Yes, it’s a Saturday today and it has been a mixed week for me. Last Sunday, we were enjoying waking up late to the cooler environs of Mahabaleshwar, doing sightseeing in Panchgani, Pratapgadh and scouting through the market for cheap deals. We returned back to the harsh humidity of Mumbai on Monday evening to get some much needed rest and a wonderfully spent Tuesday at home celebrating my growing of age, but by end of day the heat was on me. Fever had got the better of me and the next 2 days were spent at office with a running nose doing the worst shift for any person working near the International Airport, a 9-6 shift.
My regular commute is
from Dombivli (DI) or Thakurli (THK) to Ghatkopar (GC) by slow EMUs running
parallel with Nagpur-Mumbai CST Duranto, Latur Express and 15 Car Fast EMU. But
while returning back, it is a round trip via Dadar (DDR)/ (DR). I normally
catch the BEST bus 337 or 308 to Andheri (ADH) from the airport. This station
never fails to impress me with its continuous stream of locals or EMUs. The
rail traffic controllers at ADH are doing an awesome job.
Sometimes, I have to wait
a few minutes at ADH platform(PF) 3 to catch up with my wife who commutes from Goregaon
and then we travel together in a calmer WR Fast(opposite to peak hour rush)
till DDR. After crossing over from WR to CR while we are waiting at Kalyan
(KYN) end of DR PF 4, my wife keeps talking merrily, I simply respond to her queries
and silently keep observing the
Fast EMUs parade from 7:31 Badlapur,7:35 Kasara,7:38 Badlapur,7:41 Titvala,7:44
Ambarnath to finally board the 7:47 Kalyan (15 car) to DI. My wife usually gets
sitting space from DR itself and yours truly too can stand comfortably in that
train. I love the way fast EMUs keep reaching PF4 of DR, back to back and taking
people back home.
Thursday was a day of
heated debate on my Whatsapp Railfanning Group about the good and bad of WR and
CR. Friday was spent in anticipation of good results of the first leg of CRS
inspection for CR’s long awaited AC conversion between LTT and KYN. The good
news is, that we passed the first acid test. Late evening traffic was affected
by OHE wire problem near Sion and my 15 car was delayed by 15 min while
departing from Dadar and maintained that delay right up to Dombivli.
Finally, it’s a Saturday and I have a 7-4 shift at office.
Instead of attempting to catch the first fast at 5:54 from DI, I decided to do
a calmer commute cum rail fanning till Ghatkopar (GC). I rode my Honda Activa
to Kopar and as I parked and went up the Foot over bridge (FOB), the deafening
sound of the Dombivli-Boisar Push Pull passing over the Kopar Over Bridge could
be heard. I waited to see it give out a long hoot and chug out of Kopar Upper
(PF 3). Then the wait for a DI starting slow at 5:50 was taking an extra
minute as it was negotiating the turnouts and recent speed restriction on UP
slow till Kopar .Got into the Middle First Class, and took the coveted window
seat in a BHEL rake. As we left Kopar, the first fast EMU of the day, overtook
us at almost Maximum Permissible Speed (MPS) .At Diva Junction (DW), the 5:20am
slot LTT departing Saket Express crossed us and as we made our way out of DW, to
give us company, GOC WDP4D #40099 with Matsyagandha was sneaking onto mainline.
Mumbra and Kalva were uneventful and I believe Madgaon Janshatabdi had already
crossed the Parsik Tunnel long back. We had a parallel entry into Thane (TNA) PF4
with #13618 Shakti hauling in Siddeshwar Express to PF6. Matsyagandha was
already cooling off on PF 8. We were the first to leave TNA from at 6:16.
Bhushan's favourite Indrayani Express made it to TNA PF5 with an ALCO. My
anticipation of a Triple parallel action was keeping me engrossed near the
window.
With an empty door beckoning, I was yearning to get the wind in
my hair. I ditched my window seat to door plate. Mulund (MLND) was uneventful; I chuckled to say an imaginary hello
to Harshad, as I was riding his favourite BHEL rake. As we approached Nahur, WDP4D
was the first to come from behind and overtake us on the fly. Not to be left
behind Shakti, wanting to prove a point made a brutal third parallel run train
to run alongside my EMU. Finally, as we dropped speed, Shakti with Siddeshwar Express
was long gone and WDP4D with Matsyagandha too was untraceable. I was left
gleaming with a wide smile on my face. 5th line had twin WCAG1 #21976/79 with
freight near Bhandup and at Vikhroli we crossed Gitanjali Express hauled out by
WCAM3 #21886, closely followed by my favourite, the lone 15 car of CR to KYN. As
I was stepping out of GC, Tapovan Express was making a dash through PF 3. I
know this is mundane commute but just felt like sharing it with you, because it
was a lazy Saturday and I had enough time to jot this done at work. Hope, you
too had enough time to be with me on this journey.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I would be really happy to read from you...