I've undertaken innumerous train trips. But even after so many years, I was still perplexed about how a train is augmented or diminished - and that too, en route. The obvious difficulties came in convincing my parents to let me wander off to the business end of the train (i.e. the loco) in wee hours alone to catch the action. But not anymore. After 18 long years, I finally got my cut. The occasion was a ride aboard the 18242 Ambikapur (ABKP) - Raipur (R) exp-cum-pass. That too just past the New year's day 2011 on a cold winter morning. This train does it on reaching Bijuri, some 300 km from the state capital when it reaches there at 00.30.
That night it was 15 min behind schedule and reached the spot at 00.45. So, after a bit of hesitancy, I finally made up my mind and stepped out of my B1 coach. And there was my prize. The 3 coaches coming from Chirmiri were already parked on the adjacent PF, and as I looked on, our now-detached WAP4 #228xx from BSL towed it to the front end of the rake. I stepped back inside, not daring to venture to the front to see more action, the night was quite chilly - but still, mission accomplished. This train actually provides a fair bit of action. There's also a reversal en route its short 470km trip to Durg to add to this augmentation at Anuppur Jn.
Guess that pays for the bill...
That night it was 15 min behind schedule and reached the spot at 00.45. So, after a bit of hesitancy, I finally made up my mind and stepped out of my B1 coach. And there was my prize. The 3 coaches coming from Chirmiri were already parked on the adjacent PF, and as I looked on, our now-detached WAP4 #228xx from BSL towed it to the front end of the rake. I stepped back inside, not daring to venture to the front to see more action, the night was quite chilly - but still, mission accomplished. This train actually provides a fair bit of action. There's also a reversal en route its short 470km trip to Durg to add to this augmentation at Anuppur Jn.
Guess that pays for the bill...
