Vaigai Express

Vaigai Superfast Express
Overview
Service type	Superfast Express
Locale	Tamilnadu
Current operator(s)	Southern Railway Zone
Route
Start	Chennai Egmore
Stops	7
End	Madurai Junction
Distance travelled	497 km (309 mi)
Average journey time	8 Hours
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	12635/12636
On-board services
Class(es)	AC Chair car, Second siting, Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Yes
Observation facilities	Large windows
Entertainment facilities	Yes
Technical
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	60 km/h (37 mph) average with halts
Route map

Vaigai Express (Tamil: வைகை அதிவிரைவு வண்டி) is a super fast day express train running between Madurai and Chennai via Tiruchirappalli operated by Southern Railway zone of the Indian railways. The name 'Vaigai Express' has been always popular among not only the rail users but also among rail fans of two different generations as the train had won the hearts of lakhs of people who had known and experienced it right from the early days. Due to the demand for a day train between Madurai and Madras, which gradually began to increase from the 1970s, the southern railway decided to do its best for the rail travelers to introduce a super fast train for the first time on the MG in Southern railway.

Inaugural of Vaigai Express

On August 15, 1977, a train woke up the people of Madurai early in the morning. It was on that day at 6 a.m. sharp that train no 135 down Vaigai Express began its inaugural journey from Madurai to Madras Egmore, with 16 yellow and green livery coaches and a matching YDM4 diesel loco.When it was introduced in 1977, this train had 16 coaches, hauled by twin-YDM4 diesel locos, and by 1984 it was bifurcated as Pallavan express, comprising eight coaches.

With its never-before-achieved unique speed ever run on the SR MG, Vaigai express clocked the fastest run between Madurai and Madras Egmore, the distance of 495 kilometers on the very first day in 7 hours and 5 minutes when it entered Madras Egmore at 1.05 p.m. that afternoon, matching the speed of many Broad Gauge super fast trains on the SR. For safety purposes the train, was slowed down to a journey time of 7 hours and 30 minutes later on. It was the only train in SR which had completely tube lighted interiors and sun control sliding glass shutters installed for the first time ever in all its 8 second class coaches. The driver and the guard also had a corded telephone system to communicate between themselves. With the turntable facility available at Trichy, Chennai and Madurai, the operations staff always ensured that the YDM4 hauling Vaigai Express always had the short hood facing the front every time its started it journey.

This train also was one of its kind in SR which had its livery changed quite a few times from its original yellow-green combination to white-gray-red livery and then again to vermillon red - cream livery and again to cream-brown livery on the MG. The YDM4 for the Vaigai Express had been fitted with a double-tone horn which made it easy for rail users and railway staff alike to identify the loco as well as the train, which was never on use on the other YDM4s which operated on the same route for other trains.This the only MG train on the SR to be fitted with specially enhanced buffers and certified to run at 110 km/h. For the first time on the MG, the ICF manufactured two 40-seat AC chair car coaches exclusively for the Vaigai and Pallavan express. From 12 February 2014, Vaigai Express is being hauled by electric locomotive,End (MADURAI) to End (CHENNAI EGMORE).

Schedule

The train numbered 12636 leaves Madurai Junction at 7:00 hrs and arrives Trichy Junction at 8:50 hrs and reaches Chennai Egmore at 14:40 hrs. Since the rakes of these service utilised for Pallavan Express, the rakes of Chennai-bound Pallavan Express leaves Chennai Egmore as Vaigai Express at 13:20 hrs and arrives Trichy Junction at 18:30 hrs reach Madurai Junction at 21:20 hrs at an average speed of 62 kilometres per hour (39 mph)^[1]

Coach Position

See also

• Pandian Express
• Pallavan Express
• Rockfort Express
• Vascodagama Express

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vaigai Express.

External links

• Vaigai Express Route