Alappuzha–Chennai Express

Alappuzha (Alleppey)–MGR Chennai Central Superfast Express is a class of Superfast Express train that runs daily from Chennai Central to Alappuzha. It is one of the oldest trains in the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways It is one of the prestigious train of Kerala.

Alappuzha–Chennai Express
Alleppey Express
Overview
Service typeSuperfast
StatusOperating
LocaleKerala and Tamil Nadu
First service1 April 1966 (1966-04-01)
Current operator(s)Southern Railway zone
Route
TerminiAlappuzha
Chennai Central
Stops22
Distance travelled746 km (464 mi)
Average journey time13 hours, 35 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
On-board services
Class(es)AC 1st, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper class, Unreserved, SLR
Seating arrangementsIndian Rail standard
Sleeping arrangementsyes
Catering facilitiesPantry car not available
Observation facilitiesICF coach
Baggage facilitiesBelow the seats
Technical
Rolling stockTwo
Track gaugeBroad
Operating speed65 kilometres per hour (40 mph)
Route map
(Chennai–Alleppey) Express route map

History

The train began its life as the 41/42 Madras Central (MAS)–Cochin Terminus (CHTS) Kerala Express on 1 April 1966.[1][2] It was one of two new express trains introduced in the budget of Panampilly Govindha Menon (though he did not present the budget) for southern railway.[3] The other express train being the West Coast Express. It was the first dieseled express train to run south of Madras (with an Erode WDM-2). The scheduled departure from Cochin harbor terminus was at 08:00 pm and arrived in Madras Central at 10.00 am. The reverse train departed Madras central at 16:00 am and arrived at Cochin harbor terminus at 06:00 am (similar to timings of present-day Thiruvananthapuram -Chennai Express).[4][5] It took much less time to reach Madras than the 19/20 mail (14 Hours vs 15 hours).[6]

Initially, the 41/42 express was to be extended to Thiruvananthapuram in 1978 but instead during 1979, the 19/20 mail was extended.[7][8] The 19/20 mail is the predecessor of the now Thiruvananthapuram–Chennai Central Mail. The 41/42 Express became the Cochin Express after its name "Kerala Express" was taken over by 125/126 Trivandrum–New Delhi Express.

The rake maintenance was done at Chennai Central. The train formerly used to have passenger quotas like Ongole quota, Navjivan quota, Coromandel quota etc. for long-distance travel from Madras Central. In the 1980s the train got its stoppage removed from Coimbatore due to infrastructural constrains on the Irugur Junction–Coimbatore Junction line.[9] By 1982, the timings of the train had been reversed. Departure from Cochin was moved to 04:05 pm and reached Madras at 06:50 in the morning.[10][11] The reverse Train left Madras at 7:00 pm and arrived in Cochin at 10:00 am.[12]

Extension to Alappuzha (1991–present)

During 1991, the historic train bid goodbye to Cochin Terminus as it was extended to the newly inaugurated line to Alleppey. It was renumbered 6041/6042 in 1990.[7][13] In 2004 the train was to be converted to Superfast express category numbered 2681/2682, but due to strong protests, the move was not implemented. It was again renumbered 16041/16042 in 2005.The Government of Kerala, in 2012, has officially asked an extension of this train to Vikram Sarabhai Terminal in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram but the demand was never Materialized and from 23 Sep 2012, the train reentered Coimbatore junction, after nearly a gap of 30 long years after the double line via Irugur was commissioned.[14] On 16 Jun 2014, the First Class non AC coaches were removed and have been replaced by a 3A coach.[15] The train was upgraded to Superfast express category from 13.7.2014 with new train numbers 22639/22640.[16][17]

The train's assigned number is 22639. The corresponding Chennai Superfast Express runs from Alleppey to Chennai (train number 22640).

Coach composition

The train used to have all classes of accommodation, 1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, Sleeper class and General Sitting and it shares its rake with the Chennai–Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express.

Loco 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
SLRURS11S10S9S8S7S6S5S4S3S2S1B3B2B1A1 A2HA1URSLR
Alappuzha–Chennai Express standing in Palakkad Junction.

Accidents
  • On 6 December 1997 when the Alappuzha bound train from chennai was blasted by a bomb in Thrissur railway station killed four people and injured 49
  • Four students, who were walking along the railway track near Coimbatore under the influence of liquor, were killed after being hit by a Chennai-bound express train.[18]
  • On August 2010 Four persons, including a German couple, were killed when the Alappuzha bound express train from chennai hit a car at an unmanned level crossing near mararikulam.

Legacy

There is a movie called Cochin Express in Malayalam which is film in the 41/42 express.

See also

References
  1. "Tables 10-11–SR – 1977TT". IRFCA. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  2. "chts1". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  3. "Panampilly Govinda Menon rail budget" (PDF).
  4. "Tables 10-11 – SR – 1977TT". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  5. "Table 2A – SR – 1977TT". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  6. "brad_60_Apr_p23". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  7. "chts1 003". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  8. "1979_Madras___Cochin_Abstract". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  9. V. S. Palaniappan (23 May 2012). "After 30 years, Alleppey express to halt at Coimbatore". The Hindu. Coimbatore. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  10. "chts-mas sl". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  11. "chts-mas sl1". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  12. "chts1 004". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  13. "Untitled-1 copy". IRFCA. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  14. Palaniappan, V. s (23 May 2012). "Chennai–Alleppey Express to have Coimbatore halt after 30 years". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  15. "Fc coaches removed".
  16. Kohilan, Subawarana. "CHANGE IN TRAIN NUMBERS – Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  17. "Train Schedule". Archived from the original on 29 April 2011.
  18. "4 Students Die in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore After Getting Hit by a Train". NDTV.com. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
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