The 6687/6688 Navyug express between Mangalore and Jammu Tawi crosses the largest number of states (Karnataka, Kerala, TN, AP, Maharashtra, MP, UP, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal , and Jammu & Kashmir).
The Kolhapur-Gondia Maharashtra Exp. covers the largest distance entirely in one state (Maharashtra/1346km).
Thursday 17 December 2009
Sunday 13 December 2009
LAKSHYA
Re-find Your Strength in Times of Need
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the roads you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must but never quit.
WINNERS NEVER QUIT and QUITTERS NEVER WIN.
************************************************
THINGS WON'T TURN UP IN THIS WORLD UNTIL YOU TURN THEM UP.
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the roads you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must but never quit.
WINNERS NEVER QUIT and QUITTERS NEVER WIN.
************************************************
THINGS WON'T TURN UP IN THIS WORLD UNTIL YOU TURN THEM UP.
Saturday 21 November 2009
Monday 26 October 2009
Saturday 12 September 2009
Wednesday 12 August 2009
A TRIBUTE TO DENNIS!
CHANAKYA SAYS, THE
DOG CAN
TEACH US TO EAT WELL
WHEN FOOD IS AVAILABLE
IN PLENTY
BE CONTENT WITH MEAGRE RATIONS WHEN
IT IS IN SHORT SUPPLY.
SLEEP SOUNDLY
AWAKE QUICKLY
BE LOYAL AND LASTLY
SHOW COURAGE
WHEN CONFRONTED BY
DANGER
DOG CAN
TEACH US TO EAT WELL
WHEN FOOD IS AVAILABLE
IN PLENTY
BE CONTENT WITH MEAGRE RATIONS WHEN
IT IS IN SHORT SUPPLY.
SLEEP SOUNDLY
AWAKE QUICKLY
BE LOYAL AND LASTLY
SHOW COURAGE
WHEN CONFRONTED BY
DANGER
Friday 17 July 2009
Sunday 7 June 2009
Sunday 3 May 2009
ETHOS- THE REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY
The Gunners are a breed apart. A phlegmatic bunch of men, they are not given to any uncertainties. Their professional attitude, work ethics and training regimen prepares them to face any contingency which may evolve in their flexible fire plan. Gunners exude confidence and infuse the same among others. This ability is reflected in their motto SARVATRA, IZZAT - O - IQBAL to provide fire-power for all eventualities, where-ever required, in whichever form required.
Friday 24 April 2009
Travelling in Sleeper Coaches...Sharing my experiences...by Praveen Kumar
Having travelled in the 'Shayanyan Shreni' (Sleeper Class) for a considerable distance on many trains, I have gathered some usefull tips which might be of use for others. (These are strictly my observations.. other might have views different than those of mine)
Booking Berths
To start off: While booking your ticket, in the reservation form mention 'Mid-Coach-Inside-LB', in the preferences column of the form. (That is, only when you know that sufficient berths are available, and you can have the luxury of choice.) Also keep in mind, that if you do not mention any preference, you might even end up with berth no: 72(SUB), even if you happen to be one of the first guys booking your accomodation.
Why 'mid-coach'? (Berths 25 to 40 etc)?
The light from the corridors will not affect your night's sleep (if you are undertaking a night journey); the light from the coach ends invariablly illuminates the first and the last bays (1 to 8 and 65 to 72), much against our wishes.
There are chances that your luggage might be much more safer, if you are, in the middle of the coach. (Any person, near the door can walk off coolly with your belongings, at any roadside station, before you can blink an eye). Many of my friends lost their shoes, hand bags etc, just because they happened to be booked on one of the side berths towards the end of the coach, and were not careful enough. In any case, it is always better to secure your luggage with the help of a safety chain.
The smell from the toilets might not bother you that much, if you happen to be in the middle of the coach. Toilets do tend to stink badly within a few hours of commencement of journey, and this can be terrible.
Why 'Inside-Lower-Berth'?
An inside berth is much more comfortable, and is lengthier than a side berth. And for a tall person like me, side berths especially the side uppers are a strict no-no. And then you will not be quite disturbed, by the movement of people in the corridor, if you happen to be on an inside berth.
