Hyderabad - Nagpur - Bhopal - Warangal - Hyderabad
by Shashanka Nanda
2001-11-18
Over the weekend I made a quick trip on the following route. HYB-NGP-BPL-WL-HYB. It was a really interesting one and inspite of the tiring schedule, I had loads of fun. I travelled 7021 Dakshin Exp to Nagpur. From there I took 2904 Gondwana Exp till Bhopal. Then 6023 Andaman Exp from Bhopal to Warangal, 7049 Machlipatnam Exp to KZJ (got off becos there was no room) and then 2763 TPTY-SEC Express.
I took a lot of pics, mostly from the train, hope they come good. But the fun part was travelling by Andaman Exp. Its a ridiculous train from a normal passengers point of view. Pathetic archaic rake. Horrible schedule. No facilities. And a totally insane rake combination. How does explain this ???? engine-general-S1-general-general-AC2tier-general-general-S2-S3-general-SLR-parcel van
But nevertheless the train maintained good speed from Bhopal till Balharshah, running at 100kmph for long streches. From a railfans view, the coolest thing abt the train is that it gets overtaken by every other superfast on the route. AP overtakes it just before Bhopal in the night, Rajdhani overtakes it just after Itarsi, GT overtakes it near Wardha (Sewagram) and TN near Sirpur Kagaznagar. Ample opportunity to click a few stoking WAP 4s and thats exactly what I did.
I got the SBC Raj doing 115 kmph headed by a WAP4 at Keeratgarh outside Itrasi, again with Shatabdi generator cars on both ends.
Then I got the GT express at Wagheli (KM 783/5) hauled a brand new WAP 4 (red-yellow-black) #22362 from the JHS shed. 2 mins before at the same spot this I got AP headed towards Delhi with a LGD WAP4 (missed the no.)
At Balharshah I finished the roll I was carrying and settled down with a book. Then the call of a cigaretted brought me back to the gate and at Manikgarh Jn. I saw something becos of which I am still cursing myself no end. there was a 58 car BCNA freight rake hauled by guess what....I'm sure there's hardly anyone who's seen this. It was a WAP 4!!!!!!!! yeah a WAP 4 (#22226) LGD shed I presume ??? The loco was badly badly in the need for a paint job. How I wish I hadn't finished my reel trying to capture a WDM2c at Balharshah. I got busy with my book again. Near Sirpur Kagaz Nagar the TN overtook us and the Kerela crossed us.
And I then at Jamikunta station I cursed myself even more. The tarin stopped and I jumped off. Moments later the signal turned green on the main line. I asked the SM as to what was overtaking. He said GT...so I told him it cant be possible cos it overtook me long back. He said no...I was wondering what was wrong with him and all of a sudden it was there. But hauling it was a WAG 5XX with the no. ( 22172..not sure though) and the brand new WAP4 I mentioned earlier was behind it....DEAD !!!!!
lots of more li'l li'l things happened, like a WAM4P (#20560) in the blue-dark blue livery hauling the Cochin Varanasi Exp. the loco read SCR, BZA shed on the front and had BRC emblazoned on the sides !!!!!!
Will be putting up all these pics on the site soon.