Visit TO NZM on 20/12/2008

Yesterday (20/12/08) went to NZM to see off my relative on 2410 Gondwana Exp bound for BSP. Scheduled Dep time 1525 Hrs.

Reached NZM at 1500 hrs. Rather late due to auto-rickshaw menance in Delhi. The renovation work on NZM is still on and the station is being double-storeyed. Sale of Pf ticket was off till 31/12 so I had to take a ticket to FBD. The ticket counter guys have now an attitude that if you ask a ticket till New Delhi, they will refuse you as they think that you will be using it as a pf ticket. Nonetheless, I couldnt restrain myself from entering the station and had to take FBD ticket. (In the meantime on the adjacent counter a lady started quarelling with the counter guy who refused to give her the pf ticket. A scene was building up with other passengers in the queue wanting tickets for trains which were to depart within next 20 min or so).

Inside the station, 2410 was scheduled to depart from pf 4. The rake had already been shunted in by the time we reached down the FOB. New Display boards are being installed in NZM though they were not operational yet. Mahakoshal Exp was in Pf 5. Gondwana was a combo rake of BSP as well as JBP bound portions. (Parting in BINA).

TVC - NZM Raj rake was stationed in the pit line adjacent to pf 4. The rake was all branded. "Cheetah" brought in the Jaynagar-NZM GR Rake in the second pit line adjacent to pf 4.

The 2410 departed at 1530 hrs. After its departure as I was moving out of the station, saw an LHB rake stationed in pf7. It was headed by a WAP1 (most probably 22047 if I recall correctly) and had two AC FIrst coaches!!! First time in my life I had seen two 1AC coaches in a train!!

Had to leave the station early due to some important work. But it is always nice as usual to be in NZM!!

By the way, if we have an MST, then we can move into the pf inhibited I guess... Just curious..