[vigsom]

Introduction

This is my travel account of a recent 2,100km train journey, an option that most people are scared to consider in post-Covid times. The intent behind this narrative is to instil some confidence in those of us who love rail travel but have moved on to other modes like air and road OR are apprehensive about rail travel now.

Why long distance travel by train?

After a rather long camp down south, and many road trips in a humble Tata Nano, it was time to move back to base in Gujarat. My luggage was over the allowed check in baggage allowance by air and that left me with two options:

1. pay for excess baggage and travel by air
2. travel by train

I chose option 2 for multiple reasons:

1. I hadn’t taken a long distance train ride in almost 5 years
2. take the apprehension of post Covid rail travel head on with adequate precautions of course) and prove that rail travel is indeed safe
3. I wasn’t hard pressed for travel time
4. wanted to enjoy the long ride with all the experiences en-route

Planning and ticketing

The new IRCTC website was launched and I found the overall user experience more friendly than with the earlier website, with availability in all classes in a train being displayed upfront rather than one having to keep selecting the class to check availability. There was a minor glitch though – I found the fare being displayed for some days to be lower than the scheduled fare, but when it was time to pay, the right fare would come up.

After looking at options, I booked my ticket to travel train 02656 (Chennai Ahmedabad Special) which would primarily follow the timings of the erstwhile 12656 Chennai-Ahmedabad Navajivan Superfast Express. Berths were available aplenty in all classes and booking was a breeze.

[vigsom]

The Precursor

As a precursor to this long journey from Chennai to Vadodara, I also took a 335km train ride from Trichy Jn. to Chennai Egmore by the junta class (second seating) in the much famed LHB coaches of the Vaigai Special Superfast Express. I wanted to check how the second seating in LHB coaches compared with the second seating in the older coaches.

What I liked

• Restricted entry into the station – only bonafide passengers were allowed
• Footfall at the platform was just 25% of what one would normally see
• Clean coach and washrooms
• Well bolstered seats with reclining function and ample leg room for second seating
• Sliding shutters with ample gap at the bottom of the frame to prevent accumulation of rain water
• Great overhead rack for luggage similar to what one would see in the LHB AC Chair car coaches

What I didn’t like

• The seat width isn’t very good in second seating – have a plump person next to you and you can be squashed. I feel this seat is an Art-leather replica of the bad design featured in the Double decker trains that came in 2013
• The seat recline lever fouls with the thigh making it a little uncomfortable
• Compliance to masks was very poor – I would say only 25% of the total passengers were serious about keeping masks on all the time. The rest were sporting masks like faux beards.

On-board food and beverage service was the usual tea, coffee, dry snacks and limited packed wet snacks. Food was taken on board at stations by the pantry staff and sold.

Tastefully done up underpass at Trichy Junction


Escalator to Platforms 2 and 3


View of the Second Seating Chair Car in an LHB Coach


Seat recline


Random view en-route


Preparations for the long haul

I reached Chennai and stayed overnight before embarking on the long 1,800km ride to Vadodara. As a precaution, I had decided to pack food for the entire journey and this is what I ended up taking:

• Day1 lunch – pasta high on veggies
• Day1 dinner – three rava idlis
• Day2 breakfast – three rava idlis
• Day2 lunch – two trikon parathas with some pickle
• Buffer – two boiled eggs and four slices of ghee toast

At Chennai Central

I reached Chennai Central approx. an hour and 10 minutes before scheduled departure of my train, just to accommodate unforeseen delays in traffic/ entry to the station. Entry to the station was a peaceful affair sans all the jostling. Only one entry point in the front was open. The main waiting area wore a rather deserted look – my guestimate is that the population was no more than 25% of what one would see here on a normal day in normal times.

Waiting area at Chennai Central

[vigsom]

Journey to Gujarat – Day1

Departing Chennai Central

My train was allocated platform #8 and that meant some walking from the main waiting area to the platform. The coach was fortunately towards the rear of the train, and I was thus spared some cross-country walk. This train has been sporting LHB coaches for the last few months.

