Kovai Superfast Express
Overview
Service typeExpress
LocaleTamil Nadu
First service14 April 1977 (1977-04-14)
Current operator(s)Southern Railway zone
Route
TerminiPuratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station (MAS)
Coimbatore Junction (CBE)
Stops10
Distance travelled502 km (312 mi)
Average journey time7 hours 55 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)12675 / 12676
On-board services
Class(es)AC Chair Car, Second Class Sitting, General Unreserved
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Catering facilitiesAvailable
Observation facilitiesLarge windows
Technical
Rolling stockLHB coach
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed66 km/h (41 mph) average with halts
Route map

The 12675 / 12676 Kovai Express is a daily superfast express train on Indian Railways, running between Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station and Coimbatore Junction. The train made its inaugural run on 14 April 1977 and was one of the fastest Express trains in India, with an average speed of 65 km/h including stops . It is also one of the most prestigious trains of Southern Railway.

Service

This train is an all day, day time superfast and has a Chair Car (Coach) seating arrangement with air-conditioned and non-air conditioned coaches and Pantry car. The 12679/12680 Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Chennai Central Railway Station - Coimbatore Junction Intercity Superfast Express is its opposite route partner.

Route and Stations

Kovai Express, or popularly referred to as Kovai, connects Tamil Nadu's state capital Chennai and its second largest city Coimbatore, a major textile, educational and engineering center. This train covers 6 corporation cities out of 12 in the state: Chennai, Vellore, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. The route covers most of the major industrial hubs in the north west part of Tamil Nadu. En route, starting from Coimbatore, it covers important towns of Tirupur, an international hosiery goods exporting town, Erode, a principle agricultural and major Industrial town, Salem which is a major steel and mineral town,[1] Morappur, a station that serves passengers from Dharmapuri and surrounding areas, major leather goods exporting centers Ambur, Vaniyambadi,[2] Arakkonam Junction The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), INS Rajali Naval Air Station and Vellore-Katpadi which has both a medical center a university.[3]

Rake

Kovai Express contains a total number of 22 LHB coach. Previously it has a single dedicated rake unit but now its rakes are being shared with Brindhavan Express. Its rakes are maintained at GSN yard, Bainbridge, Chennai. The current composition is as follows:

EOGURURC1C2D1D2D3D4PCD5D6D7D8D9D10D11D12URURURURUREOG

Historic information

The old number was 75/76, later changed in the 1980s to 2675/2676, as per new four-digit format numbering system later adopted by the Indian Railways. From December 2011 onwards 5-digit train number system was introduced all over India and accordingly Kovai express train number was again changed as 12675/12676. In 1978 it was pulled by a Diesel Engine with Kovai Express boldly written on it. It used to start from Chennai at 6 A.M and its next stop was Katpadi arriving at 7.43 A.M. Other stops at that time was Jolarpet, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore. It used to reach Cbe at 2 p.m. and start back at 2.20 p.m. Now Shatabdi Express has taken over the Kovai express timings.

Time Table

MAS 》CBE 12675

Station code Station name Arrival Departure
MASChennai CentralSRC06:10
AJJArakkonam Jn07:0807:10
WJRWalajah Road Jn07:3807:40
KPDKatpadi Jn08:0308:05
ABAmbur08:4308:45
JTJJolarpettai09:2309:25
MAPMorappur10:0910:10
SASalem Jn11:0711:10
EDErode Jn12:0712:10
TUPTiruppur12:5312:55
CBECoimbatore Jn14:05DSTN

CBE 》MAS 12676

Station code Station name Arrival Departure
CBECoimbatore JnSRC15:15
TUPTiruppur15:5816:00
EDErode Jn16:4716:50
SASalem Jn17:4317:45
MAPMorappur18:3318:35
JTJJolarpettai19:2319:25
ABAmbur19:5419:55
KPDKatpadi Jn20:3320:35
WJRWalajah Road Jn20:5420:55
AJJArakkonam21:2321:25
PERPerambur22:1322:15
MASChennai Central22:50DSTN

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The changing face of steel city". The Hindu. The Hindu = 2011. 22 January 2011.
  2. ↑ The Hindu: Growth sets Ambur leather sector shining
  3. ↑ http://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article204993.ece?service=print Indian Express : Vellore Medical experts
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