Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express
Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express is an inter-city express service connecting Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu with Howrah (Kolkata), West Bengal in India. The train is the first long distance train operated by Tiruchirappalli Railway Division from Tiruchirappalli Junction, running beyond Tamil Nadu border.[2]
Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express skipping Tuni | |||||
Overview | |||||
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Service type | Inter-city Express | ||||
Status | Operating | ||||
Locale | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal | ||||
First service | 1998 | ||||
Current operator(s) | Southern Railway zone | ||||
Route | |||||
Start | Tiruchirappalli Junction (TPJ) | ||||
Stops | 21 | ||||
End | Howrah (HWH) | ||||
Distance travelled | 2,025 km (1,258 mi) | ||||
Average journey time | 35 hours, 20 minutes | ||||
Service frequency | Bi-weekly | ||||
Train number(s) | 12663/12664 | ||||
Line(s) used | Chord line (TPJ – VM) Chennai Egmore–Thanjavur line (VM – MS) Guntakal–Chennai Egmore section (MS – WST) Diamond Junction of Chennai (WST – KOK) Howrah-Chennai main line (KOK – HWH) | ||||
On-board services | |||||
Class(es) | 1A, 2A, 3A, SL, SLR, SLRD and UR/GS | ||||
Disabled access | |||||
Seating arrangements | Corridor coach (UR/GS only) | ||||
Sleeping arrangements | Couchette car | ||||
Auto-rack arrangements | No | ||||
Catering facilities | On-board | ||||
Observation facilities | Windows in all carriages | ||||
Entertainment facilities | No | ||||
Baggage facilities | Overhead racks Baggage carriage | ||||
Technical | |||||
Rolling stock | Locomotive: TPJ–VSKP: (WAM 4/WAP 1 (AJJ) or WAP 1 (RPM)); VSKP–HWH: (WAM 4 (VSKP) or WAP 4 (SRC/TATA)) Bogie: One First AC (1A) One AC 2-tier (2A) Three AC 3-tier (3A) Thirteen II SL Four UR/GS One SLR One Pantry car | ||||
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||
Electrification | 25 kV AC, 50 Hz | ||||
Operating speed | 57 kilometres per hour (35 mph) | ||||
Track owner(s) | Southern Railway zone | ||||
Timetable number(s) | 21/21A/29/29A[1] | ||||
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Overview
This express train was introduced during the 1998–1999 Railway Budget as a tri-weekly during Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to run between Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and Howrah/Kolkata in West Bengal.[3] Numbered as 6803/6804, the service of train was reduced to bi-weekly for Tiruchi on Tuesdays and Fridays only since first week of July 2000. And on Saturdays, the service was extended till Kanyakumari as a new train numbered 6355/6356.[4]
This train was converted to Superfast type and re-numbered to 2663/2664 from 24 January 2006 (Tiruchi) and 26 January 2006 (Howrah) onwards.[5] Later, the train number was changed to 12663/12664 from December 2010 onwards as a part of train management system over the entire Indian Railways network.[6][7]
Rakes
The train has 24 coaches comprising One AC first, 1 AC 2-Tier, 3 AC 3-tier, 12 Sleeper class, Four General compartments (Unreserved), Two Luggage van (SLR) and 1 pantry car.[lower-alpha 1]
Loco | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLR | UR | UR | S12 | S11 | S10 | S9 | S8 | S7 | S6 | PC | S5 | S4 | S3 | S2 | S1 | B3 | B2 | B1 | A1 | H1 | UR | SLR |
Schedule
This bi-weekly service leaves Tiruchirappalli Junction as 12664,[8] arrives Visakhapatnam, reverses the loco and finally reaches the destination at Howrah.[9] On the return journey, the train leaves Howrah as 12663,[10] arrives Visakhapatnam the next day, reverses the loco and finally reaches the destination at Tiruchirappalli Junction Some of the prominent stoppages includes Vriddhachalam Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Chengalpattu Junction, Vijayawada Junction, Visakhapatnam Junction, Vizianagaram Junction, Khurda Road Junction, Cuttack Junction and Kharagpur Junction.[11][lower-alpha 2]
See also
- Cholan Express
- Pallavan Express
- Rockfort Express
- Tiruchirappalli-Mayiladuthurai Express
- Vaigai Express
- Tiruchirappalli – Tirunelveli Intercity Express
Notes
- The coach composition is subject to change.
- The timings are in Indian Standard Time.
References
- "Trains at a Glance July 2013 – June 2014". Indian Railways. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- R. Rajaram (17 January 2011). "On board cleaning proposed in Tiruchi–Howrah Express". The Hindu. Tiruchi. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Railway Budget, 1998–99". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Over a dozen new trains to begin". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Tiruchi-Howrah Express made superfast". The Hindu. Chennai. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Railways to Switch to 'Five' – Digit System for Numbering all its Passenger Carrying Trains from December 2010". Press Information Bureau. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Railways migrate to 5-digit number scheme to monitor trains". The Times of India. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Train Time Table for TPJ-HWH (Via. Chord Line)" (PDF). Indian Railways. p. 1. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Train Time Table for TPJ-HWH (Via. HWH-MAS main line)" (PDF). Indian Railways. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Train Time Table for HWH-TPJ (Via. HWH-MAS main line)" (PDF). Indian Railways. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- "Train Time Table for HWH-TPJ (Via. Chord Line)" (PDF). Indian Railways. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.