[Altrozed]

Off late, we are seeing numerous Train Travelogues and reviews which prompted to start sharing train related reviews.
Although a petrolhead, I am more into trains, Indian Railways, zonal level operations as a rail fan, rail enthusiast and an activist kind.

Taking the local MMTS to KCG
So, let me present you the my travel experiences in an underrated train, Kachiguda KCG - Chengalpattu Express 17651/17652 which I used to take journey from KCG kachiguda to TRT Tiruttani or AJJ Arakkonam.

My relatives live in Sholinghur(SHU) which is between Arakkonam and Katpadi main rail line or on Tiruttani/Arakkonam - Chittor - Kadapa NH.

This is the only daily train with excellent timings from KCG To travel this area of state after Renigunta. Hyderabad is badly connected to places after Renigunta towards Arakkonam or Katpadi side.




As usual, the dirty rail tracks after KCG curving towards Musi River and Malapit.



Zoom and observe the Dead P4 behind an EMD.

Now this trains leaves at 17.00 hrs from KCG travelling via Kurnool KRNT, Dhone DHNE, Kadapa HX and RU. Although it is an express/mail category, it enjoys extremely high priority in this sections and has speeds of Superfast with very good average speed.

The rake is of Utrkrisht rake maintained by Hyderbad CDO at KCG station. The rake would be extremely clean when leaving from KCG as that is the 1st leg of the journey.


The rake has RSA Rake Sharing Arrangement with Kakinada CCT - Chengalpattu CGL Circar express which goes back ancient times in IR.

So, the pattern of rake is KCG CGL CCT CGL KCG.

The SL class is decent and 3A is top notch. The AC is cool, washrooms are clean with liquid soap available all thoughrout the journey.
Food options are less in this section of travel and this train is no exception.

This train gets an unique set of up locos pulling it. From KCG to Dhone DHNE, there is a dead WAP4 from LGD/AJJ loco shed behind a GY WDP4/4D.
At the Dhone station, the EMD is unhooked and the rest of the journey is done by the E-loco till Chengalpattu.

This is done as the KCG Dhone isnt fully electrified thus, SCR tries to save money and time by banking a dead P4 behind the EMD till Dhone.

This train reaches Renigunta(10 kms near to TPTY) around morning 3.30 and most of the crowd gets down here.
One might wonder why should some take this train to TPTY when are half a dozen daily direct trains to TPTY. Catch is, this train reaches with nil slack to Renigunta
and if someone wants to the Alipiri steps, they can start the uphill by 4.30 and reach Tirumala by 8.30 am max.
There would be buses at the Renugunta station waiting for passengers to ferry till Tirupati bustand and Aligipiri gate.
It would take around 45 mins and one can start up hill journey as early as 4.30.

With other trains reaching around 5.30 with usual delays, one cannot start the uphill before 6.30-7am.

After Renigunta, one can get to stations like Nagari and Puttur in AP state and Tiruttani TRT in TN state.
Tiruttani has famous Murugan temple and one access interior places like Sholinghur, Arcot and Ranipet from TRT easily.

None travels in this train to Chengalpattu via Madras Egmore and Tambaram as they can easily get down at Arakkonam and proceed by road saving time.

For Katpadi Stretch, one can get down at AJJ and take local trains or Intercity Express going towards KPD.

All said and done, this train is so underrated that one can tickets easily when compared to Madras SF or Charminar as the route is longer when compared to other two trains if travelling to Chennai.

[GTO]

Mod Note: Thread moved to the CV section, which is where we discuss these big boys. Thanks for sharing!

[vigsom]

It is raining trains on tbhp over the last few weeks. Nice short report by you, @Altrozed. This train never joined the rat race w.r.t bookings and the Hyderabad Exp and Charminar continue to be the preferred ones. One of my relatives working in ICFAI some years ago would vouch for the convenience this train had to offer. It was only after one of his journeys that I knew there was a station called Kacheguda.

There is a certain simplicity involving travel by such a train; get in at about 5pm, and get off at Chennai around
7 the next morning. Although it is a 14 hour ride, most of the time would get spent sleeping. I love the older ICF coaches over the new LHB ones anyday.

Originally Posted by Altrozed

The AC is cool, washrooms are clean with liquid soap available

Washrooms in these overnight trains are generally well kept. Also, I've seen the washrooms in older coaches dry faster, while the ones in LHB seem wet always.

[Altrozed]

Originally Posted by vigsom

It is raining trains on tbhp over the last few weeks. Nice short report by you, @Altrozed. This train never joined the rat race w.r.t bookings and the Hyderabad Exp and Charminar continue to be the preferred ones. One of my relatives working in ICFAI some years ago would vouch for the convenience this train had to offer. It was only after one of his journeys that I knew there was a station called Kacheguda.

There is a certain simplicity involving travel by such a train; get in at about 5pm, and get off at Chennai around
7 the next morning. Although it is a 14 hour ride, most of the time would get spent sleeping. I love the older ICF coaches over the new LHB ones anyday.



Washrooms in these overnight trains are generally well kept. Also, I've seen the washrooms in older coaches dry faster, while the ones in LHB seem wet always.

I admit that after reading your travel diaries on trains, I felt like sharing one. definitely not well written and pics loaded, I will try to contribute a lot more for trains as I simply travel picking trains.
.

Yes, this train is never in the race for travel to Chennai but for places between MAS AJJ KPD, this is train is must pick. Ample tickets, super fast performance at Express fare and superbly maintained by HYB CDO.
.
Washroom in ONTs are usually clean but have degraded a lot. A LOT. Trains like Godavari, Gautami and Charminar have lost their charm.
This train is definitely a different league.

Most surprising is the demand for Tirupati. I suggest everybody to try this train if you are interested in taking steps to Tirumala.


Will keep updating along with you for different train ride.
KCG SBC/MYS in pipeline

[Gansan]

I can board the Kacheguda express and Charminar Express right next door (Tambaram). But my preference is for the Hyderabad Express which leaves from Central. It has the least travel time/distance. We can get off at Central early morning and reach home quickly to get ready for office. At the other end too we can get off early at Secunderabad and have the whole day at our disposal.

Trains between Hyderabad and Chennai are not as frequent and convenient like Chennai-Bangalore. Hyd does not seem to be in any main route. Trains take either the Delhi route or Mumbai route and sort of double back, except for the Hyderabad Express. Actually the road distance from Chennai to Hyderabad is almost same as Chennai-Tirunelveli, but the train route adds another 200 km or so. So it takes 13 hours (Hyd exp), 14 hours (Charminar) and 15.15 hours (Kacheguda).

[Altrozed]

Trains reaching early either at MAS or SC leave early also making pretty unsuitable for a full day office.
This CGL express isn't exactly for MS/TBM travelers. Since Circar exp travels to Chennai n since decades, they linked this train also the same way.
Also , MAS Sf isn't clean by any means as the leg of journey up/down to SC is last.
But Charminar and CGL exp are based at HYB CDO and very clean.
MAS Sf has RSA with Cheran IIRC.

[thanixravindran]

Since last year I am a regular in Charminar travelling up and down to Hyderabad each alternate weeks from Tambaram. Charminar takes the longer route of Vijayawada, Khammam and Warangal (200Kms) and regularly delayed also. I think it is operated by SCR and it mainly caters to the crowd till Andhra and least bothered about Chennai. So essentially it takes 15 hours for 700 odd KMS but I still prefer it as I can board in Tambaram and have a peaceful sleep unlike bus journey. Thanks to Vigsom, I book 1AC and it is mostly available in few weeks notice though it has just 10 berths in 1AC.