Sri Kalahasti-Part 4

We are just moving out of a station.

The stations in Rengunta-Gudur section are Renigunta, Yerpedu, Rachagunnari, Sri Kalahasti, Akkurti, Yellakaru, Yataluru, Venkatagiri, Nidigallu, Vendodu, Kondagunta, Gudur. We boarded 439SC TPTY-GNT passenger at Sri Kalahasti. The next station was Akkurti. I could observe that the stations weren't crowded, but the train had a lot of people from Tiruapati. Many were boarding it in Tirupati, Renigunta itself. A huge crowd at KHT but not many later on. We got the door in the right side and we got ready to take snaps.





The stations in this route were amazingly clean.

Nishant was to observe the signal on the line towards RU. If it was yellow or double yellow, RK was to get ready and shoot videos/photos. I was standing at the door behind them and did some good railfanning(rail jollu or rail sighting or rail drooling). Amazing. The sun went down slowly and the entire place looked like heaven. I observed a green and I shouted to RK that an incoming train was on the way. Very soon a WAP-4 hauled train was coming at an high speed

We just got down at a station called Kondagunta to relax. The train waited here for a few minutes extra.


Then somewhere before Yetaluru, our train stopped. Our train stood before the platform itself. I couldn't understand. The signals were saying ''all-clear''. The ALP got down. Were we in for something? RK told that he would get down. But I insisted that he shouldn't do it. We simply stood there for 10 minutes. Level crossings were closed. Well, it doesn't matter either, there wasn't any car or bus. A few people got down and proceeded towards their town. I wondered where the town really was located. As far as I could see, I saw only empty stretches of land.

The train was on time till Gudur outer. For some dumb reason we were put on outer for half an hour. However, I enjoyed it. You know that I like passenger travels than express travels? We just got down. I got a message from Ashwin saying that if I could make it to Gudur by 17:45 I could see the Rajdhani with a WAP-5 or WAP-7. I could hear some honks now, Nishant said that it was the Rajdhani. Then after that , a passenger came towards RU and crossed us. RK took a video of that. By now myself and RK were talking "freely". RK offered to take a snap of me as if sitting on the tracks. Nishant was shy but still posed. I just checked the signals. It was RED in both directions.

We didn't know when the train will start. RK said that he will sit down in the tracks and asked me to take a snap. The signal was still at RED in both directions, I was still in caution. I told RK that it may not come well since it was already dark. I was urging him not to move further away from the tracks, since any time the train will start. That too a WAP-4 for a 11 coach load, the pickup might be like an EMU. It was hard to convince RK.

Ponnnnng!!!!!!!

WAP-4 honks and starts moving. The whole crowd lying in the track was terrified and moved towards the door. Ponnnnng!!!!!!!

We all boarded it well in advance. There was an hilarious laugh inside the coach.

Courtesy: Ram Karthik Seshadri. Nishant and myself were relaxing on the tracks. For unknown reason we were waiting at the outer. It was also dark.

As we pulled into Gudur Jn, we got the announcement that Sangamitra Express was coming. I was surprised to see the power. It was an Itarsi WAP-4#22757. Generally, this train gets a WAG-7(as far as I have seen). We had Gudur dosai and chutney. It was spicy. I felt as if a current was going through my body after having it. A voltage was being generated in it. I felt that power. For all males passing through Gudur, try out Gudur dosai at least once!! You will feel the power!!

Video taken by Ram Karthik Seshadri. WAG-5 hauls a passenger towards Renigunta from Gudur.

AJJ WAM-4#21228 came with 2078 BZA-MS Jan Shatabdi. One way or another, I am not happy with these AC coaches. Will you believe if I say that I haven't travelled in A/C so far? Not even Shatabdi, Rajdhani, 3AC, 2AC, 1AC? The reason is that I cannot see my nation properly in A/C. I want to be recognised as an normal Indian citizen than a wealthy person. Morever, I want to look out of the window seat!

Very soon the train was notching up! Exciting. Amazing. It was drizzling slightly. The weather was cool. Somewhere, high in the skies pre-diwali celebrations were on! I think it was "seven shots" crackers. Nice colourful display as the train blasted through the night. We were hitting tremendous speeds. Signals appeared more clear than during the day. WAG-9's blasted through with freight. WAP-4#22695 was seen with a small rake in a loop. A couple of WAG-5's passed with freight. An express hauled by WAM-4. Somewhere near Sullurpeta I saw Hyderabad Express. By the time the train crossed Odur, I believed it was doing MPS. Not sure though. We blasted through Pedapriya. Near Nayudupeta, the train was slightly slow, but still fast. There was some station in the name of "Chatram". The train was so fast that I could read only little. Surprisingly, at Polliredipalem we had a halt of 15 minutes in the main line itself. I saw that there was some other passenger in loop. The signal towards Bezawada turned to yellow. In the distance, I could see headlights. A WAM-4 hauled express crossed me at a good speed. Circar Express? I couldn't understand why my train was made to stop. That too in a double line section. I am sure no train was travelling even before me.

Our train did great speeds। RK and Nishant were in their seats while I doorplated all the way. For this trip I never sat in the seat! Generally, I am known for sitting than doorplating. I could see an Indian Army soldier also standing along the door. His cap bore the majestic Ashoka Emblem with the words "Satyamev Jayate".

We crossed all the sub urban stations and crossed Basin Bridge. I could see various types of WAP-4's and WAM-4's at BBQ. A WAM-4 proudly had the wordings,"Bharathiya Rail" in Hindi. We reached Chennai Central bang on time! 21.05hrs! The trip has ended.

-Krishna Kumar.S