2409:4072:281:6D88:88EF:D175:16F0:685E at 14:08, 4 August 2021

2021-08-04T14:08:44Z

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{{short description|Train in India}}
{{distinguish|Mailboat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name = Boat Mail
| image= Pamban Bridge- Tamil Nadu-India-01.jpg
| caption = Boat Mail express crossing [[Pamban Bridge]].
| image_width = 250px
| type = Express Train
| locale = Tamil Nadu
| status = Operating
| first = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1914|02|24}}
| last =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| operator = [[Southern Railway Zone]]
| ridership =
| start = {{rws|Chennai Egmore}} ('''MS''')
| stops = 22
| end = {{rws|Rameswaram}} ('''RMM''')
| distance = {{convert|665|km|abbr=on}}
| journeytime = 13 Hours
| frequency = Daily
| class = First AC, Second AC, Third AC, Sleeper, Unreserved
| seating = Yes
| sleeping = Yes
| autorack =
| catering = No
| observation = Large windows
| entertainment = No
| baggage =
| otherfacilities=
| stock = {{abbrlink|MS|Chennai Egmore railway station}}-{{abbrlink|TPJ|Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station}} ([[WAP 7]]/[[WAP 4]], {{abbrlink|AJJ|Arakkonam Junction railway station}}/{{abbrlink|RPM|Royapuram railway station}}), {{abbrlink|TPJ|Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station}}-{{abbrlink|RMM|Rameswaram railway station}} ({{abbrlink|TNP|Tondiarpet railway station}} [[WDM 3A]]/[[WDM-2]])
| gauge = {{track gauge|1676mm}}
| el = [[25 kV AC]], [[50 Hz]]
| trainnumber = 16851/16852
| speed = {{convert|51|km/h|abbr=on}} average with halts
| map = [[File:Boatmail Express (Chennai - Rameswaram) Route map.jpg|250px]]
| map_state =
}}
The '''Boat Mail''' or '''Indo-Ceylon Express''' is a combined [[Train ferry|train]] and [[steamship|steamer]] [[ferry]] service between [[India]] and [[Ceylon]] (now [[Sri Lanka]]). Connecting [[Chennai]] and [[Colombo]], the system initially utilised a rail-to-sea operation, but changed to a rail-to-sea-to-rail operation.<ref name="Famous Trains">http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-seltrain.html Famous Trains</ref> Passengers could buy a single ticket for the journey.<ref name="H1" />

==History==
[[File:BoatMail Exp.JPG|thumb|250px|left|Passengers changing their mode of journey at {{rws|Dhanushkodi}}]]
The train's name commemorates the 19th century mail service between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). It is one of the top most prestigious trains of Indian Railways and it has completed 100 years of service in 2014.<ref name=H1>{{cite web| url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/14/stories/2010061452700300.htm| title=‘Boat Mail' to run on main line from August 1| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618183547/http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/14/stories/2010061452700300.htm| archivedate=18 June 2014| first=Syed Muthahar| last=Saqaf| date=14 June 2010| url-status=dead| website=[[The Hindu]]| df=dmy-all}}</ref> Before cyclone, the train was running as a meter gauge train via [[Chennai Egmore railway station|Chennai Egmore]] and [[Dhanushkodi railway station|Dhanushkodi]] via [[Chengalpattu Junction railway station|Chengalpattu]], [[Viluppuram Junction railway station|Villupuram]], [[Cuddalore Port Junction railway station|Cuddalore]], [[Chidambaram railway station|Chidambaram]], [[Mayiladuthurai Junction railway station|Mayiladuthurai]], [[Thiruvarur Junction railway station|Thiruvarur]], [[Thiruthuraipoondi Junction railway station|Thiruthuraipoondi]], [[Pattukkottai railway station|Pattukottai]], [[Aranthangi railway station|Aranthangi]], [[Karaikudi Junction railway station|Karaikudi]], [[Sivaganga railway station|Sivagangai]], [[Manamadurai Junction railway station|Manamadurai]] and [[Ramanathapuram railway station|Ramanathapuram]]. Due to the conversion of meter gauge to broad gauge, the train was stopped. After the completion of broad gauge track in chennai-madurai-rameswaram line, the train is resumed via [[Madurai Junction railway station|Madurai]]. Later the conversion of tiruchirappalli-manamadurai line, this train is rerouted via that route which skips Madurai. Finally the mayiladuthurai to thanjavur line is converted to broad gauge once again this train is rerouted via thanjavur which is the present route of boat mail express.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Saqaf|first=Syed Muthahar|date=2010-06-11|title=‘Boat Mail' to run on main line from August 1|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/lsquoBoat-Mail-to-run-on-main-line-from-August-1/article16242735.ece|access-date=2021-04-29|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