I was the first passenger to board the coach – understandably so since I was at my coach a clear one hour before departure. The coach was spotlessly clean, and, for the first time in my life, I saw the curtains missing in an AC 2Tier coach. It seemed strange, but I began to appreciate the bright, roomy nature of the coach against the dark and dingy atmosphere in the same coach when curtains were all over.

The AC 2Tier coach all to myself


Washrooms were clean and all of them had liquid soap in dispensers. The western toilets had toilet rolls plus a water faucet too; everything functional. On board Housekeeping staff were also available through the journey.

At departure, our coach had only 14 passengers against the scheduled 52. The train left Chennai Central on time at 10:10am and in the next 30 minutes, we experienced some heavy rain on the outskirts of North Chennai.

Rains north of Chennai


Cruising along

I was not sure of how I'd be able to spend 29 hours on board. I am no voracious reader and neither did I want to spend time on the mobile. All I started doing was “nature-gazing”. I was the only passenger in my four-berther, and the adjacent side berths were also unoccupied; plonked myself in one of the side seats, and just enjoyed every minute of the ride. Trust me, I did not even know how time went by.

The train went by several stations at good nick, and was slowed down too several times because of a lot of track renovation work. The train also zipped past a small station where the entire platform and the station main building were being reconstructed. I also observed that most level crossings are giving way to under-passes, some of them commissioned while others, under construction.

Platform reconstruction at a station en-route to Vijayawada



Even on a semi-barren route, there were some pleasing sights as we crossed Nellore, Ongole, Chirala, Bapatla before entering Vijayawada Junction.

Crossing Penna River - Nellore



Hot looking platform at Nellore


Entering Ongole



At Chirala Station



Some lush green stretches after Bapatla




There were also several places where an additional line was being laid. Dedicated Freight Corridor perhaps?




I had my first beverage on board at approx. 4pm. This was “dip tea” and the good thing was I could build it as strong as I wanted.

[vigsom]

Journey to Gujarat – Day1(Contd.)

Entry into Vijayawada

We first crossed Krishna Canal Jn. and then the mighty Krishna river just before rolling into Vijayawads Jn. five minutes ahead of schedule. The banks of the Krishna look kickass now.

Krishna Canal Junction


Crossing the Krishna river




Traffic at Vijayawada



We were put on platform #7 at Vijayawada Junction. A lot of repair work was going on at the platform. There were enough vendors selling fruits, idli vada, tea etc.

Platform upgrade W-I-P



Moving on from Vijayawada into the night

The train then covered the stretch from Vijayawada Jn. to Warangal in approx. 3 hours, and there was this interesting unscheduled halt at Madhira.

Madhira


I was also surprised to see On Board Housekeeping staff doing a good job of cleaning the coach and also moving around with a trash bag asking passengers to drop trash in. But there were quite a few used bottles, groundnut shells etc. lying around in the coach. People will never change in their focus to good civic sense.

On-board housekeeping staff


One of the best sights of the day was sunset; couldn’t get a great shot from inside a moving train but took a pic, nevertheless.

Goods wagons


Sunset view


Bombarded by Mosquitoes

As the train crossed Mahbubabad at approx. 7:15pm, passengers inside the coach started feeling a mosquito attack. This menace apparently originated in Chennai where the train was parked in the wee hours of the day before resuming its journey. It was rainy days in Chennai and with some canals alongside the Chennai Central station, this menace was only to be expected. The on-board housekeeping staff mentioned that they have a mosquito spray but have been advised to use it only when the coach is unoccupied. I was left with no option but to tweet to the Railway Ministry.

My tweet


Within a few minutes of my tweet, I received a reply asking me to DM my mobile and PNR numbers. Within a few minutes of me sending the information, my complaint was registered on the railmadad portal. The Onboard Housekeeping Staff was there at my berth in no time with a can of Hit, and they sprayed it at some locations all through the coach. After I was convinced that adequate action had been taken, I closed the complaint and almost immediately got a call from the Railway Control Centre in Chennai asking if my complaint had been attended to. Pretty efficient, must say. The actions were quite effective, as I was able to sleep without any mosquito attacks.

