After successful completion of Mumbai Suburban Travel in a day, the next thing on my wishlist was to visit Pune and take the relatively new Karjat-Panvel line back to Kalyan. Since Konkan Railway started operating in mid 90s our annual trips to Kerala shifted from the good old erstwhile 1081 Mumbai-Cape Kanyakumari Express (now 16381) to 16345 Netravathi Express or the LTT-KCVL Garib rath. So I was missing trips via Pune and with the Single Electrified section between Karjat-Panvel getting passenger traffic, my urge to go to Pune was increasing day by day.
Opportunity soon arrived in the form of a week's off from work and with nothing much to do at home, I devised a plan to go to Pune by 12127 Mumbai Pune Intercity Express (ICE) and return back by 11026 Pune -Bhusaval Express. I whatsapped my plan to a few railfans to find if they were interested. Although all of them wanted to join, none could make it because I had to do the trip on a Tuesday . Only Karthik Gopalan from Chembur could manage to join me. I had already booked tickets so he also booked tickets on IRCTC to find our seats relatively close by. He had booked in ICE from CSTM and got D7 coach and I had booked from TNA to Pune and was allotted D6, seat 47.
I got up early and after finishing the morning chores, rode my bike to Dombivli and by the time I could park my vehicle, 6:13 slow to CSTM had departed. I had the options of taking the 6.21 CSTM Fast from Pf5 or 6.17 CSTM Slow from Pf3. Knowing that early morning fast locals rarely maintain schedules due to a barrage of Mail/Express trains to Mumbai, I decided to take the slow train. With just 22 minutes to cover from Dombivli to Thane, I decided to stand by the door of the 3002 MRVC rake. Mumbai Bhusaval Passenger was seen being hauled by WCAM3 at Kopar with 2 parcel vans just behind the loco. Quick to follow it was an Alco hauled Indrayani Express, which crossed us a Diva Jn. Our run was through dense early morning fog, a regular feature near Diva during the winter months. As we were leaving Diva, managed to spot 12620 Mangalore Central-LTT Matysagandha Express slowly getting onto UP Mainline with a good looking WDG4 12606 of GOC stable in SHF mode. The LED signals were really beaming through the fog and making the lives of LPs and Motormans easier I guess.
Mumbra and Kalva were uneventful and a small wish which had cloggered the mind in these few minutes was to get a parallel run with an UP Fast train near Thane.I was blessed with something even better. After Kalva, I got to experience a parallel run between a DC EMU on Trans-Harbour line along with the mighty GOC WDG4 once again. DC EMU won the race hands down in the end. It ended up on Transharbour platforms of TNA. 12620 was admitted on PF8 and my slow local on PF4. PF6 had Devgiri Express waiting to depart.I crossed the FOB and waited patiently on PF5 for my ICE to arrive.Soon the CSTM Fast arrived behind Devgiri Express and it was running late by a few minutes, so the idea to ditch it a Dombivli turned out to be a good one. The new CR suburban timetable has seen the introduction of 15 car rake on fast track. The first 15 car service to KYN from CSTM has an arrival time of 6.45 at TNA, but it arrived 4 minutes early and spent the next few minutes resting on PF5.Following it closely was 17617 Mumbai Nanded Tapovan Express which came to a halt on PF5 at 6:48. Next in line to arrive was 6:56 Fast to Karjat and it arrived a minute early. In the meanwhile WCAM2P #21877 brought in Kolhapur-Mumbai Mahalaxmi Express on PF6. 15017 LTT-Gorakhpur had stealthly arrived on PF7 behind a WCAM3 21946 and it left at 7:05.
