Chennai Central–Coimbatore Shatabdi Express

MGR Chennai Central – Coimbatore Shatabdi Express
Overview
Service type	Shatabdi Express
Locale	Tamil Nadu
First service	27 January 2011; 13 years ago (2011-01-27) as Duronto Express, 22 November 2013; 11 years ago (2013-11-22) as Shatabdi Express [1] [2][3] [4]
Current operator(s)	Southern Railways
Route
Termini	Chennai Central (MAS) Coimbatore Junction (CBE)
Stops	4
Distance travelled	492.85 km (Chargeable distance 502 km)
Average journey time	6h 40m
Service frequency	6 days a week[a]
Train number(s)	12243/12244
On-board services
Class(es)	Executive class, AC chair car
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	No
Catering facilities	Yes
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Overhead racks
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coach
Track gauge	Broad – 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	77 km/h (average)
Route map 12243 ↓ MGR Chennai Central Katpadi Junction Jolarpettai Junction Salem Junction Erode Junction Tiruppur 12244 ↑ Coimbatore Junction

The Chennai Central–Coimbatore Shatabdi Express is a Shatabdi Express train between Chennai Central and Coimbatore Junction in Tamil Nadu.

History

The Shatabdi Express which was running from 1995^[5] and 2000 was stopped because it had occupancy of 60 percent as cited by Railways, It was replaced with an Intercity Express departing at identical timings.^[6] Later, Indian railways introduced a Duronto Express between Chennai and Coimbatore in 2011. It was converted to Shatabdi Express on 22 Nov 2013 with commercial stoppages to increase revenues as Duronto Express should have had no commercial halt then though it could have operational/ technical halt(s) if it was needed for railways.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Rake composition & coaches

The 12243/44 MGR Chennai Central–Coimbatore Junction Shatabdi Express presently has 1 Executive class, 7 AC chair car and 2 end-on generator coaches. The train runs with modern LHB coaches.^[11]

The coaches in Light blue colour indicate AC Chair Cars and the coaches in Violet colour indicate Executive Chair Car.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	EOG	E1	C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	C6	C7	EOG

Route and stations

The train has 5 commercial stops in between the starting station and the ending station namely, Katpadi Junction, Jolarpettai Junction, Salem Junction, Erode Junction and Tiruppur.

By comparing with distance written on Chennai Division Map on Southern Railway website and distance written in timetable of a train having stoppages at AVADI and HINDU COLLEGE(H) on official website (If there is no reserved train having stoppages at both places, please view where schedule of unreserved trains is available on official website to verify because you don't find anything if you view the place on official website where only reserved train schedule is available.), the chargeable distance is increased by 6-7 km between AVADI and HINDU COLLEGE(H) and by comparing with distance written on Chennai Division Map and Salem Division Map both on Southern Railway website taking together, and on the other hand, distance written in timetable of a train on official website having stoppages at JOLARPETTAI and TIRUPATTUR JN (If there is no reserved train having stoppages at both places, please view where schedule of unreserved trains is available on official website to verify because you don't find anything if you view the place on official website where only reserved train schedule is available.), the chargeable distance is increased by about 4 km between JOLARPETTAI and TIRUPATTUR JN. Maybe the reason behind increasing is higher cost for special railway infrastructure of these regions (not sure). As per just mentioned Chennai Division Map and Salem Division Map both on Southern Railway website taking together, distance between MGR Chennai Central and IRUGUR(H) is 475.15 km and IRUGUR(H) to COIMBATORE JN is 17.70 km and taking their sum is 492.85 km which is real distance between MGR Chennai Central and Coimbatore but chargeable distance is 502 km. It is readers responsibility to check if following links are official or not: [1] (search maps on it) [2] [3]

See also

• Cheran Superfast Express
• Kovai Express
• Nilgiri Express
• Southern Railway zone
• Indian Railways

Notes

1. Except Tuesdays

References

1. https://sr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,268&dcd=1748&did=1384945469786E10FEB01DA729364AF74C1E333ABCD05.web103 ^{[bare URL]}
2. "Duronto to run as Shatabdi trains". The Hindu. 20 November 2013.
3. "Chennai-Coimbatore Duronto Express withdrawn due to poor patronage: Southern Railway". The Economic Times. 20 November 2013.
4. "Kovai Duronto converted to Shatabdi with Rajdhani services". 21 November 2013.
5. "[IRFCA] Trains introduced by railway ministers".
6. "S. Rly introduces seven new trains".
7. "Southern Railway Welcomes You". sr.indianrailways.gov.in. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
8. "Duronto to run as Shatabdi". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
9. "Chennai-Coimbatore Duronto Express withdrawn due to poor patronage: Southern Railway". The Economic Times. 20 November 2013. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
10. "Kovai Duronto converted to Shatabdi with Rajdhani services". Deccan Chronicle. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
11. "Chennai Kovai Shatabdi to sport new look". Retrieved 24 March 2015.