Just like most other crazy trip ideas, this too must have originated while drinking beer in a shady bar outside some godforsaken station. Was it Betul or was it Ferozpur? Nevertheless, the idea stayed and took shape. Soon we’ll be off again – this time from Udhampur to Kanniyakumari, only by diesel trains and by all three gauges.
A crazy 8 day, 5000km 5662km ride that will take us from the northernmost station in the country to the southernmost. Across a dozen states, we’ll cover the broad gauge, meter gauge and narrow gauge with just one vow – not to board a single electric hauled train. This one is for the smoking Alcos, transition jerks & token exchanges… carbon footprint be damned.
We start on 9th August.
Folks,
I wish you all the best in your trip. Please do not forget the trip reports and pictures.
Regards,
Prakash
Wow! What a trip. I’m just trying to work out your route.
All best wishes,
John
“He was a wise man who invented beer”
Guys,wish you all the very best for the trip under…have fun & enjoy…a small twist to what Apu had said at MAS 2007 about GOD,Photography & Trains…
Here is the twisted version & I quote “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to click trains”
All the Best
rgds,
sachin
Good luck and looking forward to the trip report.
I have perhaps beaten you to it as I had travelled by the Himsagar from Ernakulam to Ambala Cantt in 1985 when there was little or no electrification on this route (except perhaps for Renigunta-Vijayawada)
Until I read the “diesel” part, I was puzzling about the significance of the route you have chosen. My initial guess was that you were trying to do a route covering mostly former MG routes. Best wishes on this great trip. Wish I could be there with you!
All the best chief! wowwww.. whatta ride
All the best guys..
Just like you had Butter Checken in Ferozepur , what will you have this time..? Kanda Poha at Khandwa?
All the best
YOU GUYS ROCK!! Wish I was there to join you on this one but since that’s not happening, here’s wishing you all the very best and many safe journeys ahead.
aahhh! so finally this becomes reality. needless to say, more beer, more beer…!
I guess you have put in a lot of careful thought about the route-but wouldn’t the Konkan route have been more scenic?
I will certainly watch out for the updates.
I always wonder how you guys manage to dream up these wonderful escapades. So…beer is the secret!
All the best for the trip and looking forward to read about your experiences and see the images. Next time plan a Dwarka-Guwahati route and drop in at Ahmedabad.
I’ve only managed Firozpur to Kanniyakumari – so far – all by ALCo!! But that was over a number of years. I’m not sure of your itinerary, but one of the best options would have been to include Vasco Da Gamma – Londa Jn – Pune – Manmad by Goa Express, then go across to Purna Jn and then catch the Meenakshi to Jaipur. We did this back in 2004 and it was a marvellous journey. I don’t think this journey is possible right now thanks to gauge conversion.
I only have two basic suggestions to make: try and include as many ghat sections as possible, and try to incorporate at least one example of each ALCo loco class…
A few thoughts of the routes you could take:-
You could take the MG from Rewari to Jaipur while its still there, then catch the Marusagar Express from Jaipur to Madgaon. Or just take the Ashram to Ahmedabad etc.
I suggest you see the Braganza Ghat by Goa Express, then either bale out at Pune and let Apu lead you astray over Adarki towards Bangalore – itself an excellent run through mountainous terrain, or continue to Daund and take the Itarsi twins on the Kanniyakumari Express to Bangalore. From Bangalore take a WDM3D to Coimbatore, YDM4 to Madurai and a WDP3 to Kanniyakumari. You could even slot in a WDM7 in between admiring the temples at Madurai..!
If they’ve actually opened Managlore to Hassan, that appears on the map to be an excellent bit of railway for the diesel fan. I think I’ll have probably retired before that re-opens though!
Don’t bother with air-con class and its small brown windows in the daytime. The best seat in the house for volume is in the luggage van right behind the loco!
I look forward to reading another excellent trip report.
Even though i cannot join you in this one, im sure to come for the next year’s east to west! Expecting loads of brilliant pictures from you and Bharat with a nice and long trip reoprt. All the best for it and i wanna have some beer too!! ;-
Wow!! What a journey! How I wish I could join in! But the route comes nowhere in the radius of around 500km from where I live
All The Best!
great friends. Ifeel somewhat jealous,for not being with u . Happy sight seeing and happy beering all the way. If u get down at Jolarpettai, donot forget to go to the opposite side of the stn for the liqourshop and get something for me also.
venu
All the best! Looking forward to a fabulous trip report and pix!
wow ! what an adventure; looking forward to the trip report and pictures; my spirits are with you….look for me in the beer parlour !!
Hey guys. Good things always start with good times. Anyway, a great trip. All the best to you. As you guys know, I can only imagine such a trip, only in my dreams. Wish you all the best!
Please modify the map to include Pune.