Boat Mail
The Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express is a combined train and steamer ferry service between India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Connecting Chennai and Colombo, the system initially utilised a rail-to-sea operation, but changed to a rail-to-sea-to-rail operation.[1] Passengers could buy a single ticket for the journey.[2]
Boat Mail express at Karaikudi Junction | |||||
Overview | |||||
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Service type | Express Train | ||||
Status | Operating | ||||
Locale | Tamil Nadu | ||||
First service | 24 February 1914 | ||||
Current operator(s) | Southern Railway Zone | ||||
Route | |||||
Start | Chennai Egmore (MS) | ||||
Stops | 22 | ||||
End | Rameswaram (RMM) | ||||
Distance travelled | 665 km (413 mi) | ||||
Average journey time | 13 Hours | ||||
Service frequency | Daily | ||||
Train number(s) | 16851/16852 | ||||
On-board services | |||||
Class(es) | First AC, Second AC, Third AC, Sleeper, Unreserved | ||||
Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||
Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||
Catering facilities | No | ||||
Observation facilities | Large windows | ||||
Entertainment facilities | No | ||||
Technical | |||||
Rolling stock | MS-TPJ (WAP 7/WAP 4, AJJ/RPM), TPJ-RMM (TNP WDM 3A/WDM-2) | ||||
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||
Electrification | 25 kV AC, 50 Hz | ||||
Operating speed | 51 km/h (32 mph) average with halts | ||||
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History
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 via Chennai Egmore and Dhanushkodi via Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Karaikudi, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram.
Tuticorin-Colombo era
In the late 19th century, 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]
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.
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 since been discontinued. It now runs between Chennai Egmore and Rameswaram via Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram.
Traction
The Rameswaram to Tiruchirappalli section is hauled by a WDM3A/2 Diesel locomotive and Tiruchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a WAP7 Electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between Tiruchirappalli junction and Tambaram, this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/Hr.[4][5]
Coach composition
The train consists of 23 coaches, operates daily and covers a distance of 667 km (414 mi), running at a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph)
ENG | SLR | UR | UR | S13 | S12 | S11 | S10 | S9 | S8 | S7 | S6 | S5 | S4 | S3 | S2 | S1 | B2 | B1 | A1 | HA1 | UR | UR | SLR |
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 Rama Sethu (Adam's Bridge) between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when World War I broke out.
Gallery
- Boatmail Express at Sivaganga
- Name board of Boatmail Express
See also
- Flemingo Liners, the post-war successor to the Boat Mail.
- List of named passenger trains of Sri Lanka
- Rail transport in India
- Tamil Nadu Express
- Chennai Rajdhani
- Nellai Express
- Pallavan Express
- Vaigai express
- Rockfort Express
- Kovai Express
- Pearl City Express
- Cheran Express
- Kanyakumari Express
- Pothigai Express
- Uzhavan Express
References
- http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-seltrain.html Famous Trains
- Saqaf, Syed Muthahar (14 June 2010). "'Boat Mail' to run on main line from August 1". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014.
- "Imperial Indian Mail". trains-worldexpresses.com. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- "16701/Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express". India Rail Info.
- "16702⇒16102/Boat Mail(Rameswaram Express)". India Rail Info.