Smoothly we pulled out SC weaving through the points and slowly getting onto the main line. We slowly prodded forward till lallaguda shed where the train got a proceed signal and the driver began to unleash the reins on the 6200 horses he had below his legs. The train lunged forward and picked up speed smoothly. The experience was similar to having overpowered bankers push a train on the
Bhor ghat towards Pune. Suddenly the terrain didn't seem to matter, flying through MLY at 90 kmph full horns blaring, we were only slowed down by the cross over point at the MLY bypass line entrance to 45 kmph. The driver was careful and not applying maximum power as there were restrictions till cherlapalli station. Clearing cheralpalli at 75 kmph, the driver applied full power and we were racing forward to the 90 kmph curve, a further thrust of power to MAX TE put us at 110 kmph in no time and we were flying through the Yanampet LC at Ghatkesar at MPS.
The ride was butter smooth with hardly any vibration or jerking which is quite common in other locos. The gradients of NFC nagar and many others were a small task for the WAP-7 and we crossed bhongir at 16.53 pm exactly 33 minutes out of SC pf-09 and covered 47 kms with caution orders in 33 minutes. This type of running continued till Kazipet which we reached at 17.55 which was 14 minutes before time. We had effective covered 132 Km in 1hr and 35 minutes with caution orders and no stoppages en route.
We lost quite a bit of time on the stretches upto Dornakal, but the driver made up good time and we reached madhira at 20.35 pm 13 minutes late due to enormous section traffic and caution orders. From madhira, the driver went MAX TE straight after the points and was at kondapalli at 21.10 pm. We then crawled into BZA outer by 21.20 pm 30 minutes before time and were held there till 21.45 pm and then admitted on to PF-06 of BZA right time.
The next day after a quick darshan at the durga temple at 04.30 am, i
reached the station to find WAP-7 30253 coupled and ready to take me to SC. Boarding the coach i waited with a heavy anticipation as the return run had to be more powerful and challenging on the loco as we had to climb an altitude of almost 300 meters to reach SC. The BZA_SC stretch also has the most challenging grades for any section and is very tough for any loco. The load was again 22 bogies. There was also a different crew on the return link from BZA-SC.
The Home Run Continues in part 03
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Experiencing the WAP-7 Part -01 The Prelude and Departure
I felt this would be the right time to share this experience which i had waited for so long and which was so rewarding in personally and on the rail fanning front as well.
Some things in life are really worth waiting for. My fascination with the WAP-7 started right when i saw the white beauty graceful parked at CLW in a picture in a the year 2000. Finally traveling in a train hauled by the WAP-7 in no less than the AC deluxe Aka Poorva Express from Howrah to CLW was a experience which i would not forget till the end.
The arrival of WAP-5 locos with the Raj were a first sign of the winds of change in SCR and SC which dynamically moved from crack diesels of kazipet to the electric brutes of lallaguda which rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the old steam shed which was 100 years old.
Finally the great arrival of WAP-7 30237 to Lallaguda Shed in November 2008 was a festival of sorts.
I was always averse to riding the WAP-7 on the raj with closed windows and a blocked out view of the country side and its smells. I was desperately hoping it would be put on a passenger train which did materialize in the form of the 337 passenger from kazipet to dornakal which i was too tired to even enjoy but enjoyed it with whatever strength i had behind loco no 30253.
Cutting the long winding short, i planned a visit to the Vijayawada Temple which is the most famous in AP. I booked myself on satavahana express which reportedly getting off link WAP-7 locos once in a while and hoped i would get a WAP-7 for my visit to the temple and back. Having twice missed a chance to travel in Satavahana behind the mighty white, i sincerely prayed that i get the white
beauty of my choice.
On that day providence seemed to have smiled a sheepish smile on this desperate rail fan and i spotted the incoming satavahana with Lallaguda WAP-7 30253. This same loco was to be the link for the next trips as well.
Descending on SC station by 15.30 pm, i was lost in admiration to finally see my dream of a mail express train with a WAP-7 from SC. Spending a few minutes in solitude on PF-9 at SC there were intrinsically satiating all those WAP-7 travel desires which had pent in me over the years.
Gingerly walking towards my coach like a kid exploring Willi Wonka's chocolate land for the first time, i pinched myself while looking back if it was really my dream machine at the helm. Sudden doubts raced across my mind, what if the loco failed and a WAP-4 or WAM-4 took over. The minutes ticked by and 16.15 hrs was crossed without any movement, panic set it in as i was worried if we had a loco issue and my dream would be snatched away just when it was being fulfilled.
This was not to be as at 16.21 hrs for the first time your' s truly started leaving SC behind a WAP-7. I had seen the first run of satvanahana when i was in school and wished to always travel in it but could do so on a few times. Our load was 22 bogies with a few VPX vans for regular parcel service to BZA.
The run continues in part 02
Some things in life are really worth waiting for. My fascination with the WAP-7 started right when i saw the white beauty graceful parked at CLW in a picture in a the year 2000. Finally traveling in a train hauled by the WAP-7 in no less than the AC deluxe Aka Poorva Express from Howrah to CLW was a experience which i would not forget till the end.
