The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, formerly known as the Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train connecting Rameswaram with the Tamil Nadu state capital Chennai via Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Melmaruvathur, Viluppuram, Cuddalore Port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi, and Ramanathapuram.

In the 20th century, it operated as a combined train-steamer ferry-train service between India and Sri Lanka, linking Chennai and Colombo, the capital of modern-day Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). Initially, the service utilized a rail-to-sea operation, which later evolved into a rail-sea-rail operation. Passengers could purchase a single ticket for the entire journey from Chennai to Colombo.

After Indian independence, the ferry service was discontinued and the train operated under the name Dhanushkodi Express from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi. Following the destruction of Dhanushkodi in the cyclone of 1964, the train service on Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi section was completely halted due to the destruction of the complete section between Pamban Junction and Dhanushkodi and now runs only from Chennai Egmore up to Rameswaram.

History

The train's name commemorates the 19th-century mail service between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). One of Indian Railways' most prestigious trains, it completed 100 years of service in 2014. Before the cyclone, it was running as a metre-gauge train from to via , , Cuddalore Port Junction, , , , , Pudukkottai, , Devakottai, Sivagangai, , , and Rameswaram.

Due to the conversion of metre gauge to broad gauge, the train service was stopped. After completion of the broad-gauge track on the Chennai–Madurai–Rameswaram line, the train was resumed via . Later, with the conversion of the Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai line, the train was rerouted via that line, skipping Madurai. Finally, once the Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur line was converted to broad gauge, the train was rerouted via Thanjavur, which is the present route of the Boat Mail Express.

Tuticorin–Colombo era

The train was inaugurated on January 1, 1880. The railway portion of the route within India was from Madras (Chennai) to Tuticorin, a journey of 21 hours and 50 minutes. At Tuticorin, passengers embarked on the boat mail steamer to Colombo in Ceylon. The Boat Mail Express was one of the early trains to get vestibuled carriages, in 1898.

Presently, this route runs as the Pearl City Express.

Dhanushkodi–Talaimannar era

In 1914, after the Pamban Bridge was built, the train's route changed and went from Madras to Dhanushkodi. A much shorter ferry service then took the passengers to Talaimannar in Ceylon, from where another train went to Colombo. The 35 km (22-mi) long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the 270-km (170-mi) long Tuticorin-Colombo route.

Since the 1930s, this train has been rerouted from its original route via Madurai Junction to its present-day route due to the opening of the Trichinopoly–Manamadurai railway route, which is a shorter distance in comparison with its original route and thus also shorter in overall travel time.

Post-cyclone

During the 1964 cyclone, a passenger train was washed into the sea by huge waves while it was near Dhanushkodi. The railway tracks and the pier at Dhanushkodi were also destroyed. Following this, the Indian portion of the train service now operates only up to Rameswaram, and the ferry service to Talaimannar restarted from Rameswaram.

Train service was discontinued from 1984 due to the Tamil Eelam issue. It now runs between and via , , , , , , , , , , , Devakottai Road, Kallal, , , and on the Indian end, where it runs as Colombo–Talaimannar Night Mail Express at the Sri Lankan end.

Schedule

• 16751—Leaves Chennai Egmore daily at 19:15 IST and reaches Rameswaram the next day at 08:10 am IST.

• 16752—Leaves Rameswaram every day at 17:25 IST and reaches Chennai Egmore the next morning at 07:25 am IST.

Traction

In earlier times, the train was hauled by a Golden Rock-based WDG-3A. From Rameswaram to Chennai Egmore, the train is hauled by a WAP-4 electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. This train achieves a maximum speed of 110km/h.

Coach composition

The train consists of 23 coaches. It shares its rails with the Sethu Superfast Express, operates daily, and covers a distance of .

It includes one AC first class cum 2nd AC (HA), AC 2 tier (A), AC 3 tier (B), sleeper class (SL), unreserved general sitting coach (GS), and end on generators (SLRD). The train will share its rake with Madurai–Thiruvananthapuram Amritha Express after the extension and inauguration of the new Pamban Bridge.

Alternative bridge proposal

At one time, the South Indian Railway considered constructing a bridge 12 mi (19 km)-long across the shallow waters, sand shoals, and reefs known as Ram Setu between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when World War I broke out.

Locomotive

• The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express Now runs from Chennai to Rameswaram with a WAP-4 locomotive from Erode,Arakkonam After Completing Electrification work at Thiruchirapalli Junction - Rameswaram railway line

See also

• Alavandar murder case, incidence in Boat Mail Express

• Cross-border railway lines in India

• List of named passenger trains of Sri Lanka

Rail transport in India

Passenger trains in Tamil Nadu

• Ananthapuri Express

• Chendur Superfast Express

• Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Weekly Superfast Express

• Kanniyakumari Superfast Express

• Nellai Superfast Express

• Pallavan Superfast Express

• Pandian Superfast Express

• Pearl City (Muthunagar) Superfast Express

• Pothigai Superfast Express

• Rockfort (Malaikottai) Superfast Express

• Uzhavan Express

• Vaigai Superfast Express

References