Lucknow Junction–Anand Vihar Terminal Double Decker Express

The 12583 / 12584 Lucknow Jn.–Anand Vihar Terminal AC Double Decker Express is an Indian Railways train running between Lucknow Junction and Anand Vihar Terminal. It is the ninth double decker train in India and is the first such service for the state of Uttar Pradesh. The train operates four days a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays from both ends.[1] After Lucknow Mail, Lucknow–New Delhi AC Superfast Express, Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express and Gomti Express, it is the fifth dedicated train service between the national capital and the state capital of Uttar Pradesh. The other train service is by IRCTC by the name of Lucknow - New Delhi Tejas Express.

Lucknow Jn.–Anand Vihar Terminal AC Double Decker Express
Train name board of the Inaugural Special
Overview
Service typeDouble Decker
LocaleUttar Pradesh & Delhi
First service26 April 2015
Current operator(s)North Eastern Railways
Route
TerminiLucknow Junction (LJN)
Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT)
Stops3
Distance travelled479 km (298 mi)
Average journey time8 hrs 20 mins
Service frequency4 days a week
Train number(s)12583 / 12584
On-board services
Class(es)AC Chair Car
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Catering facilitiesOn-board catering,
E-catering
Technical
Rolling stockLHB Double Decker
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
broad gauge
Operating speed58 km/h (36 mph) average including halts

Trials and Clearance Certificate

edit

The rake for this train was procured by North Eastern Railways, Lucknow Division from the Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala on 21 April 2014. The first trials of the train on its route were carried out on 18 October 2014.[2] The train departed from Lucknow Jn. at 10 AM and reached Anand Vihar Terminal within 7 hours 40 minutes. While the trials were mostly successful, on its way back, the train brushed against the wall of a platform at Moradabad Jn[3] forcing the station authorities to modify a part of the platform. Followed by this, rigorous trials at all platforms of Lucknow Junction railway station were carried out the following day.[4] Finally the safety clearance from Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) was given [5] and the train chugged off after four months.

Inauguration

edit

This train service was flagged off on 26 April 2015[6] from the Anand Vihar Terminal by the Union Home minister Mr. Rajnath Singh[7] in the presence of the Union Railway Minister Mr.Suresh Prabhu and the Minister of State for Railways, Mr. Manoj Sinha. Nearly 650 people travelled in the inaugural run of this train.[8]

 
Lucknow Double Decker being flagged-off from Anand Vihar Terminal

Journey

edit

The train starts from Lucknow Junction at 04:55 hrs and reaches Anand Vihar Terminal at 12:55 hrs, the same day.[9] In return the train starts back at 14:05 from Anand Vihar Terminal to reach back Lucknow Jn at 22:30 [10] the same day. The Time table is as follows:

12583 Lucknow Junction NER to Anand Vihar Terminal

Station code Station name Arrival Departure
LJN Lucknow Jn NER Starting station 04:55
BE Bareilly Junction 08:23 08:25
MB Moradabad 10:00 10:08
GZB Ghaziabad Junction 12:22 12:23
ANVT Anand Vihar Terminal 12:55 Destination station

12584 Anand Vihar Terminal to Lucknow Jn NER

Station code Station name Arrival Departure
ANVT Anand Vihar Terminal Starting station 14:05
GZB Ghaziabad Junction 14:33 14:35
MB Moradabad 16:50 16:58
BE Bareilly Junction 18:22 18:24
LJN Lucknow Jn NER 22:30 Destination station

Introduction of catering services

edit

In a response to the numerous complaints from passengers pertaining to unavailability of catering services and buffet car in the train, North Eastern Railways consented to initiate the facility with effect from 17 July 2015.[11][12] Vendors providing lunch, dinner, beverages, drinking water and snacks are now available aboard. E-catering service is yet to be introduced.

Coach composition

edit

The train was inaugurated and further planned to run with twelve Double Decked LHB AC Chair Car coaches, but due to technical reasons, the composition was revised to ten such coaches and two generator cum luggage vans at each end.[13] Each coach has a sitting capacity of 120 passengers. The coach composition was again revised on 29 July 2018, when 2 AC Double Decker Chair Car Coaches were removed and sent for repairs. As of now, the trains runs with a 10 coach composition, with 2 EOGs and 8 AC Double Decker Chair Car Coaches, headed by a Ghaziabad Shed Electric Loco.[14]

The coach composition is as follows:
12583: LOCO-EOG-C1-C2-C3-C4-C5-C6-C7-C8-EOG
12584: LOCO-EOG-C8-C7-C6-C5-C4-C3-C2-C1-EOG

Here 'LOCO' denotes the direction of the locomotive. 'EOG' stands for End-On-Generator Van and C1 through C10 are AC Chair Car Coaches. The rake is non-self-generating LHB type and the maximum permissible speed of the rolling stock is 160 kmph though due to sectional speed restrictions, the train only touches a maximum speed of 110 kmph.

