Rejoining formalities completed

June was coming to a close. The tension was palpable. The government was on the verge of introducing the GST bills. Uncertainty was thick in the air. Amidst all this, 15 young lads who had survived their maiden year in the tough corporate world were awaiting the outcome of their future.

Just as the batsman awaits the decision of the third umpire to see if he been declared out, we too waited,submitted presentations and tried to convince the management that we had done enough to be retained as full time employees.

As half the year drew to a close, we received the green light from our Supreme bosses. We were taken on for probation and that meant a grand reunion for the 15 of us, who would be coming in from different parts of India. From the land of butter chicken to the land of Kozha puttu. The financial capital city of India to the City of Destiny. All of us would be meeting at Pune again for a couple of days.

On 22/7, I booked my tickets on Jan Shatabdi from Ongole to Vijayawada and then a SRS Scania to Pune. A bum breaking journey for sure. The onward run was good although it must be noted that the Jan Second Class coaches are NOT for healthy individuals like me. I would be better off in a regular chair car. The SRS Scania ride was pretty good. I reached Pune on 23rd and settled down in the company guest house,exchanging experiences, cracking jokes and having fun.

Two days passed soon and it was time for us to split up, head back to our respective locations, and who knows, this could well be the last time we were to meet. Goodbyes said, hugs exchanged and I was to take the 18520 LTT VSKP to Vizag from Pune. A 25 hour journey for me.

On 26th,me and my friend left the company guest house by Ola and thanks to traffic, we just about reached Pune Platform 6 side at 10:15. I must apologize to Professor Yogesh for having reneged on my promise to meet him. To make matters worse, Mr Murphy was having fun and decided that 8520 would be received on platform 2 for a change that day instead of the usual platform 6. This meant, running to the platform, and by the time I caught my breath, the train arrived with a KYN WDP 4D 40346.

My colleague was to take the Pune Hatia Express to Bhilai and the Loco for it was AJNI WAP 7 30264. At 11:30, we got the green signal and hardly had the train rolled a few meters, we came to a standstill. After 10 minutes, we proceeded again, carefully negotiating the turnouts and points. Meanwhile, another white beast was trundling upto the home signal.

To my surprise it was a BRC WAP 5 and the train it was leading was the Chandigarh Yesvantpur Karnataka Sampark Kranti. The Loco was muddy and in dire need of a bath but it had done a good job by hauling the KSK till Pune were it would get a much needed rest at the trip shed.

We soon hit good speeds and the EMD was trying its best to imitate the Alco by smoking like it. Well, the greenhouse emissions of our nation will have gone up a few notches.

Now, for a RF, any train journey must be accompanied by good food and sadly, this train has no Pantry car facilities which would cater to my taste buds. Due to the limited stops, even vendors were far and few in number. Thankfully, IRCTC food app cake to my rescue and for once, Airtel too was giving me good network so ordered a Pizza for lunch.

I was near the door for most of the hour when till Solapur. Rock cutting is going on and earth work is in place but overall, I must say doubling is progressing at a painful pace. At a station, we were taken on the loop and the name of the station had me grinning wider than Daniel Riccardo and the Cheshire cat. If I had a champagne bottle, I would have surely done a shoey. The station was Pophlaj.

Yes, that station which has a special place in the hearts of us Railnuts for its unique crossing. The Scissor crossing. With my mobile cam in video mode, I set about capturing the entire operation. The crossing train was a CONCOR rake. Yet another thing checked off from the list of things to be done on the IR list of to do. It is but a sad thing to know that this will be gone once doubling is completed in this section.

At Solapur, lunch was served and like a hungry wolf, I devoured the pizza even before the LPs could sign off. After this, I decided to take a small Siesta and climbed up the UB to sleep. I woke up at Wadi and ran near the door to see if the Loco hauling us from Wadi was a red beast or the GM beast. It was the GM beast and I savored the evening sunset. The stations were ticked off and at Tandur, I ordered a set dosa from the Sandarshini hotel in Secunderabad. As we approached Secunderabad, we were getting impeded by the MMTS which was ferrying people to their homes after a hard day's work. It was doing its duty no doubt but still, it was a comedown for us after the superb run till Lingampalli.
Dinner was served at SC and after polishing off the three dosas with pudina chutney, I hit the sack.

Next thing I know we are at Vijayawada. I see that my fellow passengers have alighted here and thus make the lower berth all mine. It was all the more joyous as it would now be the much coveted Trackside LB.

At 4, we Departed from the busy BZA and immediately I am treated to a parallel run with another ECoR train. It was the Nanded Visakhapatnam Superfast which would proceed via Eluru while we took the Bhimavaram line. I was hoping to see this section in daylight and I was not disappointed. The Fisheries, the coconut trees, paddy fields make it a wonderful sight. At Nidadavolu home, we are halted again and I see a WAP 1 22008 hauled train standing on the home from Eluru side. It was the Puducherry Bhubaneswar SF and it was a case of who would be allowed to go ahead first. Will it be the weary and tired LTT VSKP or the PDY BBS? It was us who got the go ahead and go ahead we did. Kovvur was skipped and that meant heading to the door to pay obeisance to the mighty Godavari River. At Rajamahendravaram, we overtake the Circar express and I buy myself a breakfast of two idlis and two vadas along with some water, a drop of milk and a granule coffee. Hunger still not appeased, I buy the sweet delicacy of the area, Poothrekulu and Polish it off by the time Samalkot comes. It is time for the second dose of hot water with a spot of milk and tea. By now, we are approaching VSKP and with a delay of 5 minutes, we are taken on platform 1 of VSKP.
.