Short trip report 12431 TVC-NZM 16-18 Apr 2014


Arrived in TVC much early around 1:45 PM and my family and inlaws joined me in PF1 at 1:50 Am. Jana sathadabhi to Cannanore was in PF1 and departed in at 2:20 PM. Meanwhile TVC NZM SF express was shunted to PF2 and attached a green WDP from BRC and departed at 2:45 PM. 12431 was shunted into PF1 at 2:30 PM and WDP 15534 was ready to go. The same loco was lying idle from Friday evening onwards on TVC luggage office side yard.

Exactly departed at 3:00 PM, our berths A2 13-16 and A2 43 and 45. A2 7 did not join and A2 9 TTE managed to move to 45 at QLN, hence we got 2 consecutive bays A2 7,9 and A2 13,14,15,16. Quilon was covered in just 55 mts. After Quilon it was raining heavy and at Karunagapalli we met Chennai mail which departed at 2:30 PM from TVC. We were on the left track and after 15mts halt we were the first to to and reached KYJ. There was halt of about 30 mts for crossing from Alleppey side. Soon TVC mail joined us and departed. It was raining heavy and there crossings at Mararikulam and Alleppey. ERS reached around 7:20 PM, before that dinner was served as ERS pax ticket does not include dinner, TCR again at 8:40 PM and at Vallatol nagar and shoranur outer for about 20 mts, entered SRR and met the JS to cannanore again. There was a halt of about 40 mts as JS left first. Left SRR at 10:20 pm 12432 passed us at Kuttipuram. I was off to sleep and woke up around 2:30 am and lost my sleep, passed Kasaragod, Manjeshwar and was clocking above 100 in this section. Departed Mangalore at 3:00am and we waited for crossing at Nandikur for 15 mts and an unknown train passed us. Udupi at 4:25 am, Karwar at 6:10 am, Madagaon at 7:15 am and we had a halt of close to 15 mts. Sawantwadi at 11:15 am and we had to wait at Verna for a train which was speeding and could not trace. At Sindudurg we crossed ERS Duronoto and 12432 was waiting at Nivasar. Ratnagiri we reached at 10:50 am and JS towards Madagoan arrived. Panavel we reached around 3:30 pm. Train was too slow after Managoan with track works. We overtook TVC LTT Netravati express at Roha and at Kasu Samprak Kranti express was waiting for us to pass. We passed many trains which I could not see clearly due to speed. Vasai Road we reached around 4:50 pm and around 5:05 pm we departed after evening tea. Then we were speeding,Umroli 5:29 PM, Vapi 6:13 PM Dahanu Road 5:48 PM,Valsad 6:27 pm, Navasari 6:48 PM Sachin 6:59 PM Surat 7:07 PM, there was slow down for about 30 mts before Vadodara and a small waiting before entering at 20:45. Departed at 21:10 after attaching WAP7 30309, but with continuous jerks thought the journey. Went to bed and woke with my cell phone ringing and lost my sleep at 12:25 when it slowed down and passed Ratlam Jn. Arrived Kota at 2:55 Am, neat and wonderful looking station, the best I have ever seen and departed at 3:05 AM. Mathura at 6:20 Am and NZM at 8:19 Am, it was very slow from Kosi Kalan like a slow passenger.

Rake formation was same as noticed 3 weeks back at TVC. The best coach I have even seen 13005 H1, AE1 03051 old from outside but brand new interior soft cushions, A4 10058 average, A3 13084 brand new, A2 07054 average and A1 09058 average. Again this time my berths on the track side. Continuously on the track side for the 30th consecutive time I guess, not travelled in non-track side from May 2013. Food was average, dinner both days and lunch was good. But breakfast both days was below par.Many passengers complained about no butter for bread, no bread sticks with soup, rice not cooked well,quantity less and so on Understand that pantry staff was running short of items like butter, napkins,papers for trays, pickle packets, bread, biscuits etc. Passengers were also talking about refund for catering as one lunch was not served as planned in the original schedule third day. Service was very good, two, people for food in
each 2A coach one for bed roll, one TTE for each 2A and 1A coach. But bed roll was not changed after one day as during my last trip.

Train was given a high preference on Western Railway busy section despite being late almost by a day, the Mumbai 12951 was running almost on the same time with late train and from Baroda was never overtaken until at Nizamuddin.Regarding timing personally I prefer 3:00 PM departure an ideal one rather than at 7:00 PM. 


Please see some of the photos during the trip, comments welcome !
https://plus.google.com/photos/109984747857897221572/albums/6005368739009810017?hl=en_US&partnerid=gplp0