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Pictures: Rameshwaram Express Nameboard and rakes, Kapaleeshwara Temple, Chennai, Ramanatha Swamy Temple, Rameshwaram, The Dhanushkodi Pier, and Pamban Viaduct and Indira Gandhi Road Bridge.
#KnowYourTrain: The Boat Mail (aka Rameshwaram Express). #TrainNo: 16101/02 (WEF September 1, 2013; Old No. 16701/02)
#Objective: At the time of introduction: To connect India and Sri Lanka; Current: Provides connection to the island of Jyotirlinga Shrine of Rameshwaram from the capital city of #TN, #Chennai. Runs almost parallel to the Bay of Bengal.
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#Etymology: The name of the train commemorates the 19th century communication service between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka mail service.
#InauguralRun: On the present route, February 24, 1914 (#Centurion)
#RakeMaker: ICF, #RakeSharing: Dedicated Rake, #Loco: Usually #TNP WDM3A
#Distance: 667 km, #Halts: 22, #IntermediateStations: 117
#Speed: 47 kmph, #FastestSection: 77 PMK-RMD, #SlowestSection: 8 PBM.
#NativeZone: SR (intrazone train), #State: #TN (intrastate train).
#DaysofRun: Daily, #Classes: 1AC, 2AC, 3AC, SL, UR, SLR.
#MajorLanguages: Tamil.
#Districts: Kanchipuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukottai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram.
#MajorTowns/Cities/Attractions En Route:
#ChennaiEgmore (MS): 6th century World Heritage sites of Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram, the land of 1000 temples.
#Chengalpattu (CGL), #Villupuram (VM)
#Cuddalore (CUPJ): Alight here for Puducherry (#Pondicherry) Shri Aurobindo Ashram and the French global city of Auroville, 25 km. Buy Panruti jackfruit and cashews here.
#Chidambaram: World-famous NatarajaTemple
#Mayiladuthurai (MV): Navagraha Temples and other destinations like Nagore Dargah, Velankanni Church, Poompuhar Beach, and Vedaranyam/Kodiyakarai Bird Sanctuary.
#Kumbakonam (KMU): NavagrahaTemples (Temples for Nine Planets –Dosha Nivarana Temples) and lots of other temples. Requires at least 4-5 days to make non-stop visits to all major temples of Kumbakonam and its surroundings.
#Thanjavur (TJ): 10th century Brahadeeshwara Temple, Maratha Palace, and Tiruvayaru, the Birth Place of St. Thyagaraja, the father of Carnatic Classical Music.
#Tiruchirapalli (TPJ): Magnificent Sriragam Temple, 2nd century Grand Anicut Dam (still intact) built by the Grand Cholas, and RockFort Temple.
#Pudukottai (PDKT)/#Karaikkudi (KKDI): Chettinad Palace and Cuisine.
#Sivagangai (SVG)
#Ramanathapuram (RMD): Ervadi Dargah.
#Rameshwaram (RMM): Pamban/IG Road Bridge, The Jyotirlinga Shrine of Ramanatha Swamy, Tracing the footpath of Lord Ram, Pitru Pinda Dhaan Kshetra, and Marine Biosphere.
#MajorRivers/Lakes/Water Bodies:
#MS: Couum and Adyar
#CGL: Kolavai Lake adjacent to the station, Palar after CGL, and Madurantagam Lake
#VM: Panampet Lake after VM
#CUPJ: South Pennar before Panruti, Kedilam before CUPJ, Vellar after CUPJ, and Coleroon after CDM
#MV: #Cauvery.
#TJ: Arasalar at KMU and Vennar, a tributary of Cauvery, before TJ. Also runs parallel to #Cauvery from MV to TPJ along one of the most fertile regions and the #ricebowl of TN.
#PDKT: Vellar
#RMD: Vaigai before PMK and Bay of Bengal (Palk Straits) before RMM.
