This is the predecessor of the Swaraj - the mighty 171/172 Bombay Central - Jammu Tawi superfast exp. Used to be my 2nd most favorite WR train after the Rajdhani. Bombay to Jammu in just 27 hrs. 50 mts. with 8 halts - Surat, Vadodara, Ratlam, Kota, New Delhi, Ambala Cant, Ludhiana, Jalanchar Cant. BCT to NDLS in 18 hrs. 39 mts. - the fastest ever run by a non-AC train between Mumbai and Delhi!!!
Moreover, it used to arrive at Delhi in the middle of the night and halt for just 12 mts. No other IR train has treated Delhi with such disdain. Another unique feature of this train was the presence of...
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two composite 1AC-ACC coaches.
I had an opportunity to travel by this beauty in 1983 from JAT to Dadar. We departed around 6.30 pm and reached Dadar by 11.00 pm next night. Absolutely loved the journey since it skipped everything in sight - Panipat, Sawai Madhopur, Nadga, Godhra, Bharuch, Vapi, Borivali. We were around 1/2 hr late at BRC but a green WCAM1 took over and the LP simply let loose. Just the one halt at Surat and we traveled non-stop from there till Dadar.
I also got to enjoy the Kota-Ratlam section in broad daylight. Remember seeing some portions being doubled. Another memorable event was crossing the double-headed Bombay Rajdhani somewhere near Bharatpur.

Dear IRI Members,
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Kindly check the reply of DRM Sealdah Madam to me on Twitter regarding this train's introduction.
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It seems that IR may not scrap the idea of launching the Sealdah - Katra Superfast Express. DRM Ma'am didn't rectify my...
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calling this train as an AC Superfast which means that the Railways Ministry 'may' not launch it as a Premium, a class that has been scrapped recently. New coaches (probably LHB) are being awaited by Eastern Railway's Sealdah Division.
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Thanks... Jai Mata Di _/\_