The travel through road was really exciting, by keeping the vehicle column intact and move steadily by maintaining the distance between each vehicle at minimum.If any vehicle break down, recovery / repair detachment will attend the off road vehicle and catch up with the other vehicles.On the way there was scheduled halts for food and with special permission of convoy commander ,some breaks for rest was allowed. Traveling on road catching up the beauty of desert was really a different experience.We camped at night with some local units on the way.After three days travel ,when we reached the rail head,almost every one was exhausted and we were looking for a good rest.All vehicles parked near platform for loading into the train next day.
Break time in training during academy days
Next day ,the special train for us had not been placed in platform,so that we could not load our things.[The rolling stock(the special train) contains,first class boggy,second class for all we soldiers,closed wagon to carry our luggage and of unit items,open flat stock for loading vehicles,and like that different types of carriages(i am not remembering its technical names/railway jargon for each type of carriage) connected together].When we checked with the railway authorities,they told its not readily available because of some reason,and we have to wait for one more week to get the rolling stock.We felt that waiting one more week in the railway station is of no use.So we approached the ministry and gave an emergency request for allotment and we got the rolling stock placed for us in two days.We shifted all our items including some vehicles in the train.And one fine morning the train started moving towards our destination.
This train took three times more time than the normal train.So we took 5 days,where the normal train will take 1.5 days to cover the same distance.The train had halted in a day minimum three times for food,in some times separate halt for filling water/charging in the train in different places.The halt is generally for 2-5 hours.If traffic is not clear it may halt more.So we will get down from the train and will go for shopping and sight seeing in the near by town.Thus we know the pace of life and people at different place on the way through out our journey.One occasion we had to go to station master to complain about very very low speed of our train and the station master explained us full railway traffic signal system ,how its works and why they are not giving signal to us,when we urged them to give our train green signal first.
In another special train to east
Its really fantastic experience to travel such long distance in train with troops.The unit was functioning in the train as it was camped in any other place.So the regular roll call and continuous instructions reached to each and every one as always.We had put security guards on duty and all others were involved with various duties.The sanctity
of an army unit was maintained through out the journey.Every one had some story to tell ,on their previous experience in the field,in boarder ,with militants,in tough hilly terrain,in jungles,on snow clad mountains.Newbies like me imagined all those things on the way and geared up more courage to face any kind of such hostile situation.
