IR 19415 2AC bed on 120318
My 2AC compartment with the bed made up on train 19415, I was washed, pyjamas on and all prepared for the night by 20:00, ace! I had it all to myself too (until...*). Amazingly, the velcro on the curtains even lined up (it more often than not, if there at all, doesn't because it's been irregularly applied then the pairs mixed up when washed). The only complaint (apart from being over the bogie at the end near the annoying internal and external doors) was the charging socket having ridiculously oversized pin holes - no matter, I'd brought tin foil from home to counter such an eventuality!
Train 19415, the 19:05 (Sundays only) Ahmedabad Jn - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra weekly Express on Monday 12th March 2018. This takes a rather circuitous route and reverses (with the loco running-round each time) on four occasions: at Firozpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot. 568 kms and 13.5 hours though, so a near perfect overnight. The engine was mega loud Vatva monster I had the previous week (and last year!), WDM3D 11131. Dud for haulage but I didn't much care when it was that good and would get cleared for over 1000 kms by lunchtime the next day, back at Pathankot.
*my own private compartment was indeed too good to be true, and the fates were tempted. FaceBook rants from five hours later:
"... it's now midnight at Amritsar and my blissful solitude has been invaded by the obligatory family turning all possible lights on (buggering up my perfectly constructed light blocking curtain arrangement in the process), with a hyperactive brat (no, joy, two of them) and way too many big bags. In some ways it's a pity I'm not getting off at three in the morning to exact revenge! Glad I didn't go to sleep and was posting on FB - I'd have lost my karma for sure and have already uttered several 'for fuck's sakes', not quite all under my breath. I've removed myself to the vestibule and platform to avoid an international incident, and by spying on them I see one brat climbing on my bed and another pissing about with my eye mask. Grrrrr."
Then:
"Right, the last straw (but there'll probably be more) has been reached as the mother just pulled my phone charger out to put hers in without asking! FFS! I don't think there's any misunderstanding about what I thought of that! She's now havng some sort of riot with the ticket examiner. Dad has covered his head with a blanket and gone to sleep. How long before I have to frighten the kids into not messing around all night? My blood pressure must be through the roof."
Finally:
"Well, in the end (about 01:00) they all went quiet and I managed a decent 4 or 5 hour's sleep without anymore bother. Bizarrely, only the man was in my compartment, quite why it was used as an adventure playground initially at midnight I'm not sure. It is possible, of course, the lady asked to be moved because there was an angry foreigner in her bedroom!"
Not my proudest moment but I just can't comprehend the total lack of consideration for other travellers, it's an all too common occurence. I suppose it must be cultural and my reaction probably seemed equally shocking from their point of view. Or maybe we're all arseholes.
IR 19415 2AC bed on 120318
My 2AC compartment with the bed made up on train 19415, I was washed, pyjamas on and all prepared for the night by 20:00, ace! I had it all to myself too (until...*). Amazingly, the velcro on the curtains even lined up (it more often than not, if there at all, doesn't because it's been irregularly applied then the pairs mixed up when washed). The only complaint (apart from being over the bogie at the end near the annoying internal and external doors) was the charging socket having ridiculously oversized pin holes - no matter, I'd brought tin foil from home to counter such an eventuality!
Train 19415, the 19:05 (Sundays only) Ahmedabad Jn - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra weekly Express on Monday 12th March 2018. This takes a rather circuitous route and reverses (with the loco running-round each time) on four occasions: at Firozpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot. 568 kms and 13.5 hours though, so a near perfect overnight. The engine was mega loud Vatva monster I had the previous week (and last year!), WDM3D 11131. Dud for haulage but I didn't much care when it was that good and would get cleared for over 1000 kms by lunchtime the next day, back at Pathankot.
*my own private compartment was indeed too good to be true, and the fates were tempted. FaceBook rants from five hours later:
"... it's now midnight at Amritsar and my blissful solitude has been invaded by the obligatory family turning all possible lights on (buggering up my perfectly constructed light blocking curtain arrangement in the process), with a hyperactive brat (no, joy, two of them) and way too many big bags. In some ways it's a pity I'm not getting off at three in the morning to exact revenge! Glad I didn't go to sleep and was posting on FB - I'd have lost my karma for sure and have already uttered several 'for fuck's sakes', not quite all under my breath. I've removed myself to the vestibule and platform to avoid an international incident, and by spying on them I see one brat climbing on my bed and another pissing about with my eye mask. Grrrrr."
Then:
"Right, the last straw (but there'll probably be more) has been reached as the mother just pulled my phone charger out to put hers in without asking! FFS! I don't think there's any misunderstanding about what I thought of that! She's now havng some sort of riot with the ticket examiner. Dad has covered his head with a blanket and gone to sleep. How long before I have to frighten the kids into not messing around all night? My blood pressure must be through the roof."
Finally:
"Well, in the end (about 01:00) they all went quiet and I managed a decent 4 or 5 hour's sleep without anymore bother. Bizarrely, only the man was in my compartment, quite why it was used as an adventure playground initially at midnight I'm not sure. It is possible, of course, the lady asked to be moved because there was an angry foreigner in her bedroom!"
Not my proudest moment but I just can't comprehend the total lack of consideration for other travellers, it's an all too common occurence. I suppose it must be cultural and my reaction probably seemed equally shocking from their point of view. Or maybe we're all arseholes.