Amritha Express

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Amritha Express
WAP-4 from Electric Loco Shed, Vijayawada or from Electric Loco Shed, Arakkonam
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed45 km/h (28 mph) average with halts

Amritha Express (Malayalam: അമൃത എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ്)(Tamil: அம்ருதா எக்ஸ்ப்ரஸ்) is an overnight express train operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways between Thiruvananthapuram Central in Kerala, and Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.

Background

It was introduced in January 2001 by the then Railway Minister O. Rajagopal, from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Palakkad Town. This train is named after Mata Amritanandamayi, a well known spiritual leader. At first, the train used to run between Thiruvananthapuram Central to Palakkad, then extended up to Pollachi later extended to Madurai Junction. It starts from Thiruvananthapuram Central, runs via Kollam Junction, Kayamkulam Junction, Tiruvalla, Changanasseri, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad Junction, Palakkad Town,

Udumalaipettai, Palani, Dindigul Junction
, then reaches Madurai Junction the next day.

History

It was first introduced as Thiruvananthapuram Central–Palakkad Town Amritha Express, via Shoranur Junction. Later, from November 2015, it had been extended and operated as a special express between Palakkad Town and Pollachi Junction.

Then, from 1 November 2017, Amritha Express was extended to

Udumalaipettai, Palani, Oddanchatram and Dindigul Junction by withdrawing stoppage at Shoranur Junction. Starting from 16 November 2011, at Shoranur Junction, eight coaches from Nilambur Road was linked with Amritha Express and ran as Thiruvananthapuram Central–Madurai Junction Amritha Express / Thiruvananthapuram Central–Nilambur Road Rajya Rani Express. On 5 May 2019, the link express from Nilambur Road was discontinued permanently, and both the trains ran as an independent train. Also Amritha Express was diverted to run via Palakkad Junction–Ottapalam–Thrissur
instead of Palakkad Junction–Shoranur Junction–Ottapalam–Thrissur. Therefore, Amritha Express will not touch Shoranur Junction, instead it will bypass Shoranur Junction.

The link train Rajya Rani Express has got independent coaches and will run with new terminal from Kochuveli to Nilambur Road.

Locomotive

Starting from September 24, 2022, this train will be converted from Diesel locomotive journey to a fully complete Electric locomotive journey since the Palakkad-Dindigul line got completely electrified and CRS Inspection was successfully completed.[1][2][3]

Timings

16344 Amritha Express standing in Palakkad Junction.

This train is a daily service train with the following departures and arrivals at some of these stations:-

Thiruvananthapuram Central ↔ Madurai Junction
16343 Station Name Station Code 16344
Arrival Departure Arrival Departure
- 20:30 Trivandrum Ctrl TVC 04:45 -
21:30 21:33 Kollam Junction QLN 02:47 02:50
22:38 22:40 Chengannur CNGR 01:41 01:43
00:45 00:50 Ernakulam Town ERN 23:53 23:58
03:40 04:10 Palakkad Junction PGT 20:30 20:55
05:37 05:40 Pollachi Junction POY 19:02 19:05
06:30 06:35 Palani PLNI 17:55 18:00
06:35 06:40 Dindigul Junction DG 17:02 17:05
10:00 - Madurai Junction MDU - 16:10

Coach composition

  • 1 AC Two Tier,
  • 2 AC Three Tier,
  • 14 Sleeper class,
  • 3 General Unreserved,
  • 2 Luggage cum Disabled coach.
Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
SLR UR UR S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 B1 B2 A1 UR SLR

References

  1. ISSN 0971-751X
    . Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  2. ^ Frist electrical train run with 16343Amritha Express leading with wap-4 Engine in udumalpet, retrieved 24 September 2022
  3. ^ Syam, Megha. "5482116-0: Change In Traction...!! End To End Ele 22651/MGR Chennai Central - Palakkad Junction SF Express (Via Palani) - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 25 September 2022.

External links

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