Observation at MDU

Last Friday (28th Aug 09),i took the 751SR MDU-RMM Pass for my journey from Madurai to Paramakudi. Some of the observations from my end,
-- Went to MDU Jn around 5.30.Renovation works were going on in the main entrance. And on expected lines, main entrance and waiting hall were brimming with a mix of passengers from all over India (No partiality at all..!!)

-- Anticipated a vast queue considering vaigai's departure but it was quite contrary to my thinking. The fare btwn MDU-PMK was 12 rupees in contrast to 22.50 INR in ordinary TNSETC buses and 26 INR in PP, 1-1 services. (Who told IR doesn't have social obligations..?)

-- Around 5.40,728 MDU-QLN passenger came behind ED WDM3D 11207 on PF 3 with a delay of 20 mins.This train has the reputation of arriving at least 40 minutes earlier on most of the occasion. Surprisingly there were no announcements regarding the same.

-- It was displayed and written that 2661 podhigai ,2631 Nellai and 2637 Pandian are delayed by 15 mins and will be subsequently appearing on PF1.(oops..! my hopes of seeing pandian behind the biggest diesel monster vanished).

-- At 5.50,the PA system came alive notifying the departure of 751 MDU-RMM passenger from PF4 at 6.15(Although as per train enquiry,it is slotted to leav at 6.30) and vaigai from PF5 at 6.45.Not a hassle-free announcement.

-- 2661 arrived in a jiffy powered by GOC WDP3A 15517.The crowd was normal in UR compartments.
-- Coach indicators in PF1 were displaying only as "Madurai Jn" but didn't serve the purpose for which they're employed. Battery operated car ferried a lot of senior citizens and physically challenged people from the Platform.

-- The empty rake of "DG-MDU-VM" rake was also standing in PF4,next to MDU-RMM passenger in a span of 100 meters. In PF6,MG MDU-BODI pass was parked headed by cute GOC YDM4 6281.Twomore YDM4 locos 6144,6399 were also lying close by.

-- The moment i was praising the station authorities for its cleanliness, a good soul standing nearby restrained me from parking my leg in some kind of shit!

--Podhigai left after 10 mins and i was expecting to see nellai in action then..

--But as the PA system was continuously proclaiming the departure of 751 at 6.15, i decided to go back to PF4.At 6.10 GOC WDS6 36022 brought the empty rake of 2636 vaigai into PF5 which had 2 ACC and 13(12?) 2S coaches.There was a serpentine queue gui(ar)ded by RPF to board the UR coaches. The same shunting loco then took charge of the idling 728.

-- Two middle-aged people, seemed to be from the southernmost tip of TN ,started speaking in high decibel therby distracting others including myself. Without the intention of espionage, I started hearing them. Believe me,the only thing that i can infer from the duo's conversation is that they're speaking tamil in nagercoil accent. Even i didn't face this much difficulty in understanding malayalam when i was working in trivandrum. Really an embarrassing ordeal in life when you can't understand even a scanty level of your mother tongue irrespective of the slang/version..!!

-- There was a medium mass in MDU-RMM pass and without doing any kind of yoga/asana, one can easily grab a seat. The time was 6.20 and we're yet to be given the departure. Wondering what prevented us from leaving and got the clarification when i heard the PA system declaring the departure of nellai from PF1.Got the signal to proceed forward at 3 mins past 6.20

-- Surprised to see madurai east having only one PF. If I’m not wrong this is the station serving Anupaanadi and Theppakulam areas.

-- As a routine practice, I was standing nearer to the door and after a long time only, I observed that many of my co-passengers were starring at me with the intention most probably being” why this useless fellow is standing all the way when there is a hell lot of space available inside".. Well.. Never mind. Everything is part and parcel of the game.

-- The 2600 hp beast(ED WDM2 18787) did a commendable job with the 8 coacher thereby reaching every station on/before the scheduled time.

-- I was expecting something other that the rolling stocks, horn to cheer me when my hunch informed, “Cool buddy. You're traversing through one of the dry parts of TN-not a region surrounded by perennial rivers".

-- Crossed our pairing train 752 RMM-MDU pass at sudiyur around 7.50 which was hauled by ED WDM2 17436.Reached my destination PMK at 8.05.