West Coast Express (India)

West Coast Superfast Express

Overview
Service type	Superfast Express Train
Locale	Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka
Current operator(s)	Indian Railway
Route
Start	Chennai Central
End	Mangalore
Distance travelled	902 km (560 mi)
Average journey time	16 Hrs 5 Mins
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	22637/22638
On-board services
Class(es)	Second AC, Third AC, First Class, Sleeper, Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Observation facilities	Large windows
Technical
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	55 km/h (34 mph) average 125 km/h (78 mph)
Route map

The West Coast Express is a daily train connecting the city of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, with the port city of Mangalore in Karnataka via Coimbatore Junction.^[1] It is one of the trains connecting the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and the oldest train.

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 Chennai 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 Mail/Express train sharing rakes with Chennai Mangalore Mail. It was upgraded to Superfast Express train on June 2014.

Equipment

When introduced, it ran with a WDM-2 from Erode Diesel Loco Shed for the whole journey/ Later after 1995 when the route electrified and till Erode, It started using WAP-4 till Erode, and used a WDM loco till Mangalore. Then in 2014, it started changing locomotives in Shoranur Junction. Today it gets a WDP-4D from ED or GOC, Or WDM-3D from ED, then WAP-4 from ED or RPM.

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). 3 General Compartments, 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