This travelogue is 695 words long

Poorna Express crawled into Platform 3 of Pune Junction, delayed by over an hour and 43 minutes. I was at the height of tension since the time was already 06:48. The clean and shining rake of Deccan queen was already on Platform 1. I jumped out of the train and rushed up the Foot-Over-Bridge. On the FOB, Rickshaw drivers were standing ready to take me to any place in Pune! I waded my way through them to reach Platform 1. I searched for my coach – There she was right in front of me. The coach was 99159A, C3. I had seat number 71, Window. The occupant of 72 had already come and he kept his luggage on the rack. I kept my luggage, and got down from the train to purchase a newspaper and to have a look at the loco. I slowly inched towards the loco which was just coupled and the pilot got down from the loco. The loco was WCAM3 #21949 from Kalyan Loco shed. I took a photo, and froze for a minute when I saw an RPF constable at a distance. He did not mind! I rushed back to my coach. Just around then, a WDS4 came in with a long rake of Military coaches. A light WDM2 (#16219, from Pune) crawled through towards the loco shed.

I settled down and read the newspaper. The train started moving sharp at 0715 with a long horn. The train crawled out of the platform and slowly entered the main line. The coach was almost full with about 5 vacant seats. A bearer from the Pantry came down taking orders for breakfast. He had a huge variety of food items available, while I settled for a Veg. Cutlet. The train rushed through suburban stations on the Pune-Lonavla section with a speed not less than 95 kmph. Stations flew past in a matter of seconds. Hunger was overpowering me, when the bearer came with Tea. Tea was served in ceramic cups. Some time later another bearer came around with Idli-Vada. The train sped towards Lonavla, and was there by 0808 (sharp on Time!). The train soon started its descent towards Karjat. The breakfast was served just after the train crossed Khandala.

I spent almost the entire ghat section sitting inside the coach itself. The cutlet was tasty. The train stopped at Monkey Hill cabin for the mandatory brake testing and was then allowed to proceed down hill through the mid line. We crossed Karjat at about 0900. The train sped towards Kalyan now at 100kmph (approximately!). We crossed the Deccan express and Udyan express on the way. Udyan was hauled by WDP4 #20027 of Krishnarajapuram. I made a flying visit to the Dining car. But Alas! The Dining car was full and I had to return without an experience! We pulled into Kalyan approximately at 0935. The train crawled through platform 6 without halting. The train picked speed after the station. We overtook a WAG7 hauled container train just before Diva. The container train was on the AC lines.

We sped through Diva, where the rake of the Vasai DMU was stationed. The queen rushed through Thane. Right after thane, the speed dropped down and the train maintained lower speeds through Mulund to Ghatkopar. She sped through Kurla, and made it to Dadar sharp at 1010. A huge crowd got down from the train (including my co-passenger). The train moved out about 3 minutes later.

The Queen made her presence felt as she rushed through stations with her horns blaring. She finally slowed down after Masjid as she prepared to enter the yard. I spotted a WDS4, a few WCAM3s and WCG2s, and WDP4 #20012 “Baaz” sleeping off around the Loco trip shed. The train finally entered Platform 9 of Mumbai CST sharp at 1030. Porters swarmed around the door of the coach. I managed to get away from them and finally got out of the Main line section to proceed to the suburban section. I took a ticket and entered the suburban section sharp at 1040, and boarded a Belapur bound local at 1045! There ended a long awaited trip on Deccan Queen!

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