proposed as High-speed connection to Dhanbad, and was expected to run just ahead of Kolkata Rajdhani Exp in both directions.
• The rake is supposed to be a prototype.
• When the rake first arrived from Kapurthala, scratch marks were seen all over the body which was when railway understood their mistake. This mistake was rectified in other rakes where coaches were made less wide.
• The platform edges had to be immediately trimmed a little at several stations. A detailed report from press is supposed to be available in the link ➡️
click here• This rake was suitable for 130Kmph operations, but became restricted to 110Kmph because of wider body & oscillation matters.
• The roof of the rake once touched overhead wires at Howrah yard in busy time, disrupting the traffic.
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◾ Special instructions for operation of 12385/6 Dhanbad Double Decker Express ◾
(as per CRS)
• The train was generally NOT allowed to run through DN HBC line (BWN-DKAE), UP & DN Slow lines (BWN-STN-BWN) as the platforms have 'reverse curve' (representative image of 'reverse curve' on DN HBC PF of MDSE stn attached). If was run through above lines, it had to maintain Speed Restriction of 15kmph at every platform line!
• The train SHOULD ONLY run through Rajdhani lines, i.e UP & Reverse line (in HWH SKG stretch), UP/DN Fast lines (in SKG-STN stretch), UP/DN GC lines (STN-DHN)
• The train had Permanent Speed Restrictions of 15Kmph at the following places over Rajdhani line (platform number indicated in brackets) -
≠In UP direction - Howrah (8,9,13), Bally (5), Saktigarh (1), Galsi (2), Asansol (4), Sitarampur (1), Barakar (1), Kumardubi (1)
≠In DN direction - Kalubathan (2), Asansol (5), Raniganj (3), Barddhaman (5), Belur (4), Liluah (4), Howrah (8,9,13)
• Hence, the slot & schedule was prepared to depart the train in afternoon from Howrah, and a morning departure from Dhanbad, just ahead of Rajdhani Express (reference attached)
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◾How things became worse?◾
• Things were more or less fine,train was getting some passengers, suddenly the slot was changed. The train on previous slot, was colliding with slots of other trains in DN direction & platform availability was becoming an issue at Howrah, so the train was put on a new slot, to depart Howrah in morning, and Dhanbad in evening arriving Howrah very late at around 23 hours. (the DN locals making it more late at night)
• The train departed just after Poorva in Up direction, so that it doesn't block path of any other train, while it departed in evening from Dhanbad, so that it could use DN Reverse line b/w SKG-DKAE (as the reverse line works as UP line throughout the evening, so a night slot was fine to get the track traffic-free)
• In morning, Ranchi Shatabdi, Black Diamond Exp & Hool Express takes away a good load of Passengers. Similarly in return the passengers ended up at 11PM at night, very inconvenient for many travellers, whereas the Ranchi Shatabdi & Black Diamond was always a more convenient option to Kolkata. The 900 seats of this train could not be filled, so coaches reduced, ultimately the train stopped!
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• Now with so many running restrictions in the Rajdhani line itself, How much logical will it be to run to run a 900 seat AC train to any other destinations? The answer remains debated!