Complaint resolution


The train continued past Warangal, Ballarshah before branching off to Wardha.

[vigsom]

Journey to Gujarat – Day2

The highlight of Day2 was in the wee hours with the train arriving at Badnera a good one hour ahead of schedule . This shows how much of float is built into the time table and the potential of the WAP7 locomotive – LHB coaches combo in doing good speeds. The first great sights of the day were as the train was entering the massive network of railway tracks and the huge yards at Bhusawal, one of the major divisions of the Central Railway.

Bhusawal Wagon Overhaul Depot


Bhusawal Goods Yard


Shunting loco WDS6 cooling off


Electric Loco Shed at Bhusawal


Entering Bhusawal Junction


I couldn't resist the temptation and helped myself to some world class poha for 20 bucks at Bhusawal Junction.The highlight of this poha was that it had no onions or potato but the right dose of jeera and some lime.


I could see an additional track to the left en-route from Bhusawal to Jalgaon; this again would probably be for freight trains.

Additional track



Just after crossing Jalgaon Jn., the train branched off from the main line and took the track towards Surat. This track is now double line all the way to Udhna and thus travel time has reduced by close to 1.5 hours in view of no time delay because of crossings.

Moving off the main line and towards Surat



The next stop was Amalner. I am on this sector after close to five years and was able to see a sea change in the look and feel of the Amalner station. At Amalner, I also noticed that one of the 3AC coaches of this train was painted in a rather pleasing theme. I wish this theme were continued

At Amalner



Nice colour theme of one 3AC Coach of our train


Ahmedabad-Howrah Express entering Amalner


The train continued to speed along and there was this small station with a small name, HOL, that we sped past



Once the train crossed Bardoli, I knew that the main western line wasn't too far off



After 5 hours of leaving Bhusawal Junction, we joined the main Mumbai – New Delhi western line at Udhna Jn.

Joining the Mumbai-New Delhi western line at Udhna


Entering Udhna Junction



The train rolled into Surat before its appointed time of 1:35pm. This station was an important landmark in my life since I had spent over two decades in this city, and now, for the first time, I was going past Surat in this very train that was my regular runner from the early 90s till 2012.

Going past the Narmada river at Bharuch


My journey ended in Vadodara at 3:30pm and after I alighted from the train and took the overbridge, I saw a rather strange sight – platforms 1 and 2 at Vadodara Jn. out of action for revamp.


Closing Comments

This was one helluva memorable long distance train journey after close to five years; and I arrived at my destination fresh as a daisy.

I was witness to a lot of improvement in the rail infrastructure, upkeep of trains and quality of services. The only thing that I found constant was passengers’ lack of concern for cleanliness.

This was also my longest journey in an LHB coach, and barring some poor upkeep of washrooms thanks to fellow travellers, I had nothing to complain about.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Dieseltuned]

Good crisp read. Way back in the good old 90s as a small kid I remember standing on a way side halt station between surat and bharuch for our local passanger to show up and the mighty Navjivan with its ever impressive Red WAP4 thunder past towards ADI.What a sight it was.
Wap4 was and still remains my favourite e loco. That bright red colour and menancing looks thundering down the line at 110kmph with a full 24 coacher always gives me goosebumps.
With the onslaught of WAP 5 and WAP 7 and P4 almost at the end of its life cycle the sights will increasingly become scarce.
Long railway journeys have a charm which is also getting lost with quick air travel being made available. My last long journey was from NDLS to BCT on the then non stop Duronto and that journey I will always cherish for an awesome and best soup had onboard and the WAP4 again which did a non stop and I mean it not even a breather kind of non stop BRC BCT run. It was magical.
Bucket loads of apathy towards public property especially railways and lack of civic sense sometimes just ruin our experience. Just a nit pick there are no freight corridors down south just yet.

