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Chord Line, Tamil Nadu

The Chord Line connects Viluppuram Junction and Tiruchirappalli Junction, via Virudhachalam Junction in Tamil Nadu. It is the shortest, busiest and most vital route connecting Chennai Egmore and Southern Tamil Nadu.

Chord Line
Overview
Other name(s)Viluppuram - Trichy railway line
Native nameகார்டு லைன்
StatusOperating
OwnerIndian Railways
LocaleTamil Nadu
Termini
Stations29
Websitewww.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
TypeRegional rail
Heavy rail
Light rail
Services1
Route number21/21A[1]
Operator(s)Southern Railway zone
Depot(s)Golden Rock
History
Opened1 February 1929; 95 years ago (1929-02-01)
Technical
Line length178 km (111 mi)
Number of tracksDouble Line (Triple line between GOC and TPJ)
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Old gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Loading gauge4,725 mm × 3,660 mm (15 ft 6.0 in × 12 ft 0.1 in) (BG)[2]
Electrification25 kV AC 50 Hz
Operating speed110 km/h (68 mph)
Route map

Legend
km
Up arrow to Chennai Egmore
Left arrow to Katpadi Junction
0
 Viluppuram Junction Bus interchange Parking
NH332-IN.svg NH 332
Right arrow to Puducherry
Right arrow to Cuddalore Port Junction
8
 Kandambakkam
Thenpennai River
16
 Tiruvennainallur
25
 Parikkal
Gadilam River
36
 Ulundurupet
NH45-IN.svg NH 45
41
 Meppuliyur
49
 Puvanur
Left arrow to Salem Junction
Right arrow to Cuddalore Port Junction
SH69-IN jct.svg SH 69
55
 Vriddhachalam Junction Bus interchange Parking
Vellar River
SH16-IN jct.svg SH 16
NH532-IN.svg NH 532
65
 Vriddhachalam Town
70
 Talanallur
74
 Pennadam
SH141-IN jct.svg SH 141
Manjal River
79
 Ichchangadu
83
 Mathur
92
 Sendurai
95
 Vellur (Halt)
100
 Ottakovil
Madras Cements
NH136-IN.svg NH 136
109
 Ariyalur
Perambalur–Ariyalur Road
116
 Sillakudi
NH227-IN.svg NH 227
123
 Kallagam
134
 Kallakudi Palanganatham
138
 Pullambadi
147
 Kattur
Trichy-Paramsivapuram Road
152
 Lalgudi
155
 Mandurai
158
 Valadi
NH227-IN.svg NH 227
162
 Pichchandarkovil
NH45-IN.svg NH 45
164
 Uttamarkovil
Kollidam River
167
 Srirangam
Kaveri
170
 Tiruchirappalli Town
Right arrow to Manjatidal (Golden Rock Byepass line)
Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock
Golden Rock Railway Workshop
176
 Golden Rock Bus interchange Parking
UpperLeft arrow to Tiruchirappalli Goods yard
Left arrow to Karur Junction
 Good shed road overpass
178
 Tiruchirappalli Junction Airport interchange Bus interchange Heritage railway Parking
Junction overpass
Right arrow to Karaikkudi Junction
Rail yard
Down arrow to Dindigul Junction

History

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Until 1927, Viluppuram Junction and Tiruchirappalli Junction were only connected by Main line that traversed through Kumbakonam and Mayavaram, which was 240 kilometres (150 mi). Hence, the need for shorter route arose and construction began on 22 August 1927 for a new railway line via Virudhachalam Junction in phases. Initially, the stretch between Viluppuram Junction and Virudhachalam were completed and opened on 1 December 1927, the Srirangam - Golden Rock stretch on 22 August 1927, Bikshandarkoil - Srirangam stretch on 12 December 1927 and the entire stretch began its operations since 1 February 1929. This line gradually reduced the Madras - Colombo journey by around four hours.[3]

Gauge conversions

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The conversion from metre gauge to broad gauge was effected during 1992-93 and completed during September 1998.[4]

Introduction of EMD diesel locomotives

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10 years post the gauge conversion, in 2008, Southern Railway decided to introduce new advanced hi-tech EMD GT46PAC aka WDP-4 diesel-electric locomotives, powered by a record-breaking 4,000-horsepower (3,000 kW) EMD 16-710G3B diesel engine, equipped with a 3-phase AC Traction with a top speed of 180 kmph, to haul some of their top Express services, another reason being the electrification on the Viluppuram-Vriddhachalam-Trichy section was still pending as well. With Krishnarajapuram (KJM) & Hubballi (UBL) diesel loco sheds belonging to South Western Railway zone (SWR) getting more of these locomotives, the then General Manager of SR, Shri V. Anand, took the initiative to speak to SWR, to allot WDP-4 links to the Chord line express services, starting with the pristine Pandian Express, followed by Guruvayur Express, Nellai Express, Pothigai Express and since 2009-10, even Vaigai Express, to train the Piloting Crew of Chennai, Trichy and Madurai railway divisions with EMD locomotives. 4-5 Pairs of WDP-4 locomotives (8-10 locos totally) worked on the Chord Line per day, Individually, with WDP-4 Multiple Units as "twins" supplied occasionally, making it up to 9-11 locos in a day. 2-3 trains on the Electrified Bangalore-Chennai Main Line, including the Sanghamitra Superfast Express (which then ran from Bangalore to Patna via Reversal at Chennai Central), ran on WDP-4 (or WDP-4 Twins occasionally), to supply them to Chennai division. This practice happened till late 2011, until SR's own diesel loco shed at Golden Rock Ponmalai (GOC), belonging to Trichy Division, got its own passenger hauling EMD WDP-4B locomotives to haul many more further passenger and express services since then.

Electrification

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This stretch was proposed for electrification phase by phase by CORE. The electrification was completed during 2010.[5]

Operations

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Passenger services

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The line experiences a heaviest traffic[6] handling about 30 passenger and 56 express trains passing through every day in addition to goods train, particularly during night.[7][8][9]

Freight services

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The line has a number of Industrial establishments[10] which utilises their nearby railway stations for their logistics and transports such as Central Workshop (Golden Rock), Cement and gypsum factories at Trichy, Perambalur and Ariyalur,[11][12][13] and the Sugar factories at Villupuram and Vridhachalam,[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Trains at a Glance July 2013 - June 2014". Indian Railways. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. ^ J S Mundrey (2010). Railway Track Engineering (Fourth ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-07-068012-8. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. ^ R. P. Saxena. "Indian Railway History Time line". Irse.bravehost.com. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Works And Contract Management". Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Electrification work from Villupuram to Tiruchi completed: E. Ahamed". The Hindu. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  6. ^ R.Rajaram (15 May 2013). "Dindigul-Villupuram project set to cross another milestone". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  7. ^ R.Rajaram (10 July 2010). "Tiruchi-Chennai line to get decongested". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Doubling work on 25-km stretch completed in Trichy division". The Times of India. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Kallakudi Palanganatham-Ariyalur railway line nearing completion". The Hindu. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Southern Railway - Tiruchchirappalli Division" (PDF). Southern Railway zone. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Analysis of alternatives" (PDF). Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project. p. 33. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  12. ^ M. V. L. Manikantan (21 December 2013). "Proposed Karaikal-Peralam line to boost freight traffic". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  13. ^ T. E. Raja Simhan (1 February 2010). "Karaikal scores high on rail connectivity". The Hindu. Business Line. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  14. ^ W. Francis; Frederick Nicholson; C. S. Middlemiss; C. A. Barber; E. Thurston; G. H. Stuart (2002). Gazetteer of South India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 127. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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