#BriefHistory:
The Boat Mail’s history is a lot older than the popular perception. In the 19th century, the Boat Mail commenced its journey as a rail-cum-ferry service and was operated from #Madras (#Chennai) and #Talaimannar (#SriLanka) via #Tuticorin. The train service used to be till Tuticorin rather than the present day Rameshwaram. From Tuticorin, a steamer service used to carry passengers to Talaimannar. This train took almost a day to reach Tuticorin from Chennai and was equipped with vestibules as of 1898 itself (probably the first ever train to have such a facility). During those times, there was no rail or road connection between Mainland India and the Rameshwaram Island.
In 1914, the #Pamban Bridge was inaugurated (also a #Centurion) and rail connectivity was established between Chennai and Rameshwaram and the end point of Boat Mail was changed to the now defunct and Tsunami-ravaged ghost town of #Danushkodi for the convenience of lesser sea travel of just 35 km against a much longer travel from Tuticorin.
This service took passengers to the world-famous Dhanushkodi pier, where a steamer heading for Talaimannar in Sri Lanka was anchored adjacent to the railway station. Under a special arrangement, a combined rail-cum-ferry ticket was on sale for Talaimannar passengers using Boat Mail. Similarly, the ferry service fare from Talaimannar included rail ticket charges. The train was also known as “Indo-Ceylon Express.”
As people of high stature and foreigners traveled by this train, it was equipped with a canteen on wheels. There was no road link to Rameswaram Island those days, and as such adequate number of luggage vans was attached to this train for transporting goods to the island.
On December 24, 1964, a cyclone (now being acknowledged in some quarters as probably being a Tsunami) washed away the entire town of Dhanushkodi, the pier, and a fully-loaded passenger train proceeding to Dhanushkodi. The damage was irrevocable and the tracks are still buried under huge sand dunes of Dhanushkodi. One has to visit the place personally to understand the fury of nature. From then onwards, operations of the train were short-terminated at Rameshwaram. The services of Boat Mail were suspended in May 2003 on the main line owing to the closure of the track between Thanjavur and Kumbakonam for gauge conversion work. In the meantime, the Boat Mail was run via chord line after the completion of gauge conversion works on the Tiruchi-Rameswaram section. With the main line on the BG map, the train was promptly restored to its original route of Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, and Thanjavur joining at Tiruchirappalli.
#Specialty: Centurion (both Boat Mail and Pamban Viaduct).
#Conclusion: No doubt, Boat Mail is one of the #Legendary trains of India, continuing to serve the people tirelessly every day. The rakes of this train are not so good and require immediate attention. At least in the centenary year, IR should do justice to this train. Is SR listening?
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Post Edited to include Cauvery crossing @ MV on clarification from one of our ever-reliable Admins, PSK.

Pictures: Nameboard, loco & rake, Kapaleeshwara Temple, Chennai, and Lotus Temple, New Delhi.
#KnowYourTrain: The Grand Trunk Express (aka GT, The Legend). #TrainNo: 12615/16
#Purpose: Connecting North and South India, first one to do so, specifically New Delhi and Chennai.
#Etymology: Runs on the North-South Grand Trunk corridor, which is doubled and fully electrified,...
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again the first one to do so, hence named GT.
#NativeZone: SR (MAS)
#InauguralRun: January 1, 1929
#DaysofRun: Daily
#RakeMaker: ICF
#RakeSharing: Dedicated Rake.
#Coaches: 24-coacher
#Loco: ED WAP4
#States: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
#Zones: Travels between SR and NR via SCR, CR, WCR, and NCR.
#MajorRivers/Lakes:
TN: Buckingham Canal outside of Chennai Central, Kortralaiyar, and Ennore Creek/Pulicat Lake.
AP/Telangana: Pennar at Nellore, Palar near Bitragunta, Krishna at Vijayawada, Wyra before Khammam, Waddepally Lake at Warangal/Hanamkonda, Manair, and Godavari at Mancherial.
