LKO/Lucknow Charbagh NR (9 PFs)

Local Name: Badi line

लखनऊ चारबाग़ (उत्तर रेलवे)

(لکھنؤ چارباغ (سمال ریلوے

Track: Construction - Electric-Line Tripling

Which is easy to get confirmed from GAYA for LKO.

GAYA to LUCKNOW NR
DoJ = Tue, 11 June 2024 [4 days left]
Class = 2AC [preferred]
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1) DURGIANA EXP (12357)
2A ₹ 1265
PQWL17/WL12 (49%) ❌
1A ₹ 2100
PQWL4/WL4 (45%) ❌dream

2) 18103/Tata Amritsar
RLWL10/WL7 (54%) ❌

3) 13307 Ganga Sutlej Express
GNWL19/WL12

4) 13009 Doon Express
RLWL13/WL4

Urgently to reach LKO by 10 AM 12 Jun.
Returning LKO GAYA at night 12 Jun Wed

Finally the day has come in NR.
All Passenger (Ordinary), MEMU and DEMU trains will run with their Pre-covid number series from 1 July.
Before covid, Passenger (Ordinary) trains used to run with the number 5 in the beginning and MEMU and DEMU with 6 and 7 respectively.
But after COVID lockdown, all trains were cancelled and some trains were used to re-run time...
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to time with "COVID Special Express" with number 0.
After the revocation of lockdown, all trains were converted back to their Pre-covid status but those trains which used to had IInd Class Ordinary fares were still running as Special Express. In 22 Feb, they re-enabled the IInd Class Ordinary fares in those trains but the actual number of the train wasn't restored and hence those trains are still running as Special Express (MEMU Express, Unreserved Express, DEMU Expess) or Passenger Special.
Now finally, from 1 July, all trains with IInd Class Ordinary fares will again run with their existing series of numbers.
Renumbering of NR passenger trains with regular numbers wef 01/07/2024 as was running during pre-COVID period.

I was at Lucknow NR/NER [both lie next to each other] at 0400 hrs only. Was surprised to see significant nos. of passengers in the seriously early morning service to Kasganj. There was the PPTA bound ICE standing but the main attraction was the orange liveried LJN-DDN VB. I am not personally a fan of this VB since it starts quite early, runs only on 110 kph + 50 kph [post Haridwar] capable route, but due to not so great alternatives, decent pax were waiting for the train to open and board it.

Gomti...
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Express clocked in at 0500 hrs at PF #1 of LKO NR. It has 2 CC and 1 HA coach [3 AC coaches only; basically meant for daily/last minute travellers for in between stations]. I had a window seat and the AC Chair Car had a laid back look. I took a nap between LKO and ON. It properly fills in at CNB with as expected, normal passengers and ahem, "staff".

This "staff" is a curious term. I do know how IR defines it. One guy boarded from LKO NR only and just bumped from seat to seat as passengers rolled in. Police officers only see these 2 coaches out of almost 22. The AC CC once had people standing in vestibules and throughout the standing area of the inside of the coach itself. This, when the TTE was actively checking tickets and apart from the odd pax, hardly said anything to these extra pax. Just start slapping fines on these "staff" and IR will get their money's worth back in no time. It's not like the TTE had anything really to do. He didn't go to 2S coaches [never does; traveled via it]. If a TTE can't manage 3 coaches[out of which one is HA1 where hardly any of these extra passengers dare to go], is he getting paid to do nothing?

Enough of the rant, not that it mattered to me the most, since I didn't have to bother with the aisle seat. I saw stations whisper by and the train stop at multiple points on the way b/w CNB and ETW. The dedicated freight corridor zig zags across your view throughout the time. Even tried footplating once but it was just too hot. Funny thing is the BSB-NDLS VB comes to CNB 1.5 hours AFTER Gomti Express, Overtakes it [it overtook us post Hathras Jn] and reaches an hour BEFORE it. Lots of slack given between Khurja Jn and Ghaziabad. Reached latter 15 minutes before time where as expected, cold drinks were being sold at a markup. The Meerut RRTS [which is only half functional/built upto Duhai as of this writing] train was visible running quite empty. Reached Shivaji Bridge and were stopped for ~5 minutes. I just deboarded there, reached 'Barakhambha Road' metro station [ I think that's the nearest one] and ended a 9+ hour train journey that included a lots of naps.

No platform for train entry.
20402 resting on platform 6.
Track maintenance train on pf 7.
And LKO station pe 13168 will arrive on pf 6.
Last moment pe platform change karke passenger ko...
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bhagdar Kara do