The arrival of WAP-5 locos with the Raj were a first sign of the winds of change in SCR and SC which dynamically moved from crack diesels of kazipet to the electric brutes of lallaguda which rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the old steam shed which was 100 years old.
Finally the great arrival of WAP-7 30237 to Lallaguda Shed in November 2008 was a festival of sorts.
I was always averse to riding the WAP-7 on the raj with closed windows and a blocked out view of the country side and its smells. I was desperately hoping it would be put on a passenger train which did materialize in the form of the 337 passenger from kazipet to dornakal which i was too tired to even enjoy but enjoyed it with whatever strength i had behind loco no 30253.
Cutting the long winding short, i planned a visit to the Vijayawada Temple which is the most famous in AP. I booked myself on satavahana express which reportedly getting off link WAP-7 locos once in a while and hoped i would get a WAP-7 for my visit to the temple and back. Having twice missed a chance to travel in Satavahana behind the mighty white, i sincerely prayed that i get the white
beauty of my choice.
On that day providence seemed to have smiled a sheepish smile on this desperate rail fan and i spotted the incoming satavahana with Lallaguda WAP-7 30253. This same loco was to be the link for the next trips as well.
Descending on SC station by 15.30 pm, i was lost in admiration to finally see my dream of a mail express train with a WAP-7 from SC. Spending a few minutes in solitude on PF-9 at SC there were intrinsically satiating all those WAP-7 travel desires which had pent in me over the years.
Gingerly walking towards my coach like a kid exploring Willi Wonka's chocolate land for the first time, i pinched myself while looking back if it was really my dream machine at the helm. Sudden doubts raced across my mind, what if the loco failed and a WAP-4 or WAM-4 took over. The minutes ticked by and 16.15 hrs was crossed without any movement, panic set it in as i was worried if we had a loco issue and my dream would be snatched away just when it was being fulfilled.
This was not to be as at 16.21 hrs for the first time your' s truly started leaving SC behind a WAP-7. I had seen the first run of satvanahana when i was in school and wished to always travel in it but could do so on a few times. Our load was 22 bogies with a few VPX vans for regular parcel service to BZA.
The run continues in part 02
Experiencing the WAP-7 Part -03 The Home Run
Starting right on time at 06.10 hrs, we slowly crawled out of BZA yard upto cheruvu madhavaram with the fresh morning breeze as company. The loco was doing 40-50 kmph due to a large number of PSR's. After cheruvu madhavaram the driver who was quite irritated that we were losing time, hit the MAX TE position at once. The train with 22 coaches on a up gradient started picking up like an EMU and there was no jerking or any vibration in the coach. This type of Max TE running continued till Mahbubabad where we lost a few minutes due to a signal.
The driver seemed to be enjoying the MAX TE position as he was constantly pushing the loco to the position after any restriction or station exit. Kazipet was reached 5 minutes late and we halted for quite some time. Leaving kazipet at 9.40 we encountered a long caution order just outside the station which was also a 1:100 gradient. The WAP-7 which was on BPCS maintained steady TE and the
caution order was over 1.5 kms long. It was only after crossing raghunathpalli that all the caution order's cleared up and the driver with a long drawn blast of the HT horn pushed the loco again to MAX TE on level track and let it fly. We were cruising past Aler and Janagaon at a steady speed with no slow downs. Bhongir and Ghatkesar were quick work for the train and we were slowed down at the
bypass line cabin at MLY and halted at MLY station at 11.07 am covering 352 kms with 6 stops and caution orders in just under 5 hours. (4 hrs 57 minutes to be exact). After being held at MLY for over 25 minutes we were cleared to SC at 11.31 am and reached SC smoothly back on PF-09 at 11.40 am 5 mins before time.
I sheepishly got of the coach and took a few snaps of the WAP-7 30253 which would take back this train with a new set of travelers that same evening and rushed back home for lunch and a sound nap.
The driver seemed to be enjoying the MAX TE position as he was constantly pushing the loco to the position after any restriction or station exit. Kazipet was reached 5 minutes late and we halted for quite some time. Leaving kazipet at 9.40 we encountered a long caution order just outside the station which was also a 1:100 gradient. The WAP-7 which was on BPCS maintained steady TE and the
caution order was over 1.5 kms long. It was only after crossing raghunathpalli that all the caution order's cleared up and the driver with a long drawn blast of the HT horn pushed the loco again to MAX TE on level track and let it fly. We were cruising past Aler and Janagaon at a steady speed with no slow downs. Bhongir and Ghatkesar were quick work for the train and we were slowed down at the
bypass line cabin at MLY and halted at MLY station at 11.07 am covering 352 kms with 6 stops and caution orders in just under 5 hours. (4 hrs 57 minutes to be exact). After being held at MLY for over 25 minutes we were cleared to SC at 11.31 am and reached SC smoothly back on PF-09 at 11.40 am 5 mins before time.
I sheepishly got of the coach and took a few snaps of the WAP-7 30253 which would take back this train with a new set of travelers that same evening and rushed back home for lunch and a sound nap.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)