Cheran Express rake-sharing arrangement comes to an end

Pantry car in the train will be delinked as it is an overnight express

The Cheran Express is all set to run with its dedicated rakes.

The decade-old arrangement of Cheran Express on the Coimbatore - Chennai Central section sharing rakes with Chennai Central - Ahmedabad - Navjeevan Express has come to an end.

Five rakes i.e., coach compositions of Chennai Central- Ahmedabad- Chennai Central (Navjeevan Express) on arrival at Chennai in the afternoon were operated at night as Chennai Central - Coimbatore (Cheran Express).

The rakes on return from Coimbatore to Chennai Central as Cheran Express used to be thereafter operated as Navjeevan Express.

The rake-sharing arrangement always had impact on the time required for cleaning the train and in filling water for coaches. In addition, in the event of the train in its longest run from Ahmedabad to Chennai Central getting delayed, it had a cascading effect on the departure of Cheran Express from Chennai Central.

According to sources, after one round of maintenance of the coach composition, the mechanical branch of Railways recommended for running it only for 3,500 km and it should be operated thereafter only after another round of maintenance, sources added. Currently, the rakes on its arrival at Coimbatore is maintained and then it embarks on a 495 km journey back to Chennai.

On reaching Chennai at 6.45 p.m., it is once again cleaned for its onward journey as Navjeevan Express (12656) and departs at 9.35 a.m. The rakes undertake a journey of 1,892 km and reaches Ahmedabad at 7 p.m. on the second day. It again leaves Ahmedabad at 6.40 p.m. the next day to reach Chennai Central at 2.40 p.m. on the second day travelling another 1,892 km and it is again readied for its departure at 10.40 p.m. for its journey to Coimbatore involving another 495 km. On the safety front, the Railways wanted to restrict the kms chugged after every maintenance and have advised only 3,500 km run. Both at Chennai and Ahmedabad, the time left was too little and only emergency works could be undertaken, sources pointed out.

Now, the railways has delinked the rake sharing arrangement and has instead left Navjeeven Express with four rakes and Cheran Express with two rakes. Of the total of 24 coaches, one happens to be a pantry car in addition to as many as 11 Second SL coaches, five Third AC coaches, one Semi First AC and II AC and one full Second AC coach.

With Cheran Express being just an overnight train with 8.5 hours journey, the pantry car is being delinked. This could be added to any train belonging to the Salem Division which requires a pantry car. For long, the Coimbatore - Hazrat Nizamuddin is running without a pantry car and this could come handy.

With the removal of the pantry car, the coach composition becomes 23 instead of 24 and in near future Salem Division could once again increase it to 24 by adding II SL or third AC or II AC coach depending on the need. Sources also added that the idle rakes after taking into account the time required for maintenance, could be run for one service either up to Pollachi or even Palani and at a later stage even Cheran Express could commence its journey from Pollachi. Local railway sources hinted at the numerous avenues available for effective utilisation of the rakes.

Meanwhile, the only negative point is that the delinking has left the electrical wing staff of the long hours of work which they undertook on Navjeevan Express and they will have to forego that pay.