Thread: Train Journey

Originally Posted by rupu1983

Luke I can say about my point of view Why I do travel ?
I discover himself when I did traveling if i did not do travel then I also need some movie character to find out himself and probably I will lost myself in that character.

Then my user id in this forum would be Rambo or Harry Potter or even Luke Skywalker.(then you had to find out new id )

LS is not a movie character. I don't travel unnecessarily that's what I want to say. Some people like travelling so much that they travel for the joy of travel. But not that much of a traveller I am.

Originally Posted by aashaka_gandhi

i never knew there were trams in Delhi....tht is news to me.....

when i went to kolkatta about 5 years back - the trams were running. i did get on the tram but was sooo crowded .......i m used to mumbai locals but i was all suffocated....was one bad experience

I knew 'bout that from my uncle.

oh well i travel alot....

tht makes me happy n best way to explore de world

And I explore the world by observing the arts , literature , culture of others & how others present themselves to outside world. I also like to meet new people but on my own turf.

In 1984, I got a chance to visit New Delhi. This journey holds a special status for me. For one, I got to fly for the first time - Pune to New Delhi. Secondly, on my return journey, I booked myself on Rajdhani Express and that was the another first time for me.

In those days, there were only two sets of Rajdhani's - one to Howrah via Kanpur, Mughal Sarai, Gaya and the other to Mumbai via Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara.

The Rajdhani rolled in around 4:45 PM. It had 2 AC I, 2 AC II Sleepers and about 9 or 10 AC Chair Cars. I boarded my AC Chair Car and settled down. I had a window seat but considering that the seats were facing the wrong way and the dark glass outside, it meant zero.

The train left NDLS around 5 PM pulled by its customary twin diesel engines. The complete track was not electrified at that time and the Rajdhani could not be delayed for Engine changes (except at Ratlam).

Rajdhani 001.jpg
The Rajdhani with its twin diesels as it was in those days

In India Rajdhani (and Shatabdi) is the only way to travel if you wish to have the luxury feeling. Tea and Snacks were served soon after. At around 8 PM, it made a technical halt at Gangapur City (nice for an 'oxygen' break) . After the train left Gangapur City, dinner was served. The train has public announcement system and music. I haven't travelled by the latest Rajdhani (with its new coaches) so do not know about the new features.

The chair car is not comfortable for sleeping but what the hell! I was too excited to care. I woke up early morning when the train was just crossing into Gujarat. Vadodara arrived soon and tea/breakfast was served. The train arrived in Mumbai around 10:20 AM.

Rajdhani 002.jpg
A typical Rajdhani AC Chair Car

I had at last fulfilled my dream. My only regret is that I do not get any chance to travel by this train. For one, I did not have relatives Delhi then. Secondly, it was expensive to travel and had no connection from Pune; the lost time in connections made no real sense. Lastly, when it became affordable and I had now relatives to visit, Air travel became affordable also.

Rajdhani 003.jpg
151 Dn. rajdhani Express pulling out of BCT station

Rajdhani 004.jpg
A beuatiful view of Rajdhani express accented by the curve bank

The Rajdhani Express received new coaches after the turn of the millennium.

New Rajdhani.jpg
The New Rajdhani with latest coaches

Now that my sister lives in Gurgaon, on my next visit I will travel by AC I Class on this train. But then again, hang on - the Pune-Delhi Duronto AC train has also been started.

whats to be sad about that ?

Morover do these trains - rajdhani, shatabdi, always manage to come in/on time ?

Mostly not always ( their arrival time must be near late nineties percent)

well if they charge a premium, the least i would be to be on time.

They are nearly always on time unless there is unusual circumstances much like air flight. Well they give other services also for which you are charge additionally if you want to avail them when you are travelling by an AC train.

Originally Posted by newprouser

whats to be sad about that ?

Morover do these trains - rajdhani, shatabdi, always manage to come in/on time ?

I am sad because The Pune-NDLS Duronto train will make it more sensible to travel depriving me of the Rajdhani experience. But I heard that these new trains will also have the Rajdhani feel. But then, the Rajdhani is a Rajdhani.

Originally Posted by Luke Skywalker

Mostly not always ( their arrival time must be near late nineties percent)

Originally Posted by newprouser

well if they charge a premium, the least i would be to be on time.

Originally Posted by Luke Skywalker

They are nearly always on time unless there is unusual circumstances much like air flight. Well they give other services also for which you are charge additionally if you want to avail them when you are travelling by an AC train.

Rajdhani's and Shatabdi's get priority over all other trains. Once I was travelling by Saurashtra Mail to Mumbai and we got delayed. We reached Udhana Jn. (near Surat) early morning. And believe it or not, we waited over 1 hour there to let the Mumabi bound Rajdhani pass.

As said in my earlier posts, the Rajdhani Express enjoys priority over the Mumbai Subarban trains also.

That is why the Rajdhani's and Shatabdi's are generally on time unless the situation is hijacked by other factors such as severe storms, rains. fog, accidents, etc.

Originally Posted by newprouser

whats to be sad about that ?

Morover do these trains - rajdhani, shatabdi, always manage to come in/on time ?

yes usually r on time.....plus thy have less stops as compared to other trains..... they do not stop on lot of small junctions too

Whenever I have a meeting in Mumbai, I always prefer to travel by Rajdhani 1st AC rather than by Flight.
I board the train in the afternoon, straight from office, get pampered all the way, then in the morning take a hot shower bath in the bathroom, have breakfast and get down at the station to go straight to the mumbai office.
Evening again I catch the Rajdhani, again get pampered all the way, get fresh in the morning and get down to reach office.

This way I save the trouble of getting up at odd hours to catch the early morning flight, getting back at the middle of the night from the airport and also on the hotel room cost that I would otherwise have incurred. My office happily pays the 7000 rail fare as the total cost for flight plus hotel would have been much higher.

Interesting.....

i have a horrible experience in Bangalore- Delhi Rajhdhani express(ACII)
while Calcutta-Delhi Rajhdhani (till Varanasi) was beauty...

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