Lower berth: Well, you can catch up on some railfanning during the night. If its a full moon night, it would be even better. The sight of a WAP-4 or a WDM-2/WDP-4 zooming away, the twin headlights piercing the darkness of the night, those all clear green signals a few miles away, all these can be a treat to watch. Of course, invariably, you will get a request from a co-passenger to down the shutters. It is a safe practice to down the shutters before you hit the berth. If it's an overnight journey, and you have had a tiring day at work, then the inside upper berth would be more suitable, as you would get an unhindered night's sleep, not to be disturbed by the lights of the passing stations, the announcements etc.
It has been observed that during day time journeys, short distance passengers board SL coaches, and make themselves comfortable on our berths. I follow a simple procedure. I pull up the middle berth, and spread out my bedsheet and air pillow across the berth and stretch myself out lazily. This would deter many a short distance traveller from sitting on my berth. After all, why am I paying the SL class fare? (Let me hasten to say that this might not work under all circumstances.)
Beggars, Wandering Mendicants, Urchins, Hawkers, Eunuchs -- a common sight
Beggars. They are ubiquitous. Ignore them. The blind couple types, who sing an apology-for-a-song, as they go about begging for alms... The women with crying babies-in-arms, who try to evoke your sympathy, with fervent 'please...' for milk, food for the little one. The floor-cleaner-urchin types... With a rag in hand, the small fellow will clean your compartment floor and then beg for alms. Some do it diligently, others just put up an act. The singing-balladeers: A small girl/boy with a couple of stones in hand, sing a popular movie song accompanied by the clackety clack of the stones. The card-droppers: A man or woman will quickly go through the coach handing you cards, that urge you to donate towards some orphanage, etc. and then come back, requesting for 'donations'. Don't be fooled! Eunuchs: Some 'request' money in a mild tone, others tend to get aggressive. Ignore them.
Food
In almost all of the long distance pantry cars, you get dinner, lunch, etc., in casseroles. Some might be good, and others might be quite bad, depending on the base kitchen from where they have been obtained). You can either order the food from the PC, or best, get down at the major stations and check out the food stuffs available. Most of them are good; you get hot puris, or say any other food stuff, which is made minutes before the train pulls in to the platform. Omelettes, etc. - wash them down with a glass of fruit juice. (At Sholapur, you get some real good Paav Bhaji And Vada Paav, at Visakhapatnam, you get hot puris, dosas, etc.)
Toilets
Toilets -- They stink most of the time making the journey a bit uncomfortable. What can be done?
Well at many of the big stations, you do have the sanitary staff clean the toilets with the mechanized toilet cleaner, but then again, as the train proceeds further, things are back to square one. Blame it, more often than not, on the passengers themselves, who do not flush the toilets properly.
All of you might not like it, but do what I do. Carry a bottle of Domex or scented phenyl with you. This might sound ridiculous, but believe me, it does save you from stinking toilets. Or just close your nose, and pretend that the smell never existed!
Miscellaneous
Also carry an old newspaper with you. Upper berths (or any berths or seats for that matter) can get quite dusty, and require a proper dusting. Safe drinking water is a must. You cannot trust even bottled mineral water nowadays, but then compared to the water available at stations, they seem a better bet. And a first-aid kit with medicines for stomach ache, headache, nausea, disinfectants, cotton, etc., might prove handy in unforeseen circumstances.
To conclude, travelling by sleeper class can be a pleasure or a pain. It's up to you how you take it.
Regards,
PVS
Friday 10 April 2009
Sunday 22 March 2009
Frontier Mail
The Frontier Mail was flagged off on Sep. 1, 1928, from Colaba Terminus, the main station on the BB&CI (later Western Railway). It was a replacement for the earlier Mumbai-Peshawar Mail. In winter (Sep. - Dec.), the Frontier Mail started from Ballard Pier (Mole Station) to connect with P&O steamships; this is the portion referred to as the "Duplicate" section of the Frontier Mail in old railway schedules and articles.
Leaving from Mole Station the train ran for a short while on tracks of the Bombay Port Railway and the GIPR via Bandra Jn. finally reaching its home tracks of the BB&CI Railway. For the rest of the year the train terminated at Colaba, but a separate train ran to Ballard Pier for the steamer connection. There were also times when the train ran this extra bit on some days of the week alternating with the normal route.
The train's route took it through Baroda, Ratlam, Mathura, Delhi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and finally to Peshawar. (The section beyond Delhi was run by the North Western Railway as train No. 3.) Peshawar was close to the frontier of British India in those days, hence the name of the train. It used to be the fastest long-distance train in the subcontinent.