===Tuticorin-Colombo era===
In the late 19th century, the railway portion of the route within India was from Madras ([[Chennai]]) to [[Tuticorin]]. At Tuticorin, passengers embarked on the boat mail steamer to [[Colombo]] in Ceylon. The train took 21 hours and 50 minutes for the journey from Madras to Tuticorin. The Boat Mail was one of the early trains to be given [[Gangway connection|vestibuled]] carriages, in 1898.<ref name="Famous Trains"/>

===Dhanushkodi-Talaimannar era===
In 1914, after the [[Pamban]] bridge was built, the train's route changed and it went from Madras to [[Dhanushkodi]].<ref name=Imperial>{{cite web|title=Imperial Indian Mail|url=http://www.trains-worldexpresses.com/400/410.htm|publisher=trains-worldexpresses.com|accessdate=14 February 2012}}</ref> A much shorter ferry service then took the passengers to [[Talaimannar]] in Ceylon, from where another train went to Colombo. The {{convert|35|km|mi|adj=on}} long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the {{convert|270|km|mi|adj=on}} long Tuticorin-Colombo route.

===Post cyclone===
In 1964 a passenger train was washed into the sea by huge waves during the [[1964 Dhanushkodi cyclone|1964 cyclone]], when nearing [[Dhanushkodi]]. The railway tracks and the pier at Dhanushkodi were also destroyed. Following this, the Indian portion of the train service now only operates up to [[Rameswaram]],<ref name="H1"/> while the ferry service to Talaimannar has since been discontinued. It now runs between [[Chennai Egmore railway station|Chennai Egmore]] and [[Rameswaram railway station|Rameswaram]] via [[Chengalpattu Junction railway station|Chengalpattu]], [[Viluppuram Junction railway station|Villupuram]], [[Cuddalore Port Junction railway station|Cuddalore]], [[Chidambaram railway station|Chidambaram]], [[Mayiladuthurai Junction railway station|Mayiladuthurai]], [[Kumbakonam railway station|Kumbakonam]], [[Thanjavur Junction railway station|Thanjavur]], [[Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station|Tiruchirappalli]], [[Pudukkottai railway station|Pudukkottai]], [[Karaikudi Junction railway station|Karaikudi]], [[Sivaganga railway station|Sivagangai]], [[Manamadurai Junction railway station|Manamadurai]], and [[Ramanathapuram railway station|Ramanathapuram]].

== Traction ==
[[File:Rameshwaram Exp .jpg|left|thumb|Boatmail Express at [[Rameswaram]].]]
The Rameswaram to Tiruchirappalli section is hauled by a [[Indian locomotive class WDM-3A|WDM3A/2]] Diesel locomotive and Tiruchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a [[Indian locomotive class WAP-7|WAP7]] Electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between [[Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station|Tiruchirappalli junction]] and [[Chennai Egmore railway station|Chennai Egmore]], this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/Hr.<ref>{{cite web| website=India Rail Info| url=http://indiarailinfo.com/train/2119| title=16701/Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| website=India Rail Info| url=http://indiarailinfo.com/train/2120| title=16702⇒16102/Boat Mail(Rameswaram Express)}}</ref>

== Coach composition ==
The train consists of 23 coaches, operates daily and covers a distance of {{convert|667|km|0|abbr=on}}, running at a top speed of {{convert|110|km/h|0|abbr=on}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| ENG || SLR || UR || UR || S13 || S12 || S11 || S10 || S9 || S8 || S7 || S6 || S5 || S4 || S3 || S2 || S1 || B2 || B1|| A1 || HA1 || UR || UR || SLR
|}

==Alternative Proposals==
At one time the [[South Indian Railway Company|South Indian Railway]] considered constructing a bridge {{convert|12|mi|km}} long across the shallow waters and sand shoals and reefs known as [[Adam's Bridge|Rama Sethu (Adam's Bridge)]] between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when [[World War I]] broke out.

== See also ==
*[[Flemingo Liners]], the post-war successor to the Boat Mail.
*[[List of named passenger trains of Sri Lanka]]
*[[Rail transport in India]]
*[[Tamil Nadu Express]]
*[[Chennai Rajdhani]]
*[[Nellai Express]]
*[[Pallavan Express]]
*[[Vaigai express]]
*[[Rockfort Express]]
*[[Kovai Express]]
*[[Pearl City Express]]
*[[Cheran Express]]
*[[Kanyakumari Express]]
*[[Pothigai Express]]
*[[Uzhavan Express]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Railways in Southern India}}
{{Rail transport in Sri Lanka}}
{{International trains from India}}

[[Category:History of transport in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Ferry transport in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Defunct trains in India]]
[[Category:Ferry transport in India]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of India]]
[[Category:Transport in Chennai]]
[[Category:Transport in Rameswaram]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1914]]
[[Category:Express trains in India]]

Boat Mail - Revision history

2409:4072:281:6D88:88EF:D175:16F0:685E at 14:08, 4 August 2021