Departure from PF7 is at a painful 10kmph and its leisurely crossover to Down Fast line ensured the late running 12589 Gitanjali got an Amber as Thane Starter signal and it passed at a sedate speed behind a WCAM3 21953. In the meanwhile, a light loco WCAM3 21889 was waiting on PF7 after 15017's departure. Since the past few days we had been noting that Punjab Mail was reaching Mumbai late and thus put up in Ghatkopar loop or Dadar Pf5 to give priority to the EMUs in the morning rush hour, but today it sped past PF6 of Thane behind WCAM3 #21949. The Trans-Harbour line still continues to have one AC-DC retro rake doing service in the form of 76346-76344. After Punjab mail went past Pf6, to my surprise the light loco was given the starter and it meant my ICE was gonna be delayed further. By now the PAS had announced the coach positions and electronic coach indicators were glowing with the coach numbers for 12127. ICE came to a halt on the station by 7:26 and I could find Karthik at the middle door of D7 with his Mobile LED flasher ON. After getting into the train, I had to wait patiently for 5 minutes before the rush near the vestibule of D7 and D6 could clear and give me a free passage to my seat in D6. Eventhough, my seat would have been on non-trackside, a couple had occupied my seat and I was offered an aisle side seat on the trackside. With no window seat to suffice, I settled for this one. In the meanwhile, I could hear an Alco cross us before Thane creek, it could have been the Latur Express to Mumbai. Inside Parsik Tunnel a WCAM series loco passed us with another unknown express. We suspected it to be Siddheshwar Express. ICE was running late by a few minutes but any hopes of recovery was dashed as we crawled out of the tunnel to come to a halt before Diva junction as the light loco which was expected to crossover to the 5th line at Diva. To make matters worse, WCAM3 with Nagpur Duranto sped past us and only then the light loco was given a go ahead to cross and all this meant we wasted a good 5 minutes on Diva outer. Finally when we were given a go ahead, our LP raced and caught up with the light loco on a parallel run before Kopar and we passed Dombivali with a nice honking at 7:45. My D6 coach was a 1994 make which was recently POHed on 30/06/2012. Landfilling work for new lines on Diva east is progressing well and we spotted a Plasser Machine in Diva sidings. Just before Kopar, 15 car to CSTM crossed us in full speed. We crossed PF4 of Kalyan at a sedate speed of 25kmph. Kalyan freight yard had 2 assignments with a SHF WDG4 and twin WCAG1s with load towards Mumbai. Our run was getting worse as every minute passed. We continue to crawl right uptil Ulhasnagar as we were trailing the Badlapur fast.We crossed Ambarnath at 8:00. A WCAM1 loco hauled express crossed us at Ambarnath. After that we started hitting MPS and crossed Badlapur by 8:06. At Vangani, a Kurla shunter was waiting in the sidings. We slowed down through the short rock cuttings along the railway track for a brief TSR. We crossed Shelu at low speed.
At Neral Junction, we gain started gain speed as we spotted a short Flat bed wagons rake with 2 Kurla shunters to assist it with the consignment of sleepers. We could smell the brake linings as we hard braked near pf1 of Bhivpuri as some track work was going on. WCAM2 hauled Sinhagad with a lot of people clinging on to it passed us just before Karjat as we came to rest on PF1 with 2 sets of bankers awaiting us at 8:48. After the banker attachment ritual, we spotted 27507with container rake in KJT sidings and Deccan Queen coming down the ghats just after Palasdhari. We spotted twin WAG7 bankers coming down light on mid-line.We crossed the beautiful Khandala at 9:12 and reached Lonavla by 9:16.With bankers detacted, our LP decided to let loose the beast in our WCAM3. At Malavli we came across an AC EMU followed by Yeshwantpur-Ahmedabad AC Express behind a WCAM2 at 9:30. We crossed Talegaon at 9:39 and at Begdewadi we crossed another AC EMU.
At 9:46 a hard chugging Alco with Hyderabad -Mumbai went passed us at Akurdi.We crossed Chinchwad at 9:50.We were put on the platform loop at Pimpri to overtake a BTPN rake on the main through line which was headed by SCR Twin Alcos.From Khadki, our pace reduced and we reached Shivajinagar at 10:04. The opposite platform had enough crowd waiting for an EMU. As we were leaving Shivajinagar, spotted a Kazipet Alco hauled Chennai Mumbai Express with its traditional Red livery RMS coach. A slow run over the river Mula Muthu on the Sangam bridge ensured we were made to wait at Pune outer for an EMU to crossover and then we crawled through the 10kmph Pune turnouts to reach the platform 2 by 10:16 with an overall delay of 24 minutes. The ICE did not live up to my expectations today and I hope another journey by the same might be needed to experience its brisk run. Trains do get late sometimes so I dont really feel dejected. There is always a next time.
