Tea Garden Express
Overview | |
---|---|
Service type | Regional rail Express |
Status | Operating |
Locale | Tamil Nadu & Kerala |
First service | 1944 |
Current operator(s) | Southern Railway zone |
Former operator(s) | South Indian Railway |
Route | |
Start | Karaikal (KIK) |
Stops | 26 |
End | Ernakulam Junction (ERS) |
Distance travelled | 593 km (368 mi) |
Average journey time | 14 Hours 15 Minutes |
Service frequency | Daily |
Train number(s) | 16187 / 16188 |
Line used | Jolarpettai–Shoranur line (ED – SRR) Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section (SRR – ERS) |
On-board services | |
Class(es) | 1A, 2A, FC, 3A, SL, SLR and UR / GS |
Disabled access | ![]() |
Seating arrangements | Corridor coach (Unreserved) |
Sleeping arrangements | Couchette car |
Auto-rack arrangements | No |
Catering facilities | No |
Observation facilities | Windows in all carriages |
Entertainment facilities | No |
Baggage facilities | Overhead racks Baggage carriage |
Technical | |
Rolling stock | Locomotive: KIK–TPJ: WDM 3A (TNP); TPJ–ERS: WDG4 (GOC) Bogie: One First AC (HA1) One AC 2–Tier (2A) One First Class (FC; non–A/C) One AC 3–Tier (3A) Seven II Sleeper Five UR / GS Two SLR |
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) |
Operating speed | 42 kilometres per hour (26 mph) |
Track owner(s) | Southern Railway zone |
Timetable number(s) | 86 / 86A[1] |
Tea Garden Express (Officially known as Karaikal – Ernakulam Express) is a overnight regional rail connecting Karaikal in Union territory of Puducherry with Ernakulam in Kerala via Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu in India.
History
The train introduced during the 1940s,[2] as Ooty–Cochin express to transport tea and related products from the Nilgiris to Cochin Port and further exported to Europe and world over, hence came the name of the train. It ran in narrow gauge between Udhagamandalam and Mettupalayam and broad gauge between Mettupalayam and Cochin Harbour Terminus.[3] Post Indian independence, the Ooty–Mettupalayam trip was cut–off and the train ran as No.565/566 between Cochin Harbour Terminus and Mettupalayam, since the 1970s.[4] Then, the Mettupalayam–Coimbatore Junction portion was cut–off and was re-routed to Tiruchirappalli Junction from Cochin (Ernakulam Junction), numbered as 6865 / 6866.[5] In the 2009–2010 Railway Budget, it was announced that the service will be extended to Nagore,[6][7][8] and the extension was effected on 30 March 2010.[9] The number of train was changed from the 6865 / 6866 to 16865 / 16866, since December 2010 onwards as a part of train management system over the entire Indian Railways network.[10][11] The train services were further extended to Karaikal from 17 December 2011 onwards[12] and re–numbered from 16865 / 16866 to 16187 / 16188, since 1 September 2013.[13][14]
Importance
This train provides connectivity for the people of Kerala and western districts to educational institutions[15] and places of worship in delta districts, viz., Navagraha temples[16] like Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple and others, Nagore Dargah and Velankanni Matha shrine.[17]
Rakes
This train has 18 bogies composing all six classes: one First AC (HA1), one AC 2–Tier (2A), one First Class (FC) (non–A/C), one AC 3–Tier (3A), seven II Sleeper coaches (SL), five Unreserved (general) coaches (UR / GS) and two Luggage rakes (SLR).[lower-alpha 1]
Loco | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
SLR | GS | GS | GS | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | S7 | FC | HA1 | A1 | B1 | GS | GS | SLR |
Schedule
The train numbered 16187 departs Karaikal railway station as Ernakulam Express at 16:10 hours, arrives Tiruchirappalli Junction at 20:00 hours, reverses loco and departs at 20:10 hours and finally arrives Ernakulam Junction at 06:25 hours, the next day.[18] On the return direction, the train numbered 16188 departs Ernakulam Junction as Karaikal Express at 22:05 hours, arrives Tiruchirappalli Junction at 07:40 hours, the next day, reverses loco and departs at 07:50 hours and finally arrives Karaikal railway station at 11:50 hours. Some of the prominent stoppages for the train are Nagore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Karur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Shoranur, Thrissur and Aluva.[19][lower-alpha 2]
See also
Notes
- ↑ The coach composition is subject to change.
- ↑ The timings are in Indian Standard Time.
References
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