West Coast Express (India)

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West Coast Superfast Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka
First service	1 April 1965
Current operator(s)	Southern Railways
Route
Start	Chennai Central (MAS)
Stops	30
End	Mangalore Central (MAQ)
Distance travelled	902 km (560 mi)
Average journey time	16 hrs 20 mins
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	22637 / 22638
On-board services
Class(es)	Second AC, Third AC, Sleeper, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	On-board catering E-catering
Observation facilities	Large windows
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	55 km/h (34 mph) average including halts
Route map

The 22637 / 22638 West Coast Superfast Express is a daily train connecting the city of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, with the port city of Mangalore in Karnataka via Palakkad Junction.^[1] It is one of the trains connecting the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and the oldest train. From August 1,2021 22637 Chennai Central - Mangalore Central West Coast Superfast Express runs with new timings.

The name traces to the location of Mangalore which is on the west coast of India. It is one of the oldest trains and also provides a day-time connectivity to Coimbatore from Chennai.

The train shares its rake with the Mangalore Mail which also traverses the same route.

In 2014 Ministry of Indian Railways Announced the Service Type of West Coast Express as Superfast The Schedule and Train Number also Changed from 16627/16628-> 22637/22638.

History[]

Introduced in 1965 as a Express train sharing rakes with Mangalore Mail. It was upgraded to Superfast Express train in June 2014.

Loco link and coach composition[]

When introduced, it ran with a WDM-2 from Erode Diesel Loco Shed for the whole journey. Later after 1990 when the route electrified till Erode, it used electric locomotive from Chennai to Erode and a diesel loco from Erode to Mangalore. After electrification till Mangalore was completed, it now uses WAP-4 / WAP-7 in its entire journey.

It has a total of 23 coaches excluding the locomotive. It has 1 HCPV or High Capacity Parcel Van, 2 Guard Vans (One at each end). 4 General Compartments (1 GS compartment illegally occupied by RMS), 11 Sleeper coaches, 4 AC Three Tier, 1 AC Two Tier. and an RMS. When it departs Mangalore Central as 22638 for the return journey to Chennai, the RMS or Rail Mail Service coach is put at the end of the train.

Station stops[]

Chennai to Mangalore[]

List of stops on the West Coast Express from Chennai to Mangalore.^[2]

Mangalore to Chennai[]

List of stops on the West Coast Express from Mangalore to Chennai.^[3]

References[]

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