This is how my ❤️ for TN started.
When I was in 7th standard i.e 2006 my dad got me a IR time table book. Then I started to search the trains I know by that time. By then I knew Coromandel, I'm seeing Coromandel schedule in BZA- MAS route page and you'll get that little happiness inside if your favourite train doesn't stop any of the station you know, I got the similar feeling. Besides, there's this train named TAMILNADU EXPRESS with yellow colour background to its schedule similar to Coromandel as it belongs to Superfast Category. I thought it's one and only Coromandel that doesn't stop between BZA and MAS. But, WAIT! I'm seeing another train with similar schedule,...
more... I asked my dad furiously! What is this TAMILNADU EXPRESS it's having no stop as CORO. Then what my dad told irked me " TN is like boss of South India, whatever may be train it has to stop aside for TN to let it by." Then I took a look at it's full TT, every page I go it's having more no.of blanks compared to every other train besides it. Then I asked my dad "I want to see that train one time, please take me to Vijayawada". Then he told me that it's arrival at BZA is in odd times, that we can't witness it (as we live 30km away from BZA). I felt sad.
Fast forward to 2009, Still waiting to witness TN. We boarded 12734 Narayanadri express in Guntur jn to reach Tirupati. As we reached Tenali Jn (BZA-MAS line) at 00:00 and our train is waiting for the starter mean while 17210 Seshadri arrived on main line and departure ahead. I was disappointed as it overtook us and thinking "How can a Express can overtake Superfast? " (Now I know why Seshadri was given starter ahead). After 10min or so our train departed Tenali Jn. I was on my berth struggling to sleep. After we reached Ongole I got down to pee. Meanwhile I heard a huge continuous honk approaching rapidly. As a curious rail fan, I went near entrance door and waiting.....Now I see a huge Red beast ED WAP4. (I don't know these things at that time) honking madly resounding the whole Ongole railway station passing like a wind. I'm waiting to count its AC coaches I thought it's a big popular train if it had many AC coaches (silly me 😂). It counted 6 and that's the first time I saw 6 AC coacher. The trains I know and I saw maxed 4-5 at that time. As it's passing on PF 1 and we're on PF 3 I couldn't see it's boards. Now, this tiny fear started building up inside me What if couldn't see it's name? Whom should I ask what train it is. As it's passing away my face became more like ☹️.
As last bogie approaching I started noticing some English letters written on Yellow background plate in Blue color with Red borders. They said "TAMILNADU EXPRESS". I was awestruck seeing the most expected thing unexpectedly. I never saw a train skipping Ongole because the trains we board will definitely stop at OGL. Seeing the most awaited train in the most unexpected way i.e skipping Ongole furiously.. What even OGL can do If it's "The great and Mighty Tamilnadu Express" It's a privilege that it's passing through Ongole. Then I heard someone Whispering near the door " Em train andi adi ala velthudi!! Ikkada kuda agakunda" (What's the train skipping OGL that fastly). Inside I was like, "Yo man it's the SR King MIGHTY TAMILNADU Express". 😎 Aka The Boss of the every zone it passes. That's the moment I became a lifetime time fan of TN.
Now there's another wish started inside...I want to listen the announcement of TN. Once I went to Internet cafe, watching some german bullet trains, then this thought popped up, if there are German train videos on YouTube, then there should be Indian trains also I searched Indian train videos...Alas!!! I there are Indian trains. Then I again thought of there are Indian trains, then definitely there'll be a Tamilnadu Express. i searched and found again!! I was on cloud 9. I exhausted my cafe session completely watching TN videos 😃.
In 2014 we had to go for Neyveli for internship. I was the journey planner, You know what I did, leaving the HYB- MAS Sf which we can board comfortably in Guntur jn, I booked for TN from BZA. 😂 That's how I fulfilled my set of wishes that day. Listening announcement, boarding it, witnessing it's non stop high speed action whole night. It arrived BZA 1.20AM delayed by 1hr, My friends are worried whether we can reach MAS on time or not. I assured them that it's TN we'll not get delayed. Next day we arrived at MAS bang on time. They were like WTF!! And I was like 😎.
Even there are Rajdhanis and Durontos, they might be fast, but for me it's always MIGHTY TAMILNADU EXPRESS aka THE BOSS.
Peace ✌️