[4K] MUMBAI-PUNE SCENIC TRAIN JOURNEY | MAHARASHTRA MONSOON |MAGICAL BHOR GHAT| 11019 KONARK EXPRESS

Date - 15th Sept, 2024

The 11019 / 11020 Konark Express was one of the Superfast trains introduced by Shri Madhu Dandavate in 1978 as a daily service between (SC) Secunderabad and Bhubaneshwar (BBS). It used to run with train No 2119/2120 and shared rake with the 2101/2102 Minar Superfast Express which used to operate between Secunderabad and Bombay VT (now CSMT). This train initially had the Navy-Blue livery with a white strip above its windows due to this rake sharing arrangement. With increase in demand of an exclusive train between Bombay and Bhubaneshwar, this train was extended up to Bombay VT in 1994 thus ending the rake sharing arrangement between 2101/2102 Minar Express (which was later replaced by the 2701/02 Hussainsagar Express). After extension this train was renumbered as 1019/1020 in 1994. It is one of the oldest trains connecting the eastern and western states of the country. Currently operating as 11019/11020, it connects Mumbai CSMT [formerly Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai (CSTM)] to Bhubaneshwar (BBS).

The Bhor Ghat Railway is a part of the Mumbai–Chennai line and cuts a distance of 21 km between Khandala and Palasdari. There are 28 tunnels across the railway ghat. This ghat comes under the proposed Golden Quadrilateral Freight Corridors. During construction of this ghat almost 25,000 workers lost their lives due to steepness of this ghat. 343 Initially steam traction was used to haul trains across this ghat. In 1929–30 the Great Indian Peninsula Railway electrified Mumbai – Pune section with a 1.5 kV DC system. This led to end of steam era on this ghat. The electrification system of the Mumbai – Pune section completed its conversion to a 25 kV 50 Hz AC system in June 2015.

The first DC locomotives were EF/1 class locomotives (later classified as WCG1) for freight trains. Later Express trains were hauled by EA/1 class locomotives (later classified as WCP1).[10]

Reversing station
There used to be a reversing station on this ghat which trains of Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) used earlier. This was shut down due to new tunnels on the ghat.The reversing station was located between Monkey Hill and Khandala after tunnel no. 26. During night time lights of Khopoli can be seen from here.

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