Originally the BB&CI introduced it to rival the Punjab Limited of the GIPR, which also went from Bombay to Peshawar. The train had a reputation for being unusually punctual. Originally the rake had 5 coaches and a luxury dining car cum lounge car. As a prestige train of the BB&CI, the train offered plush conveniences on board, and the passengers had access to luxurious retiring rooms at stations along the way. It had air-cooled cars (using ice blocks) from about 1934.
After Independence, it went only up to Amritsar, via Delhi, from Bombay. The train has now been renamed "Golden Temple Mail".
Leaving from Mole Station the train ran for a short while on tracks of the Bombay Port Railway and the GIPR via Bandra Jn. finally reaching its home tracks of the BB&CI Railway. For the rest of the year the train terminated at Colaba, but a separate train ran to Ballard Pier for the steamer connection. There were also times when the train ran this extra bit on some days of the week alternating with the normal route.
The train's route took it through Baroda, Ratlam, Mathura, Delhi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and finally to Peshawar. (The section beyond Delhi was run by the North Western Railway as train No. 3.) Peshawar was close to the frontier of British India in those days, hence the name of the train. It used to be the fastest long-distance train in the subcontinent.
Originally the BB&CI introduced it to rival the Punjab Limited of the GIPR, which also went from Bombay to Peshawar. The train had a reputation for being unusually punctual. Originally the rake had 5 coaches and a luxury dining car cum lounge car. As a prestige train of the BB&CI, the train offered plush conveniences on board, and the passengers had access to luxurious retiring rooms at stations along the way. It had air-cooled cars (using ice blocks) from about 1934.
After Independence, it went only up to Amritsar, via Delhi, from Bombay. The train has now been renamed "Golden Temple Mail".
The Grand Trunk Express
This train, affectionately known as the 'GT' started running in 1929 just after the construction of the Kazipet-Balharshah section, which was the last link in the Delhi-Madras route. Initially it ran from Peshawar to Mangalore and took about 104 hours, one of the longest train routes. Later this service was changed to Lahore-Mettupalaiyam. In 1930 it reached its present status while running between Delhi and Madras.
As a prestigious train, it was one of the few to have the early methods of air cooling by ice blocks. It also carried a parcel van for urgent consignments. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the train used to run with a completely air-conditioned rake (First AC and AC Chair Car) on two days of the week, and with its usual rake on other days, and hence was sometimes known as the AC/GT Express. The train had a 21-coach rake in the 1980s, later extended to 22 and finally 24 coaches. Its first-class coaches were of the corridor type with extra large windows. The GT's coaches (along with those of other premier trains in the 1970s) also had noticeably better suspension as well.
As a prestigious train, it was one of the few to have the early methods of air cooling by ice blocks. It also carried a parcel van for urgent consignments. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the train used to run with a completely air-conditioned rake (First AC and AC Chair Car) on two days of the week, and with its usual rake on other days, and hence was sometimes known as the AC/GT Express. The train had a 21-coach rake in the 1980s, later extended to 22 and finally 24 coaches. Its first-class coaches were of the corridor type with extra large windows. The GT's coaches (along with those of other premier trains in the 1970s) also had noticeably better suspension as well.
Friday 27 February 2009
Wednesday 18 February 2009
PEOPLE CALL IT ARMY, WE CALL IT LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!...
Your alarm goes off; you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes
He stays up for days on end
You take a warm shower to help you wake up
He goes days or weeks without running water
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists
You complain about how hot it is
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong
He doesn't get to eat today
Your wife/mother/ maid makes your bed and washes your clothes
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean
You go to the mall and get your hair redone
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume
You roll your eyes as a baby cries
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything...
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded - and of the innocents who have no one to stand up for them
You see only what the media wants you to see
He sees the broken bodies lying around him
You stay at home and watch TV
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be awakened by gunfire
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him
If only there were more men like him!
Hmmmmmmmmm... Enjoy life.
Don’t complain...
CHAIN SMOKERS , HARD DRINKERS,
FLIRT WITH LOVELY LADIES AT EVERY PLACE WITH A NEW
NAME AND A NEW FACE ,
WE WORK HARD AND PARTY EVEN HARDER,
NOT MAMA'S BOYS ANY MORE THATS WHY LIVE LIFE HARD
CORE ,
MISS OUR FAMILY MISS OUR WIFE ,
PEOPLE CALL IT ARMY,
WE CALL IT LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!...
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