Our return journey was at 11:45 from Pf3 by the 11026 Pune Bhusaval Express and since we had left early in the morning we needed some refreshments. Karthik suggested that we go outside the station and eat at a restaurant called Sagar. I had an old friend of mine who currently works with Courtyard by Marriot, Pune. As we were approaching Pune, I took a chance and called him.To my surprise, he agreed to meet us within 30 minutes. As we were making our way out of the station, a crowded Daund-Pune passenger made it to Pf4. We crossed the busy road outside and had Medu Vadas and Veg Sandwich at Hotel Sagar before rushing back to Pf 3 which had 11026 awaiting us. I met my friend who had already purchased a Platform ticket. Pune-Nizammudin Duranto was waiting on Pf1 for departure behind a WCAM2 . Deccan Express arrived behind WCAM2 #21866 at 11:24. A pure LHB CR coach 11001 First AC was standing in a siding near Pf1.Pune WDM3Ds 11369 and 11370 were resting in the yard.Our coach was D2 and seat numbers were 1 and 12, both trackside windows. Udyan Express to Bangalore arrived behind a WDP4B #40065 at 11:35
Our Link for the day was WCAM3 #21941.Kathik had gone ahead to take a snap of the loco and returned back with a beaming face. He said the Loco Inspector was riding on and we must get a good run. We departed Pune after bidding farewell to my friend at 11:46, a minute late. We hadnt even cleared the platforms and an ECP was encountered. After 2 minute halt, our train departed and we noticed another AC EMU in sidings along with spare coaches of Pune-SC Shatabdi.The run from Pune outer to Chinchwad was a real blast. The drag we had encountered in ICE was completely forgotten in this run. It was treat to Karthik, a speed lover.At 12:06 we reached Chinchwad and our pairing train crossed us here with a WCAM2. The through lines had 2 Pune WDG4s mued together waiting patiently for our departure. We crossed Koyna Express at 12:15 with LHF WDP4. Till Dehu Road, speeds were in the range of 75-80 kmph.At 12:17 after crossing Dehu Road, we started accelerating above 85kmph and we spotted a few industrial lines curving away from us on the right. Hard braking ensured we crossed Begdewadi at 40kmph. At Ghoravadi, we spotted the same AC EMU which had held up our entry at Pune returning back from its trip. We crossed Vadgaon at 97kmph at 12:28 and touched 100-104 kmph thereafter. In the far horizon over the mountains the Windfarm could be seen and at Kanhe, we crossed LHF WDG4 with freight.At Kamshet, we had the river by our side at 12:34. We crossed Malavli at 12:40.Lonavla sidings had 12145 with BTPN rake. GTL twins with BCNA and 12146 standing light. ACC Cement rake with WAG5 was also seen. We entered pf2 of Lonavla at 12:46 and spotted 4009-4012 AC EMU of pf3. The window grills were vertical and inside the window glass. This meant, one can hardly put your face out to look out. Bad design for a railfan, though without the metallic mesh we are accustomed to in Mumbai Suburban.
An additional TSS or SP seems to be coming up near Khandala. The curveous Khandala was reached at 12:56. Then started our ascend through the Bhor Ghats with the customary brake testing halts. We were put on the bidirectional MID line. We overtook a BCHNL rake with 4 WAG7s, 3 live KYN brakers and 1 NKJ WAG7 just before reaching Palasdhari. The Khopoli-Karjat single electrified line joined us from left at Palasdhari. Since, Plasser was working on Pf2 at Karjat, we were admitted on pf1 at 13:40. We departed the mainline and took the Karjat-Panvel line turnouts at less than 15 kmph. By the time we reached the first tunnel on the route the LP had managed to hit 68kmph and by the time we made our exit from the tunnel, we clocked 85. A very dominating structure called 'Morbe Dam' which supplies potable water to Navi-Mumbai can be seen on right. On the left we came across some water treatment plants. At 13:55 we reached the deserted, Chouk, a station which is now famous for the action sequences of Dabang, as they were shot here. We maintained decent speeds and reached Mohope at 14:08. After spotting the Mumbai Pune Expressway pass under us, we came to a halt at Chikale at 14:15. Soon the CR line to Roha, which has been recently doubled upto Apta could be seen on the left. Another pair of electrified tracks from Jasai container depot joined these twin tracks from far left before the LC gate at Panvel south.
We were admitted on Pf6 at14:25. WAG9 #31025 entered Pf7 with BTPN load. While entering PNVL, we spotted a series of locos, a BL 23460 which was stencilled as BALSAD, a light KYN WAG5HA 23056, a container hauling KYN WAG7 # 27218 towards BSR and a patiently waiting WAG7 #28495. Karthik got down at PNVL and my onward journey continued towards KYN as we left PNVL at 14.34. At Kalamboli, a Barbie Doll was waiting with BCHNL rake.and at Nilaje came across a light 28338. The Lodha's Casa Rio project is in full swing on the edge of the railway tracks. We crossed GMO WAG5 with a container rake before Dativali. The train was doing decent speeds till Dativali curve.The run from Dativali till Kalyan was slow, though we didnt stop. We were admitted on KYN pf4 at 15:22, late by just 7 minutes. Soon Sinhagad with a WCAM2 21870 arrived as my 11026 made its way out. I went to pf7 and took a fast local to Dombivli. Thus ending a fruitful , half day trip to Pune and back via 2 different routes. I was pleased by the run of Pune-BSL express as it maintained its schedule with many stops. The train runs fairly empty as the mid-day timings arent really suitable for many. But it serves the purpose of a decent connectivity till PNVL or KYN from Pune. There was enough crowd waiting to get in from KYN to Bhusaval. So I am sure eventhough, it might not get end to end passengers, but serves many in this unconventional route.
At the end, I would like to thank all for the patient reading. Since I am not well versed with the route, there are bound to me some mistakes in the trip report. Do bring it to my notice and as always, brickbats, criticism and appreciation, all welcome.
