 2112 was RT (right time) and was expected at 19:15 hrs. Arrival of 2655 ADI-MAS Navjeevan was announced and it was led by a RPM WAP-4. I did not see the road number. Before that a WAG-9 with a BOXN rake passed at a good speed towards AK, the Puri-ADI express was hauled by a WAP-4 but I could not see the shed as SEG station was turned into a complete blackout.
2112 arrived on time. This time we had SL, SU, MB and UB. Dad opted for SU. I requested the co-passenger to take the MB and my mom took the LB instead. I hopped on the UB with much dislike because as usual SLB goes to my wife and kid.
We had dinner at Nandura which was very spicy and cost Rs 40. Surprisingly there were no vendors selling water bottles. So we had to get them at BSL. Our co-passenger was to get down at BSL and he was busy watching 3 Idiots on his laptop in which he was further joined by my kid.
We departed BSL well past 21:00 hrs. After Jalgaon, I took my berth and fell asleep to wake up only at IGP. The time showed 01:53 am and we departed after a loco change. Ohhh… BTW 2112 was hauled by a BSL WAM-4. We reached Kalyan as early as 03:30hrs on platform 5. We headed towards platform # 3 to take an EMU (Electric Multiple Unit)for Dombivli which was scheduled at 04:07hrs. Meanwhile Nandigram Express arrived on platform # 5, followed by 6382 Cape express on platform # 7 and 2702 Hussainsagar on platform # 6.
Our EMU (Electric Multiple Unit)arrived at 04:11am. We reached DI and thus ended the trip.
I hope you all liked it.