Boat Mail Express

Last updated

Boat Mail Express
BOATMAIL RAMESWARAM EXPRESS.jpg
Boat Mail Express at Chennai Egmore Railway Station Platform No. 9
Overview
Service type Mail/Express
StatusActive
Locale Tamil Nadu
PredecessorIndo-Ceylon Express
First service24 February 1914;110 years ago (1914-02-24)
Last serviceOperation till now
SuccessorRameswaram Express
Current operator(s) Southern Railway zone
Former operator(s)South Indian Railway (SIR)
Ridership Mail/express
Website http://www.indianrailways.gov.in
Route
Termini Chennai Egmore (MS)
Mandapam (MMM)
Stops20
Distance travelled665 km (413 mi)
Average journey time12 hours 30min
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)16751/16752
Line(s) usedMain Line
On-board services
Class(es)
  • 1 1st A/C I tire (H)
  • 1 2nd A/C II tire (A)
  • 3 3rd A/C III tire (B)
  • 13 sleeper (SL)
  • 3 unreserved (GS)
  • 2 GSLRD
Disabled access Wheelchair symbol.svg
Seating arrangementsYes (un-reserved compartment)
Sleeping arrangementsYes (berth)
Catering facilitiesE-catering
  • 16751: (Chennai Egmore ➡ Villupuram Junction)
  • 16752: (MANDAPAM ➡ Tiruchchirappalli Junction)
Observation facilitiesLarge windows
Entertainment facilitiesNo
Baggage facilitiesAvailable
Other facilitiesBio toilet
Technical
Rolling stock
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification 25 kV AC, 50 Hz (high voltage traction)
Operating speed59 km/h (37 mph)
Average length23 Coaches
Track owner(s)Southern Railway
Rake maintenance Ramanathapuram
Rake sharing Sethu Superfast Express & Amritha Express
Route map
Boatmail Express (Chennai - Rameswaram) Route map.jpg

The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, formerly known as the Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train connecting Rameswaram with the state capital Chennai via Tambaram, Chengalpet, Melmaruvattur, Viluppuram, Cuddalore port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Tanjore, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi and Ramanathapuram.

Contents

In the 20th century, it operated as a combined train-steamer ferry-train service between India and Sri Lanka, linking Chennai and Colombo. Initially, the service utilized a rail-to-sea operation, which later evolved into a rail-sea-rail operation. [1] Passengers could purchase a single ticket for the entire journey from Chennai to Colombo. [2] After Indian independence, the ferry service was discontinued and the train operated under the name Dhanushkodi Express from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi. Following the destruction of Dhanushkodi in the cyclone of 1964, the train service was halted. It now runs from Chennai Egmore to Rameswaram via Villuppuram, Kumbakonam, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi, Devakottai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, and Pamban.

History

Passengers changing their mode of journey at Dhanushkodi BoatMail Exp.JPG
Passengers changing their mode of journey at Dhanushkodi

The train's name commemorates the 19th century mail service between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). It is one of the top most prestigious trains of Indian Railways and it has completed 100 years of service in 2014. [2] Before cyclone, the train was running as a metre-gauge train from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi via Chengalpattu Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Cuddalore Port Junction, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai Junction, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur Junction, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi Junction, Devakottai, Sivagangai, Manamadurai Junction, Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram. Due to the conversion of metre gauge to broad gauge, the train was stopped. After the completion of broad-gauge track in Chennai–Madurai–Rameswaram line, the train is resumed via Madurai Junction. Later the conversion of Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai line, this train is rerouted via that route which skips Madurai. Finally the Mayiladuthurai to Thanjavur line is converted to broad gauge once again this train is rerouted via Thanjavur which is the present route of Boat Mail Express. [2]

Tuticorin–Colombo era

The train was inaugurated on 1 January 1880. The railway portion of the route within India was from Madras (Chennai) to Tuticorin. At Tuticorin, passengers embarked on the boat mail steamer to Colombo in Ceylon. The train took 21 hours and 50 minutes for the journey from Madras to Tuticorin. The Boat Mail was one of the early trains to be given vestibuled carriages, in 1898. [1] Presently this train route is running as Pearl City Express.

Dhanushkodi–Talaimannar era

In 1914, after the Pamban bridge was built, the train's route changed and it went from Madras to Dhanushkodi. [3] A much shorter ferry service then took the passengers to Talaimannar in Ceylon, from where another train went to Colombo. The 35-kilometre (22 mi) long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the 270-kilometre (170 mi) long Tuticorin-Colombo route. Since the 1930s, this train has been rerouted from its original route via Madurai Junction to its present-day route due to the opening of Trichinopoly - Manamadurai railway route which is shorter distance in comparison with its original route which leads to reduction in overall travel time.

