Thiruvananthapuram Mail


Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station - Thiruvananthapuram Central Mail is a daily superfast express running between Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai under Southern Railway zone is one of the prestigious train of the Indian railways. This train runs via Kottayam. This train connects Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram along with Six big cities in South India - Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kollam.

History

Today's 12623/24 Chennai – Thiruvananthapuram Mail, is the successor to the 561/562 Cochin Harbour Terminus – Madras Express that started running in 1944. It was then the second express train running through Kerala and the first from south Kerala. In 1960, it was renumbered as the 19/20 Cochin Harbour Terminus – Madras Express and in 1965 renamed the 19/20 Cochin Harbour Terminus – Madras Mail. It was then extended to Thiruvananthapuram Central in 1977 when the rail link connecting to Thiruvananthapuram Central via Kottayam was completed and in 1990 it was renumbered 6319/6320 and later 2623/2624.

Interesting Facts

It is the only daily train from Chennai to the South which does not have a halt at both Arakkonam Junction and Jolarpettai.
The train was diverted to run via Coimbatore Junction in 2014, which increased its running length by 13 km and running time by 30 mins approx.
This is the Second Fastest train as 12623 between MAS and CBE, next to Fastest 22207.
Conventional ICF coaches of the train were replaced by LHB coaches during January 2017. The train usually leaves from PF no: 5 of Chennai Central till 2018. Later when the maintenance got shifted to SA Division / CBE Bse, the train is now leaving from PF 9 of Chennai Central. The train shares its rake with Cheran Superfast Express. This train is one among the prestigious trains of the Southern Railway Zone.
Total number of coaches 24
The train consists of:

Traction

•Earlier hauled by Arakkonam WAM 4 till Erode junction and then change to Diesel ALCO towards Thiruvananthapuram Central, later it was provided with WAP 4 till Ernakulam Town thereafter completed its journey to Thiruvananthapuram Central with Twin Diesel ALCO.
•After the electric traction till Thiruvananthapuram Central, the same was hauled by WAP 4
•It is now hauled by a WAP 7 of Royapuram shed & WAP 4 Arakkonam Shed

In popular culture

, which is a Malayalam movie released in 1990 has most of the scenes shot inside the moving Thiruvananthapuram Mail train.