MH: Wardha at Balharshah and Jaipur Arm of the giant Lower Wunna Dam
MP: Narmada outside Hoshangabad, Betwa near Vidisha, Bina near Bina, Sindh, the tributary of Chambal, and Asan before Morena.
UP: Pahuj post Jhansi. Runs parallel to Yamuna from Agra to New Delhi, but never crosses it.
RJ: Chambal before Dholpur.
#MajorLanguages: Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, and Urdu.
#Distance: 2181 km, #IntermediateStations: 308, #Halts: 37
#Speed: Though GT’s most-pampered cousin, The Mighty TN, is often as the speed king, GT is no inferior considering the number of halts it has. While TN has just 10 halts (excluding Source and Destination), GT has 37. TN covers the distance of 2181 km in 33 hours @ an average speed of 66 kmph, GT does it in 35 hours @ an impressive speed of 62 kmph.
#BriefHistory: Grand Trunk (GT) is one of the oldest and most famous trains in India. When introduced in 1929, the train ran between Peshawar (today in Pakistan) and Mangalore, almost the length of the country and beyond. In fact, the GT was probably one of the longest running trains in the country at that time. The Peshawar to Mangalore run took about 104 hrs in all, later Mangalore was changed to Mettupalayam and then finally found its home at #Madras (the Portuguese/old name of Chennai). It was the fastest on the route during its heydays, but a lot younger and richer cousins have pushed the veteran to the background, but it has still not lost its SF tag and rightly so at an envious 62 kmph.
#Conclusion: Takes much load off TN Express. When it is comes to neatness, don’t blame the train, blame its managers, as well as pantry. Overall, worth traveling at least once on the Legend because it’s a special feeling to ride a Legend.

#Knowyourtrain.
History:The Sapt Kranti Express is a superfast train service of Indian Railways running between Muzaffarpur Railway Station and Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station. Its start was changed from New Delhi Railway Station to Anand Vihar Terminal from December 2, 2010.It is designated by Train nos. 12557 UP and 12558 DN.Major stops are Motihari, Bettiah, Narkatiaganj, Gorakhpur, Lucknow and Moradabad.In July 2002 it became the first broad gauge superfast train to pass through Champaran districts. The train has its name based on the Sapt Kranti movement led by Ram Manohar Lohia.
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#MajorRivers:-Ganga,Gomti,Gandak.
Previous Loco Links:-DLI/NDLS-LKO:-WAP5 GZB,LKO-MFP:-WDM3A GD.
Current Loco Link:-WDP4/4B/4D Bhagat Ki Kothi Shed.
Other Features:-Sapt Kranti Superfast Express
Overview
Service type superfast
Locale Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi
Current operator(s) East Central Railways
Route
Start Muzaffarpur Junction
Stops 14
End Anand Vihar Terminal
Distance travelled 1,060 km (660 mi)
Average journey time 19 hours 05 minutes
Service frequency Daily
Train number(s) 12557 / 12558
On-board services
Class(es) AC 1st Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper
Seating arrangements Yes
Sleeping arrangements Yes
Technical
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed 58 km/h (36 mph) average with halts.
#Placesofinterest:Muzaffarpur is famous for its Shahi Litchis. It's a prominent trade centre in Tirhut region of Bihar.
People who wish to go to Nepal from New Delhi can take this train and deboard at Sagauli. From Sagauli they can go to Raxaul (40 km) by some local train. Raxaul is the gateway to Nepal and people will find luxury bus services to Kathmandu from across the border.
Bhitiharva Village from where Mahatma Gandhi started his Satyagraha. 10 km from Narkatiaganj.
This train also connects to the historical tourist place of Lauriya-Nandangarh where one of the Ashoka Pillars stands. It can be reached from Bettiah as it is 23 km from Bettiah.
It passes through the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh which is an important Buddhist tourist destination.
Gorakhpur is famous for the Gorakhnath Temple and the Gita Press.
Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh province of India. It is famous for its Muslim era buildings like Asafi Imambara.