First Class Train Journey from Mysuru to Tirupati & further to Chennai.
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NOTE: I have tagged 16219/20 as that is the present name & number of this train. This video is from 2015. So all tags are relevant, Thanks for understanding.
A #FullJourney compilation in #56213 #Chamrajnagar #Tirupati Fast #Passenger & #Tirupati #Chennai...
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#Express | Coverage of the classic non AC #FirstClass #carriage of #IndianRailways
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It was December 2015. We got the news that the classic Non AC Carriage of the Tirupati Fast Passenger & its RSA Tirupati Chennai Express was to be withdrawn permanently from Service. In a quickly planned trip, My friend Sriram joined me at Bengaluru & we boarded the #Rajyarani #Express from #Bengaluru City to Mysuru. This train was specifically chosen to see the customary overtake by the #Shatabdi Express, which pounded us at #Maddur. We reached Mysuru at 13:40 hrs, and after a quick lunch, came back to the station.
Headed by a #Krishnarajapuram (KJM) WDM3A, 16296, the 56213 Fast Passenger from Chamrajnagar arrived Mysuru pf2, well before time. Sighting it enter the platform, we packed up & walked over to our coach, the F/F1, the classic non AC #FirstClass coach of Indian Railways. Due to less demand & diminishing popularity, Indian Railways had stopped production of these coaches years ago, but the ones in service had to be aged out. This one was one of the last to be pulled out. So we tried to cover it while it still lasted. The diminished popularity of the FC coach was beyond me, it had offered the privacy of a First Class AC coach & the liberty of a Sleeper class like window.
The Journey began at 17:00hrs sharp; and after our first halt at Naganahalli, we curved into #Shrirangapatna. Back then, it was still a single line station, with the new station layout still coming up. #Tippu Express was missed due to its sudden appearance, but we got a beautiful sunset at Byadarahalli as we cleared the loop; so felt compensated. Immediately after; the Bengaluru Chamrajnagar Fast Passenger rushed past. It was roughly 18:15hrs, when we reached #Mandya, the Sugar City of Karnataka. Darkness was beginning to set in. Between #Channapatna and Kengeri, the SH17 gave us company, and the fast moving traffic illuminating the highway was a nice sight worth gazing at. #Chamundi Express crossed us at #Ramanagaram. We reached Bengaluru city at 20:05 hrs. The overnight Express to #Kannur & #Karwar greeted us as we entered pf6 for the loco change.
A WAP1 from #Arakkonam shed, 22026 took over from Bengaluru to Tirupati, the same loco ferried us later to #Renigunta. We departed just as the Chennai Express arrived, and the Udyan Express to #Mumbai was waiting for departure. At Cantt., we crossed the Intercity SF from Tirupati & at Krishnarajapuram, the Lalbagh SF from Chennai. This was followed up by the evening Shatabdi from Chennai at Malur. Following this, we decided to take some rest so that we could get up at #Gudiyattam and observe the barrage of overtakes that happens with this train, till date. It was around 01:00 hrs in the night when we reached there, and the patient wait began.
There were totally 5 overtakes & 3 crossings, all listed below. our painfully long halt lasted an hour, but we enjoyed it a lot. We went back to catch up on some sleep.The next morning we reached Tirupati 15mins late, to be greeted by the Tirumala Express from Visakhapatnam. We changed coupe here, as the booking was done separately for the onward Journey to Chennai. after an hour halt, we departed just as the Rayalseema Express from #Hyderabad arrived. Between Tirupati & Renigunta, we saw 4 trains that day connecting Tirupati & Hyderabad, goes on to show the importance of train operations between these 2 cities. After reversing at Renigunta, a new loco took charge, yet another WAP1 from Arakkonam, and witnessed a parallel departure with the Padmavati Express. As we made out way towards Arakkonam, a couple of crossings came our way, and after Arakkonam, it was a non stop run to Chennai. Sriram got down at #Avadi as that was nearer to his home, and I proceeded to Chennai Central. In all, it was a memorable Journey.
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The Plethora of crossings, in the order of their appearance:
- Bengaluru Chamrajnagar Passenger
- Bengaluru Mysuru Chamundi Express
- Tirupati Bengaluru Intercity SF
- Lalbagh Express
- Chennai Bengaluru Shatabdi
- Kerala Express (Trivandrum bound)
- Chennai Bengaluru Mail
- Puduchery Dadar Chalukya Express
- Rayalseema Exp
- Narayanadri SF
- Venkatadri SF
- Padmavathi SF
- Sapthagiri Express
- Mysuru Howrah SF
And the Overtakes -
- Yercaud Express
- Palani Chennai SF
- Bengaluru Chennai Mail
- Kerala Express (New Delhi bound)
- Nilagiri Express
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A Trip filled with Memories, A Journey in one of the last remaining FC coaches in commercial service in IR.