Post cyclone

In 1964 a passenger train was washed into the sea by huge waves during the 1964 cyclone, when nearing Dhanushkodi. The railway tracks and the pier at Dhanushkodi were also destroyed. Following this, the Indian portion of the train service now only operates up to Rameswaram, [2] while the ferry service to Talaimannar has restarted from Rameswaram has been discontinued from 1984 due to Tamil Eelam issue. [4] It now runs between Chennai Egmore and Rameswaram via Tambaram, Chengalpattu Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Cuddalore Port Junction , Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai Junction, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur Junction, Tiruchirappalli Junction, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi Junction, Devakottai Road, Kallal, Sivaganga, Manamadurai Junction, and Ramanathapuram in the Indian end where as it runs as Colombo - Thalaimannar Night Mail express at the Sri Lankan end.

Schedule

Train name board Boat Mail Express Large Name Board ( office lens ).jpg
Train name board
16751 - Chennai Egmore → Rameswaram ~ Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express
Station/junction nameStation codeArrivalDepartureDay
Chennai Egmore MSSource19:151
Tambaram TBM19:4319:451
Chengalpattu Junction CGL20:1320:151
Melmaruvathur MLMR20:3820:401
Villupuram Junction VM21:5021:551
Cuddalore Port Junction CUPJ22:3822:401
Chidambaram CDM23:0823:101
Sirkazhi SY23:2623:271
Mayiladuthurai Junction MV23:5523:571
Kumbakonam KMU00:2500:272
Thanjavur Junction TJ01:0001:022
Tiruchchirappalli Junction TPJ02:5003:002
Pudukottai PDKT03:4303:452
Karaikkudi Junction KKDI04:1004:122
Devakottai Road DKO04:1904:202
Sivaganga SVGA04:3904:302
Manamadurai Junction MNM05:3505:402
Paramakkudi PMK06:0306:052
Ramanathapuram RMD06:3006:322
Mandapam MMM07:0807:092
Pamban PBM07:2207:232
Rameswaram RMM08:20DEST2
16752 - Rameswaram → Chennai Egmore ~ Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express
Rameswaram RMMSOURCE17:251
Pamban RMD17:4117:421
Mandapam MMM17:5317:551
Ramanathapuram RMD18:1818:201
Paramakkudi PMK18:4318:451
Manamadurai Junction MNM19:2019:251
Sivaganga SVGA19:3819:401
Kallal KAL19:5419:551
Devakottai Road DKQ20:0320:041
Karaikkudi Junction KKDI20:3820:401
Pudukottai PDKT21:0921:101
Tiruchchirappalli Junction TPJ23:0023:101
Thanjavur Junction TJ00:0000:021
Kumbakonam KMU00:3400:362
Mayiladuthurai Junction MV01:1301:152
Sirkazhi SY01:3701:352
Chidambaram CDM01:5401:562
Cuddalore Port Junction CUPJ02:2502:262
Villupuram Junction VM04:2004:252
Melmaruvathur MLMR05:1305:152
Chengalpattu Junction CGL05:4805:502
Tambaram TBM06:1806:202
Mambalam MBM06:3806:402
Chennai Egmore MS07:25DEST2

Traction

The Rameswaram to Tiruchchirappalli section is hauled by a WDM-3A/WDG-3A Diesel locomotive and Tiruchchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a WAP-4 electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between Tiruchchirappalli Junction and Chennai Egmore, this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/h. [5] [6]

Coach composition

The train consists of 23 coaches.It shares its rakes with the Sethu Superfast Express, operates daily and covers a distance of 667 km (414 mi).

It includes one AC first class cum 2nd AC (HA), AC 2 tier (A), AC 3 tier (B), sleeper class (SL), unreserved general sitting coach (GS) and end on generators (SLRD).The Train Will Shares Its Rake With Madurai Thiruvananthapuram Amritha Express After Extension And Inauguration Of New Pamban Bridge.

Loco1234567891011121314151617181920212223
BSicon LDER.svg SLRGSGSS1S2S3S4S5S6S7S8S9S10S11S12S13B3B2B1A1HA1GSSLR

Alternative proposals

At one time the South Indian Railway considered constructing a bridge 12 miles (19 km) long across the shallow waters and sand shoals and reefs known as Adam's Bridge between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when World War I broke out.

Locomotive

See also

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-seltrain.html Famous Trains
  2. 1 2 3 4 Saqaf, Syed Muthahar (14 June 2010). "'Boat Mail' to run on main line from August 1". The Hindu . ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "Imperial Indian Mail". trains-worldexpresses.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  4. ↑ "India-Sri Lanka ferry service to take off soon: Union minister". The New Indian Express . 27 February 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "16701/Chennai Egmore–Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express". India Rail Info.
  6. ↑ "16702⇒16102/Boat Mail (Rameswaram Express)". India Rail Info.
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