Boat Mail

Template:Infobox rail service The Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express is a combined train and 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. Passengers could buy a single ticket for the journey.

History

Passengers changing their mode of journey at Template:Rws

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. Before cyclone, the train was running as a meter gauge train via Chennai Egmore and Dhanushkodi via Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Thiruthuraipoondi, Pattukottai, Aranthangi, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai and 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. 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.

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 vestibuled carriages, in 1898.

Dhanushkodi-Talaimannar era

In 1914, after the Pamban bridge was built, the train's route changed and it 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 Template:Convert long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the Template:Convert long Tuticorin-Colombo route.

Post cyclone

In 1964 a passenger train was washed into the sea by huge waves during the 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, while the ferry service to Talaimannar has since been discontinued. It now runs between Chennai Egmore and Rameswaram via Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai, and Ramanathapuram.

Traction

Boatmail Express at Rameswaram.

The Rameswaram to Tiruchirappalli section is hauled by a WDM3A/2 Diesel locomotive and Tiruchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a WAP7 Electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between Tiruchirappalli junction and Chennai Egmore, this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/Hr.

Coach composition

The train consists of 23 coaches, operates daily and covers a distance of Template:Convert, running at a top speed of Template:Convert

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 considered constructing a bridge Template:Convert long across the shallow waters and sand shoals and reefs known as 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