Most enjoyable journey in India.

vsp27759 · Apr 16th, 2007, 21:24

Dear Steven,

Our enquiries revealed that this Section will be taken-up for Gauge Conversion, though exact date is NOT known.

By the way, Steven, Rangss was one of my friends with me on my Talguppa Trip, and as you are aware I am on IRFCA since 10.1.2005 :-)

Dear Rangss,

Check the Uploads Section of IRFCA.

rangss · Apr 16th, 2007, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I've been trying to keep up with gauge conversions in the south, and I thought the Tenkasi-Quilon section was closing for GC on 1st April, it all confusing.

Will take time. there are some land disputes to be settled.

There is also talk of gauge convertion for the Shimoga - Talguppa section, do you have any idea when this will begin?[/quote]

Conversion is sanction and the survey is done. But no idea about the commencement of work. Service on this section was closed briefly in 2006 but resumed again. I had accompaneid VSP on this trip. I saw no actvity near Shimoga to indicate conversion. But there were a few spots where some kind of earthwork was being done. At Adderi, I spied a lot of makeshift tents akin to the ones used by nomadic labourers in India. Probably some kind of inital work has begun.

steven_ber · Apr 16th, 2007, 22:06

Thanks for the info VSP and rangss.

Nick-H · Apr 16th, 2007, 23:26

I enjoy travelling by plane and train... but I prefer my journeys short!

rangss · Apr 17th, 2007, 19:30

I have updated my site with the pictures of my journey to Talguppa. Check http://reunny.blogspot.com

Nick-H · Apr 17th, 2007, 21:33

The whole blog was great, Rangss...

anorak · Apr 18th, 2007, 00:18

Best India train journey I've done was Lumding to Silchar in Assam, lovely scenery, sitting on the roof behind the loco getting filthy and ducking through the tunnels, brilliant!

As for the SR gauge conversions, the Quillon Tirunelveli section over the Ghats from Punalur to Tenkasi wont be converted for a good few years yet. The rest will be gone in a few years, Madurai - Dindigul closes in May. Madurai - Boddinayakanur will probably last a while as it's not a very well used section.

Oh aye, my first posting on here, been reading for a while find it a great site for info.

Anorak (...by name....)

Nick-H · Apr 18th, 2007, 00:45

Hello Anorak, and welcome.

Another train fan? You'll have noticed that you have plenty of like-minded members here...

rangss · Apr 18th, 2007, 01:46

Thank you Nick. I am not a serious blogger...tried to be one (if you read the initial posts-sometimes I find them embarrasing :-)) but gave up later. Now I just use the space to record my trips and anything interesting.

Anorak...as Nick pointed out, lot of like-minded ones here and that name of yours says a lot too

Madurai-Bodinayakkanur section has a lovely little purpose: to transport cardamom from Bodi to the rest of the country. The train from Bodi is the most fragrant one amongst all trains in IR thanks to its standard cargo. Luggage vans in most of the trains smell of rotting fish, especially the ones that leave Chennai Central.

steven_ber · Apr 18th, 2007, 02:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by anorak

Best India train journey I've done was Lumding to Silchar in Assam, lovely scenery, sitting on the roof behind the loco getting filthy and ducking through the tunnels, brilliant!

Hello Anorak and welcome to indiamike.com

I enjoyed the roof ride in this section too, but thankfully I was towards the back of the train.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anorak

Madurai - Dindigul closes in May.

Do you have any idea when the Dindigul-Podanur/Palghat section will close for GC?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangss

Madurai-Bodinayakkanur section has a lovely little purpose: to transport cardamom from Bodi to the rest of the country. The train from Bodi is the most fragrant one amongst all trains in IR thanks to its standard cargo.

Sounds great, I was thinking of using this train to get from Madurai to munnar.

anorak · Apr 18th, 2007, 02:15

Quote:

Do you have any idea when the Dindigul-Podanur/Palghat section will close for GC?

Thanks for the welcomes.

I can't see it closing this year, I was up there in January and there was no work going on at all. Maybe when the Rameswaram line is finished they'll concentrate on this section.

