Nilgiri Express
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The Nilgiri Express (Also known as the Blue Mountain Express, or Nilagiri Express) is a night express train service operating between Chennai and Mettupalayam(Coimbatore) in Tamil Nadu, India.[1] It is operated by Indian Railways.
Introduction
This train is named after the Nilgiri (Tamil / Hindi / Sanskrit: English - (Nil - Blue; giri - Mountain)) Hills. The train is primarily intended for travellers to these hills, especially to the towns of Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri. Mettupalayam is near Coimbatore, which is at the foot of these hills, and the Nilgiri Express links to the Nilagiri passenger train operated by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) at Mettupalayam station, enabling passengers to complete the journey to Udagamandalam by rail. Mettupalayam also has numerous road links to various parts of the Nilgiri hills via the Nilgiri Ghat Roads. This train is a slip express as most of the coaches are detached in the Coimbatore junction and they are denoted with coimbatore as the originating station.
Rake till 1997-98
This train had a dark blue colored rake distinctly spottable from other trains till 1997/98 when all the other trains had Maroon/brick colored coaches.When the rake color of the other train changed for conversion to Vacuum brakes even this train got the same color as the other trains
Train Numbers
There is nightly overnight service in both directions. Train number 12671 runs from Chennai to Mettupalayam, while train number 12672 runs from Mettupalayam to Chennai.
Stops and Distance Covered
Chennai Central (0 km)
Arakkonam (69 km)
Katpadi Junction(130 km)
Salem Junction (334 km)
Erode Junction (396 km)
Tiruppur (446 km)
Coimbatore city Junction (487km)
Coimbatore North Junction(494 km)
Mettupalayam (532 km)
[2]
Booking Quota
The train is intended for travellers to and from the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu. Though the train does not enter the district, the main towns in the Nilgiris have designated seats and berths on this train allocated for sale at local booking offices. Ooty, Coonoor, Wellington, Aruvankadu, Ketti, Kotagiri and Gudalur all have this provision. Notably, the latter two do not even have any rail connectivity.
Loco Links
The train is hauled by a WAP electric locomotive from Chennai Central to Coimbatore Junction. At Coimbatore, there is a loco reversal. Since the 38km long Coimbatore-Mettupalayam stretch is not electrified, hence a WDM diesel locomotive is used to pull the train in this section in both directions.
See also
References
- ↑ "Extra sleeper coach in Grand Trunk, Nilgiri Express". Chennai. The Hindu. June 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
- ↑ Indian Railways Passenger Reservation Enquiry