[Joscyriac]

Good to see a rail travelogue here in the times of Covid. I find it very heartening to see you can travel in a train long distance now almost like how it used to be. I left India on May 2020 and been on a ship since so really have not much of an idea of the transportation scene back home. Personally i prefer the diesel locos to electric cus of the alive feel to it you know. Alas most of the services passing by my home in Kerala are pulled by WAP4s. It's only when i travel to and from Bombay via the Konkan i get to see some WDP3s and 4s. Still not sure if I'll take the train if I've to go somewhere far when i get home. I'll probably drive as i been missing driving a lot.

[aspire]

Nostalgia, some decades back Train was the only option for me to travel from Kerala to Delhi on board 2626/2625 Kerala express, the cutlets they serve couldn't be found anywhere!!
I have read a lot about IR making the most of the lockdown in doing maintenance and upgrade, Piyush Goyal keeps on sharing such info but glad to see more evidence of it happening. IR with its increased focus on freight can really turn around things for India.

[Annibaddh]

Excellent thread. And good on you to attempt a dreaded journey these days. I remember a long train journey from Chennai to Jaipur, I took with a similar experience. It was the first time I had seen parts of Andhra as an adult and remember marveling at the rugged, dusty but often beautiful landscape and some incredible rivers.

One thing is clear. Railways are using this opportunity to accelerate maintenance work across the country. Such a fantastic initiative that. Much needed and given the lightness of traffic, they should be able to bring a large part of intra up to speed.

[i_nv]

This is an incredible travelogue . Invoked nostalgia of our train travels when travelling via air was luxury . What's heartening to note is massive upgradation of Railway tracks , station and over all upkeep of stations . Some of the pics are difficult to believe that these stations are in India .

Though govt is makng every effort to maintain them clean yet passengers neglect of hygiene and old bad habits of making stations and coaches dirty is tragic .

Thanks fir sharing your journey with beautiful visuals and crisp narration .

[jkrishnakj]

Lovely Travelogue. Its been ages since I have been on a long distance train journey. It was from the mid 90's till the early 2000's that I used to be a regular on the Bombay-Madras route, with either the Dadar Express or the Super Fast as they call it. I have had plenty of over nighters inside TamilNadu as well.

With those old experiences, a few things that caught my attention :

a) Trichy - The underpass seems super neat
b) Platforms - I see many pictures here of several different platforms, and those are across different States, but the common factor is, they are all Neat & Clean
c) The Housekeeping Services - seems to be a new one for our Indian Railways, and it was a long pending one
d) Cleanliness - I can see a new benchmark here. I am just not used to seeing such clean coaches and platforms
e) Upgrades - Several pictures show new construction or revamps. These are good and are long pending
f) Service Orientation - I still can't believe that one tweet led to a ticket number. Not just that, someone from the IR really had the commitment to follow through the ticket for closure. A ticketing based issue raising/resolution is a new in IR that I noticed

My memory of a decade old Chennai Central experience is its filthy, sweaty, smelly entrance. I still remember thousands of people trying to sit, sleep or move around in front of that huge black TV monitor. It used to be a pain to cross that crowd to get to the platform. Here, its totally different and hard to believe.

Loved the travelogue. Good read. Nice pictures and I guess this one brings out the progressive service oriented mindset of our Indian Railways, which most of us are not used to.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by vigsom

View of the Second Seating Chair Car in an LHB Coach

The last time I had travelled in second seating was in the late 2000s or so.. But since when have they had seperate seats for passengers?

On lal bagh I remember it used to be bench seats. My aunt used to prefer that since she could fold her legs and sit.

[Joscyriac]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

The last time I had travelled in second seating was in the late 2000s or so.. But since when have they had seperate seats for passengers?

Been around for at least 2-3 years. Second Sitting Chair Car coach. I'm talking about non-LHB rakes. Yet to see one with reclining seats though. I think that's a feature of LHB coaches.

[Adam]

Excellent thread, Its been ages since I have done long distance train travels, and your thread definitely brought back some memories.

Good to know railway is making initiatives to improve their services, a very welcome move.