To be brief, the FC coach of the 56213/56214 Chamrajnagar-Tirupati-Chamrajnagar Fast Passenger and its RSA 16204/16203 Tirupati-Chennai Central-Tirupati Garudadhri express has been permanently withdrawn from service. No more privacy at affordable costs.......
This posts is an attempt to briefly showcase my Journey in this legendary coach, with whose suspension from service, an Era has ended. RIP BC non-AC FC....
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1:- KJM WDM3A 16296 awaiting its starter with the Tirupati bound Fast Passenger on pf2 of MYS.
Pic 2:- Surprise.... Surprise.... our FC coach doesn't even belong to the same zone as the train. 90955 borrowed from SCR
Pic 3:- Those Wide Windows, their uniqueness, the nostalgic 'F' board, not to be seen anymore.
Pic 4:- "प्रथम श्रेणी" u read that right.
Pic 5:- Coupe E, our home for the next 12:30hrs.
Pic 6:- A Mistimed shot, KJM WDP4 20044 stands coupled to a train in MYS yard, while UBL WDG4 12137 gets ready to shunt the rake of Hubballi bound Hampi Express.
Pic 7:- The 'F' Class of travel, Retro Perspective.
Pic 8:- A Scheduled halt at Shrirangapatna, the North Cauvery lies ahead of us.
Pic 9:- Shrirangapatna, the only station that is yet to be doubled in the 138km stretch of SBC-MYS line, the reason is in that enclosure behind the ballast mound.
Pic 10:- Pandavpura, the SL coaches of this train are as good as GS class upto SBC, beyond which some order is restored.
Pic 11:- And Proceed, we depart from PANP.
Pic 12:- 'A Setting Sun still whispers a Promise for Tomorrow'
But for non AC BG FC, there is no tomorrow, departing from Naganahalli.
Pic 13:- Curving out of Naganahalli, the home signal indicates the arrival of a train, the SBC-CMNR Passenger
Pic 14:- Charging points, in a 25year old coach about to face the axe, SCR _/\_
Pic 15:- An attempt at capturing a light streak, departing from Malur.
Pic 16:- Arrived at Gudiyattam @ 01:05hrs, the deathly silence swallows even the sounds of the cold breeze, preparing for the 3 crossings and 5 overtakes, a regular affair with this train in this station.
Pic 17:- Good Morning Tirupati, part 1 of trip ended.
We continued our Journey to Chennai in the same train with a different name. 16204 Garudadhri Express
Pic 18:- Departed bang on time, from Left to right
- with the Milk Tankers, the Puri Express
- shunted by the WAP7, the Tirumala Express
- shunted by the GY ALCo, the Overnight Passenger from Guntakal
- on pf3, The Rayalseema Express from HYB
Pic 19:- A new day, a new beginning, the morning is definitely wiser than the evening. Heading towards Renigunta Jn.
Pic 20:- Slowing down at Renigunta outer, we are instructed to enter pf4.
Pic 21:- The only reversal in our Journey, Renigunta Jn., the breakfast varities available here is a must try for people passing through this train around 07:00-08:00 in the morning.
Pic 22:- GY WDP4D is a silent spectator to our exit, notice the express train departing from pf3, it was the Padmavati Express from SC, departing parallel to us.
Pic 23:- The Pudi curve. AJJ WAP1 22026 charges ahead with the 17 coach rake, it took charge from RU, our steed for the SBC-RU leg was AJJ WAP1 22023.
Pic 24:- Ekambarakuppam; tracks on 2 different levels, As the clouds cast their shadows on the hills, we depart and say goodbye to the Tirupati bound Sapthagiri Express.
Pic 25:- Reflections..... Aftermath of the recent rains that lashed out parts of the TN-AP border near Chennai and surrounding districts.
Pic 26:- Arakkonam Jn. outer
Pic 27:- SR seems to have begun the process of scrapping; FC coaches that have lived their usefulness, await the Grim Reaper
Pic 28:- We were allotted Coupe C, from TPTY to MAS, Emergency Window is anyday a bliss for Railfans. Sriram, my companion for the last 24hrs on rails; was enjoying it thoroughly.
Pic 29:- BL tigerface hauling a colorful CONCOR rake, patiently waits in the third line at TRL home, for us to enter.
Pic 30:- Thanks Sriram for this pic(myself in the Emergency Window @ Avadi), memories to be cherished for life.
Pic 31:- Curving towards Basin Bridge, last leg of my Journey; my first and last ride in a BG FC carriage.
Pic 32:- Arrived Chennai Central 5mins before time. RPM WAP7 which probably brought in the daily SF from TVC, waits for us to enter pf6, before proceeding to the Trip shed. To be noted, even the TVC Daily express (12695/96) had a FC coach until a few years ago. Its now replaced with a 3AC coach.
Pic 33:- Adiós First Class..... You will be missed.