Rockfort Superfast Express

The Rockfort Superfast Express is a Superfast overnight Express rail connecting Tiruchirappalli with Chennai Egmore via Villupuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This train serves as the main connectivity to the state capital for Tiruchirappalli city and the town of Tiruchirappalli District along the route.

Rockfort Superfast Express
Rockfort Express arriving at Trichy
Overview
Service typeSuperfast Express
StatusActive
LocaleTamil Nadu
First service1 August 1972 (1972-08-01)[1]
Current operator(s)Southern Railway zone
Route
StartTiruchchirappalli Junction (TPJ)
Stops14
EndChennai Egmore (MS)
Distance travelled336 km (209 mi)
Average journey time05:30 hours
Service frequencyDaily each way
Train number(s)12653/12654 (Old numbers 177/178, 6177/6178, 6877/6878, 16177/16178)
Line(s) usedChord line
On-board services
Class(es)1A, 2A, 3A, SL, GS
Disabled accessAvailable
Seating arrangementsNo
Sleeping arrangementsCouchette car
Catering facilitiesNo
Entertainment facilitiesNo
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Baggage carriage
Technical
Rolling stockRPM/WAP-7 , ED/WAP-4 , AJJ/WAP-4
1 AC First Class
3 AC Two-tier
5 AC Three-tier
09 II SL
3 UR/GS
2 EOG
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification25 kV AC, 50 Hz
Operating speedAverage 61 kmphr ; Max Speed 110 kmph
Track owner(s)Southern Railway zone
Timetable number(s)21/21A[2]
Route map

Background and Relevance

The eponymous train is named after the famous 12th-century fortress Rockfort temple in the heart of Tiruchirapalli. The train originally ran between Madras Egmore and Tiruchirappalli Junction on the 'Chord Line'. Later, when the 'Main Line' was closed for operations to facilitate gauge conversion projects, a part of this train was extended to Thanjavur Junction as Rockfort Link Express (6177A/ 6178A). It was further extended to Kumbakonam during the Mahamaham festival. The extended run was truncated effective September 2013. The entire formation now runs up to Tiruchirappalli Junction. Converted as Superfast Express from 08.06.2017 & Renumbered as (12653/12654).

This train originally had a signal-green livery, with a yellow stripe along the upper and lower part of windows. It later was changed to the standard VB Maroon-livery when it was run on the MG. On BG it ran with the Conventional ICF coaches and later it is converted to LHB rake.


Rakes

The Rockfort Superfast Express is one of the very few trains in the Indian Railways to have coaches of all the six classes of Indian Railway. It was running with 23 LHB coaches including an AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, First class, AC 3-tier, Sleeper Class and General Sitting compartments. First Class coaches were removed in May 2014, as per railway policy. New LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches has been allotted for this train. The train runs with LHB coaches from 26 September 2016, due to this the Composition of the train has been changed to accommodate Generator cars with 22 coaches. Later due to greater demand of Unreserved coaches additional GS was added and now running with 23 coaches, making it one of few LHB trains to run with 23 coaches. The train usually runs to full capacity.[lower-alpha 1]

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
EOGGSGSS9S8S7S6S5S4S3S2S1B5B4B3B2B1A3A2A1H1GSEOG

The Coaches have RSA with Pandian Superfast Express and Cholan Express

Schedule

The train numbered 12654 departs from Trichy Junction at 22:45 (10:45 PM IST) Hours and arrives Viluppuram Junction by 01:25 AM IST Hours and reaches Chennai Egmore at 04:15 AM IST Hours the next day.


The pairing train numbered 12653 starts at 23:15 (11:15 PM IST) Hours from Chennai Egmore and arrives Viluppuram Junction by 01:35 AM IST and reaches Trichy Junction at 04:45 hours the next day.[lower-alpha 2]

Maintenance

The Primary Maintenance of the coaches are managed at SSE/C&W/MDU, there is no Secondary maintenance required.

See also

Notes

  1. The coach composition is subject to change.
  2. The timings are in Indian Standard Time.

References

  1. "Old time table of SR - 1977". IR Southern Zone - Discussion. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  2. "Trains at a Glance July 2013 - June 2014". Indian Railways. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
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