The Deccan Queen

I find myself at Pune Railway station on a nice cool morning. Normally, the first thing I do when I enter a station is to look for the board or Television set which displays the platform on which my train is berthed.

Today I wont need to do that, as I am traveling by the Deccan Queen, the most prestigious train in the Mumbai Pune section. It is always berthed on platform number 1. This I suppose is done to enable the passengers to alight from their vehicles, walk across the platform and hop into the train. Similar to the manner where prestigious trains like the Pallavan Express, Vaigai Express and Pandiyan Express are berthed on platform number 3 at Madras Egmore.

I walk through the main entrance to find my coach C4 stop just opposite me. Talk about luxury and convenience. I have been alotted an aisle seat this time, but its in a set of two, so its quite convenient.

The Deccan Queen has 4 AC Chair car coaches, two of them reserved for season ticket holders. The train starts right on time and slowly crosses Pune yard and the Sangam bridge.

After Shivajinagar the engine notches up and the Queen shows her true colours, proudly steaming towards Mumbai. Funny, the phrase 'Steam out' was used for trains many many years ago, since they were hauled by steam engines then. I day dream for some minutes trying to imagine the Deccan Queen speeding with a steam engine at its helm.

Waking up, I read a paper which has been distributed to all the passengers, 'The Golden Sparrow'. Funny name but quite a good paper, only problem being the issue was two days old. 

At Lonavala, I walk across the vestibule to the Dining Car. The Deccan Queen is the only train which has an on board restaurant car, where food is served in bone China crockery with knives, forks and spoons. Even the menu seems to have been left unchanged and reeks strongly of British cuisine. Bread and Cutlets, Omlettes, Sandwiches, Cheest Toast, Baked beans for the Vegetarians and dishes like Chicken cutlets and Fish N Chips for the carnivores.

Cutlets with toasted bread, served with a fork and a knife. 

As I was savoring the cutlets, the Queen came to a halt inside a tunnel, ensuring that the window side seat on the dining table wasn't going to be of much use to me.

After this I ordered a plate of Cheese toast.

It was crisp, hot and delicious.

To complete my adventures in culinary paradise I asked for a cup of coffee, which was served in a cup, with a saucer. I couldn't help but dream about me being some official from the past who was enjoying his morning breakfast, since the food was served in such a grand manner.

The total bill for this delicious spread along with a one litre bottle of mineral water came to Rs 100 which made me smile a little more as I paid the waiter.

Post breakfast I went back to my seat and spent the rest of the time dozing. The heavy and delicious breakfast did have a soporific effect and I took advantage of it to travel to dreamland for a while. 

Meanwhile the Queen seemed to be blazing the tracks to cover up the delay and slowed down before Kalyan and seemed to run slowly in a manner which the train must have found frustrating.

The Deccan Queen finally entered Dadar, delayed by around 20 minutes, which made me feel a little sad as an on time arrival would have ensured that I had been treated like royalty for 3 hours and 20 minutes, traveling by her majesty, the Queen of Central Railway, the Deccan Queen.