Quota allocation

edit

The figures mentioned denote the total number of seats available for booking in this train from the mentioned station under the respective quotas. The bookings can be made from the official ticketing site of Indian Railways http://irctc.co.in .

12583 Lucknow Jn NER to Anand Vihar Terminal[15]

Source station General quota Tatkal quota Premium Tatkal quota Ladies quota Foreign Tourist quota
Lucknow Junction 985 120 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Bareilly Jn 985 120 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Moradabad Jn 985 120 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Ghaziabad Jn 985 120 N.A. N.A. N.A.

12584 Anand Vihar Terminal to Lucknow Jn NER[16]

Source station General quota Tatkal quota Premium Tatkal quota Ladies quota Foreign Tourist quota
Anand Vihar Terminal 1053 60 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Ghaziabad Jn. 1053 60 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Moradabad Jn 30 60 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Bareilly Jn 20 60 N.A. N.A. N.A.

Extension and linkage to Jaipur-bound Double Decker service

edit

Unavailability of pit lines for maintenance of the train at Lucknow Junction is posing difficulties in operation of the train on a daily basis. Hence it has been proposed to link the service to the Jaipur bound Double Decker Service from Delhi.[17] The Ghaziabad–Delhi Sarai Rohilla section is currently being surveyed for feasibility of operation. With the change in place the timings may be changed to a 9AM departure from Lucknow and around 11AM departure from Delhi.[18]

Accidents

edit

On 28 June 2015, the C-5 coach of the Anand Vihar bound train caught fire due to jamming of brakes to the wheels.[19][20] The incident happened near Karuha station (9 km from Hardoi, 110 km from Lucknow Jn.). Though the incident was soon noticed and attended and hence no casualties were reported. After a delay of approximately two hours, the train was made to depart.

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Anand Vihar-Lucknow Double Decker train to run on more days! Timings of Lalkuan Intercity Express revised". The Financial Express. 4 July 2018.
  2. ^ "- India Rail Info". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Double-Decker Exp may hit tracks on March 1". 20 February 2015. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  4. ^ "लखनऊ जंक्शन के हर प्लेटफार्म पर दौड़ी डबल डेकर – Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.
  5. ^ IANS (19 February 2015). "New Delhi–Lucknow double-decker train service soon". Business Standard.
  6. ^ "North Eastern Railway". www.ner.indianrailways.gov.in.
  7. ^ "Home Minister Rajnath Singh flags off AC double-decker train for Lucknow". The Economic Times. 26 April 2015.
  8. ^ http://epaper.amarujala.com/svww_zoomart.php?Artname=20150427g_008163007&ileft=490&itop=516&zoomRatio=388&AN=20150427g_008163007[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ India Rail Info Time Table/Schedule: Lucknow Junction NER to Anand Vihar Terminal NER/North Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry https://indiarailinfo.com/train/31116/906/7322 Time Table/Schedule: Lucknow Junction NER to Anand Vihar Terminal NER/North Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ India Rail Info Time Table/Schedule: Anand Vihar Terminal to Lucknow Junction NER NER/North Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry https://indiarailinfo.com/train/31118/7322/906 Time Table/Schedule: Anand Vihar Terminal to Lucknow Junction NER NER/North Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Railways to start catering service onboard Lucknow–Delhi double decker train". Times of India. 16 July 2015.
  12. ^ "अब डबल डेकर ट्रेन में भी मिलेगा नाश्ता-खाना – Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.
  13. ^ "North Eastern Railway". www.ner.indianrailways.gov.in.
  14. ^ "Info" (JPG). st.indiarailinfo.com.
  15. ^ P, Arpit. "12583/Lucknow Jn. - Anand Vihar Terminal AC Double Decker Express - Lucknow Junction NER to Anand Vihar Terminal NER/North Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.
  16. ^ "Anand Vihar Terminal - Lucknow Jn. AC Double Decker Express/12584 IRCTC Reservation/Availability Enquiry: Anand Vihar Terminal/ANVT to Lucknow NER/LJN - Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.
  17. ^ "एसी डबल डेकर अब जयपुर तक !". Navbharat Times.
  18. ^ "Story". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  19. ^ "हादसे से बची डबल डेकर ट्रेन – Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.
  20. ^ "12583 LKO ANVT DD catches fire - Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info.