Kovai Express
Overview | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Service type | Express | ||||
Locale | Tamil Nadu | ||||
First service | 14 April 1977 | ||||
Current operator(s) | Southern Railway zone | ||||
Route | |||||
Start | Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station (MAS) | ||||
Stops | 10 | ||||
End | Coimbatore Junction (CBE) | ||||
Distance travelled | 497 km (309 mi) | ||||
Average journey time | 7 hours 25 minutes | ||||
Service frequency | Daily | ||||
Train number(s) | 12675 / 12676 | ||||
On-board services | |||||
Class(es) | AC Chair Car, Second Class Sitting, General Unreserved | ||||
Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||
Sleeping arrangements | No | ||||
Catering facilities | Available | ||||
Observation facilities | Large windows | ||||
Technical | |||||
Rolling stock | LHB Coaches | ||||
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||
Operating speed | 66 km/h (41 mph) average with halts | ||||
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The 12675 / 12676 Kovai Express is a daily superfast express train on Indian Railways, running between Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station and Coimbatore Junction. The train made its inaugural run on 14 April 1977 and was one of the fastest Express trains in India, with an average speed of 65 km/hr including stops . It is also one of the most prestigious trains of Southern Railway.
Service[]
This train is an all day, day time superfast and has a Chair Car (Coach) seating arrangement with air-conditioned and non-air conditioned coaches and Pantry car. The 12679/12680 Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Chennai Central Railway Station - Coimbatore Junction Intercity Superfast Express is its opposite route partner.
Route and Stations[]
Kovai Express, or popularly referred to as Kovai, connects Tamil Nadu's state capital Chennai and its second largest city Coimbatore, a major textile, educational and engineering center. This train covers 6 corporation cities out of 12 in the state: Chennai, Vellore, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. The route covers most of the major industrial hubs in the north west part of Tamil Nadu. En route, starting from Coimbatore, it covers important towns of Tirupur, an international hosiery goods exporting town, Erode, a principle agricultural and major Industrial town, Salem which is a major steel and mineral town,[1] Morappur, a station that serves passengers from Dharmapuri and surrounding areas, major leather goods exporting centers Ambur, Vaniyambadi,[2] Arakkonam Junction The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), INS Rajali Neval Air Station and Vellore-Katpadi which has both a medical center a university.[3]
Rake[]
Kovai Express is a single rake unit. Total number of Coaches are 22. It is LHB coaches. The current composition is as follows:
EOG | UR | UR | C1 | C2 | D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | PC | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 | D11 | D12 | UR | UR | UR | UR | UR | EOG |
Historic information[]
The old number was 75/76, later changed in 80's to 2675/2676, as per new four digit format numbering system later adopted by the Indian Railways. From December 2011 onwards 5 digit train number system was introduced all over India and accordingly Kovai express train number was again changed as 12675/12676. In 1978 it was pulled by a Diesel Engine with Kovai Express Boldly written on it. It used to start from Chennai at 6 A.M and its next stop was Katpadi arriving at 7.43 A.M. Other stops at that time was Jolarpet, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. It use to reach Cbe at 2 p.m. and start back at 2.20 p.m. Now Shatabdi Express has taken over the Kovai express timings.
See also[]
- Famous trains
- The Grand Trunk Express
- Pallavan Express
- Nellai Express
- Rockfort Express
- Pandian Express
- Pearl City Express
- Tamil Nadu Express
- Cheran Express
References[]
- ^ "The changing face of steel city". The Hindu = 2011.
- ^ [1] The Hindu: Growth sets Ambur leather sector shining
- ^ http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article204993.ece?service=print Indian Express : Vellore Medical experts
External links[]
- Transport in Chennai
- Named passenger trains of India
- Express trains in India
- Transport in Coimbatore
- Rail transport in Tamil Nadu
- Railway services introduced in 1977