On another note, the line over the Western Ghats from Mangalore to Hassan and Mysore has finally been passed as safe for passenger trains, so I'd imagine they'll start soon.

robotvoice · Apr 18th, 2007, 07:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi

...Darjeeling - but my favourite journey was the return one, 8 hours on the Toy Train.

this is one of my favorites too.

Another favorite was a regular train ride. i don't remember for sure which train it was, but i think it was from NJP to Patna. It was early morning, just around or before dawn and I was kind of awake but in a sort of trance that was sustained by the rythmic noises of the slow moving train. From a distance, as we slowly headed toward a stop, I heard many human voices, which all seemed to be chanting in a low murmer that sounded so sublimely beautiful with the sound of the train and my extremely peaceful state of mind. The sound become louder and the train moved slower until we pulled into the station and i realized it was not a religious noise that i was hearing but just the dull roar of the people at the stop, and the chanting morphed into "chai, chai coffee chai" and i had to laugh. I'm hard of hearing which has something to do with it, but I thought it was funny that almost anything can sound holy from a distance in india!

Nick-H · Apr 18th, 2007, 10:56

Just occasionally, I guess, there are advantages to being hard of hearing

capt_mahajan · Apr 18th, 2007, 11:03

many advantages... specially between husband and wife.

robotvoice · Apr 18th, 2007, 11:28

true that

Apr 16th, 2007, 22:06	#63
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,644	Thanks for the info VSP and rangss. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Apr 16th, 2007, 23:26	#64
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	I enjoy travelling by plane and train... but I prefer my journeys short! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 17th, 2007, 19:30	#65
rangss Bulk Carrier Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,829	Pictures of Shimoga - Talguppa Rail Bus I have updated my site with the pictures of my journey to Talguppa. Check http://reunny.blogspot.com

Apr 18th, 2007, 11:03	#74
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 8,972	many advantages... specially between husband and wife. __________________ . Humpty Dumpty was pushed. Indiamike moderating team ..ich bin ein oneliner

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Apr 16th, 2007, 21:24	#61
vsp27759 V.SRINIVASA PRASAD Join Date: May 2005 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 1,252	Dear Steven, Our enquiries revealed that this Section will be taken-up for Gauge Conversion, though exact date is NOT known. By the way, Steven, Rangss was one of my friends with me on my Talguppa Trip, and as you are aware I am on IRFCA since 10.1.2005 :-) Dear Rangss, Check the Uploads Section of IRFCA.

Apr 17th, 2007, 21:33	#66
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	The whole blog was great, Rangss...

Apr 18th, 2007, 00:18	#67
anorak Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: UK Posts: 40	Best India train journey I've done was Lumding to Silchar in Assam, lovely scenery, sitting on the roof behind the loco getting filthy and ducking through the tunnels, brilliant! As for the SR gauge conversions, the Quillon Tirunelveli section over the Ghats from Punalur to Tenkasi wont be converted for a good few years yet. The rest will be gone in a few years, Madurai - Dindigul closes in May. Madurai - Boddinayakanur will probably last a while as it's not a very well used section. Oh aye, my first posting on here, been reading for a while find it a great site for info. Anorak (...by name....)

Apr 18th, 2007, 00:45	#68
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	Hello Anorak, and welcome. Another train fan? You'll have noticed that you have plenty of like-minded members here...

Apr 18th, 2007, 01:46	#69
rangss Bulk Carrier Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,829	Thank you Nick. I am not a serious blogger...tried to be one (if you read the initial posts-sometimes I find them embarrasing :-)) but gave up later. Now I just use the space to record my trips and anything interesting. Anorak...as Nick pointed out, lot of like-minded ones here and that name of yours says a lot too Madurai-Bodinayakkanur section has a lovely little purpose: to transport cardamom from Bodi to the rest of the country. The train from Bodi is the most fragrant one amongst all trains in IR thanks to its standard cargo. Luggage vans in most of the trains smell of rotting fish, especially the ones that leave Chennai Central.

Apr 18th, 2007, 10:56	#73
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,468	Just occasionally, I guess, there are advantages to being hard of hearing

Apr 18th, 2007, 11:28	#75
robotvoice mikeaholic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: california Posts: 1,094	true that

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