For a railfan, what better way to end the year than a train trip? Even if it is just one of many Mumbai-Pune trips that have crowded the calendar of 2019! The reason this time around? To meet my friend and ex-colleague Rishi before my engagement (yes, I am engaged now! 🙂 ). The only thing truly different in this trip was the train of choice – 11041 Mumbai Chennai express. Please refer to Part 1 for the journey from Mumbai so far (up to Karjat; where bankers would be attached for the climb up the Bhor Ghats ): https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2020/01/05/finishing-off-2019-in-style-part-1/

We left Karjat at 16 43, 58 minutes late; just as an ACC Cement freight hauled by BL WAG5Hs 23902 and 23167 skipped the station through Platform 3. Freshly painted KYN WDM3D 11359 was attached to a very short rake of cranes in the far right; at the other end was a WDS6. I noticed that we were being banked by 3 WAG7s (the front blue G7 dead and the rear 2 Tigerface G7s live). As we began the climb up the Bhor Ghats, a container freight crossed us. Finally my ticket was checked! 😛 Then 3 WAG7s attached to 2 WCAM3s crossed us! We also crossed 11008 Pune Mumbai Deccan express led by KYN WCAM2 21873. At Monkey Hill, I saw a line of Tigerface KYN WAG7 bankers – 27150, 27136 and 27101. After Khandala, 11302 SBC-CSMT Udyan express (ICF rake) crossed us behind Pune WDP4D 40594 with a sharp horn of the pure EMD variety.

We reached Lonavala at 17 20, 53 mins late. Departed after a halt of 3 mins, with a short HT horn. We then crossed a container rake headed by BL WAG5Hs 23295 and 23841; as well as a KYN WDG3A ‘Shakti’ with another such rake. Soon our WDP4D was in its element, as we quickly accelerated to MPS; blasting through Malavli and racing vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway – accompanied by HT honking and rhythmic clickety clack track sounds. Here are pictures of us racing vehicles on the Expressway, as well as a trailer truck, as we slowed down to a crawl:

It seemed that our LP had a habit of sounding a long HT horn at intervals. We accelerated through Kamshet, accompanied by melodious EMD humming. Here is the audio of the lovely track sounds as we accelerated and skipped Kanhe:

Much to my delight, the track symphony continued as we blasted through Vadgaon. I observed boys playing cricket at a ground nearby. The HT honking melody continued, as we slowed down slightly at Talegaon home signal; before accelerating and skipping the station at MPS. Please hear the audio of us ripping through Ghorawadi (and crossing the LHB rake of 16340 NCJ-CSMT express in the process), accompanied by melodious HT honking and clickety clack track sounds:

There were boys playing cricket at another ground before Dehu Road; which was skipped at MPS as well. After a huge curve, we overtook a close to an hour late running 51317 Panvel Pune passenger with a WCAMx at Chinchwad. There were some fires burning at Pimpri! :O We dropped our pace slightly, before accelerating quickly to MPS again. 12128 Pune Mumbai Intercity crossed us with DLW-made Ajni WAP7i 37028 after Kasarwadi. We slowed down again at Dapodi and crossed the Harris Bridge over the murky Mula-Mutha river.

Arrived at Khadki at 18 12, 45 mins late. We had covered the last 58 km from Lonavala in 49 mins at 71.02 kmph 🙂 . Left after just a minute, with a long HT horn. Overtook a freight through the loopline at SVJR; led by APU-fitted CLA WDG3A 14706R. We then pulled into PF4 of Pune at 18 33, only 28 mins late now; thanks to some slack 😀 . 22106 Pune Mumbai Indrayani express was ready to depart from PF6. Here is the picture of our loco (Pune WDP4D 40153); which had done a stellar job:

Thus had ended an enjoyable little trip, to finish 2019 on a high. Thank you so much in advance for reading through all this patiently. Let me leave you with this video compilation of my journey by 11041; please keep subtitles on for a detailed description:

Here is a bonus for all your troubles! 😉

LEGEND

Technical Abbreviations

• ICF – Integral Coach Factory, Perambur (Chennai) [manufactures most of the coaches in Indian Railways]
• EMD – Electro-motive Diesel (and a modern class of diesel locos)
• HT – High Tone
• LT – Low Tone
• MPS – Maximum Permissible Speed
• DLW – Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi (largest diesel engine manufacturer in India; now manufactures electrics as well!)
• LHB – Linke-Hofmann-Busch (a modern Swiss company which manufactures coaches with high speed capability and anti-climb safety features; used in Rajdhanis, Shatabdis , and many Durontos and AC expresses)
• APU – Auxiliary Power Unit (specifically for charging the loco batteries when it is idle)

Station Codes

• BL – Valsad
• KYN – Kalyan
• SBC – KSR Bengaluru (Bangalore City/Majestic)
• NCJ – Nagercoil Junction
• SVJR – Shivajinagar
• CLA – Kurla (station)