My first time experience in Shirdi ghats.
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I was on my way back to my home, after enjoying 3 days in places like Badami, Pattadakkal and Aihole group, Gadag, Almatti and Jog Falls. So, basically from Hubballi i have to come back to Thanjavur. There was even a direct option that day to Thanjavur and there are even combinations that would take me much early to my destination. But thing is, this is the first chance that I could get to explore the pristine beauty of shirdi ghats, that too in...
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diesel avtar. This one sentence just kept on running in my mind when I was planning my return. Without any hesitation, booked off ticket in the only special train that connects most part of Karnataka properly to the southernmost coastal city of karnataka. For my luck, there was some seats available as well even in the last moment in sleeper class.
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Though that there was an untold assumption that if one is exploring shirdi ghats, then the train of choice is going to be either Gomateshwara or Gomateshwara slot trains. But, my mind was fully occupied with trying this special train. I was wishing for a long time that won't i get a single chance to travel in this train, since this train's arrival time at Arsikere Junction was at 0520 am as per schedule last year and I assumed that if train gets bit delayed, there may be a chance for me to savour the entire section of Arsikere Junction - Mangaluru Junction in daylight.
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In a fine Sunday night, I was waiting, waiting and waiting for my train at Hubballi Junction Platform - 2, to which i showed up even before my train was announced at the same, since platform - 1 was horrendously crowded with back to back trains towards Bengaluru like Rani Chennamma and Belagavi - Bengaluru Superfast being recieved at the same platform, one after the other.
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It was quite surprising to see that Despite Karnataka Sampark Kranti bound to Nizamuddin being a prime train in that region, that arrived an hour late at platform - 4, halted for an hour, underwent reversal and departed, for that entire time not even a single announcement was made for the above-mentioned train. Meanwhile, the overnight to Mysore arrived at platform - 3, hauled by a single cab EMD and halted for nearly 20 minutes and departed. After few minutes, the daily overnight to port city of Goa from sillicon valley of India arrives at platform - 2. Though there was crowd that was deboarding, good crowd was boarding the train as well, indicating that even for such a short distance, this train was being used for overnight journey (time taken is comparatively longer though).
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The passenger from Tirupati arrived into platform - 5, hauled by some random WAG - 5, made its presence with a delay of half an hour. For a long time platform - 3 was vacant thereafter. Only at the time of its scheduled departure from Hubballi, the Hubballi - Bengaluru special fare special was shunted into platform - 3. The train was quite full. Till date, hampi is one of the dedicated trains between these two places but takes circuitous route serving the districts of ballari and koppal majorly. There is also a passenger train that later became an express, timings wise it is much dedicated for Davangere and ranibennur regions, than it is for Hubballi. For overnight journey with proper timings, the Hubballi people has to rely on trains that passes through Hubballi instead of a dedicated train. Wishing that it becomes a regular daily train and takes Hubballi rush from trains like Golgumbaz, Rani chennamma and Bengaluru - Belagavi.
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Every train coming from Badami side showed up late at Hubballi. It is bound to, given that two trains have to simultaneously undergo reversal at Gadag that has only 3 platforms and reversal in general does consume lot's of time. Though there is some slack for it to recover, due to platform inavailability and traffic in Gadag - Hubballi line, somehow Golgumbaz and our train was made to arrive with a delay of 45 and 60 minutes respectively at Hubballi.
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After a long wait, our train was announced and a brief honk with bright lights flashing from the distance appeared at Platform - 2 when clock showed there was just 10 minutes more for 1 am. As it was approaching towards us, it started to look Orange, which was kind of surprising and was eagerly waiting to look at the link. Yes, it was an engine, which is pretty unusual with this train. Yes, it was a long hood faced WDG - 3A from Kalyan No. 14647, fondly a.k.a Paryavaran Bandhu, draped in beautiful orange livery of Kalyan was pulling it very slowly into the platform. It was just 5 mts to 1 am when I boarded the train. Was wondering if it gets the same locomotive all the way till Mangaluru or gets fresh one from Hubballi. Anyways one thing for sure, though it arrived nearly 60 - 70 minutes delay and there's scope for the recovery of the delay, there is a fair chance for me to witness the entire section in the day time. Did i get to see the entire stretch in the day time? Was the delay recovered at Arsikere Junction? Stay tuned for the next part...