Mannai Express

{{Infobox rail service

| name = Mannai Express

| type = Mail/Express

| status = Active

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| locale = Tamil Nadu

| ridership = Express

| first = {{Start date |df=yes|2011|09|27}}

| operator = Southern Railway zone

| start = {{stnlnk|Chennai Egmore}} (MS)

| end = {{stnlnk|Mannargudi}} (MQ)

| distance = {{convert|357|km|0|abbr=on}}

| journeytime = 07 hours 05 minutes

| frequency = Daily

| trainnumber = 16179 / 16180

| line_used = MS ↔ MV Main Line / MV ↔ NMJ Main Line / NMJ ↔ MQ Line (Two Rake Reversal)

| class = 1A, 2A, 3A, SL, GS & SLRD

| stops = 07

| seating = Yes

| sleeping = Yes

| access = {{Access icon|20px}}

| autorack =

| catering = No

| observation = Large windows in all carriages

| entertainment = No

| baggage =

| stock = WAP-4 from Arakkonam, Erode Electric Loco Shed

| gauge = {{track gauge|1676mm|allk=on}}

| el = 25kV AC, 50 Hz (Overhead line)

| speed = *{{convert|55|km/h|abbr=on}} (Present service speed)

{{convert|110|km/h|abbr=on}} (Maximum Permissible speed)

| maintenance = Tirunelveli Yard

| sharing = * Tiruchendur (Chendur) Express (16105 / 16106)

Mannargudi – Mayiladuthurai – Mannargudi Express Special (06403 / 06404)
Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli – Tiruchendur Express Special (06405 / 06406)

| map = 250px

| map_state =

}}

File:Tiruchendur Express and Mannai Express.jpg

The Mannai Express is an express train operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. This train connects Chennai Egmore and Mannargudi via Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai and Thiruvarur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The traffic was opened in 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article2492226.ece|title=Introduction of Mannai, daily operation of Chendur, shot in the arm for delta districts|date=28 September 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=3 March 2012}}

History

This train initially ran through {{stnlnk|Nidamangalam Junction}}, {{stnlnk|Thanjavur Junction}}, {{stnlnk|Kumbakonam}}, {{stnlnk|Mayiladuthurai Junction}}, {{stnlnk|Chidambaram}}, Villupuram Junction, {{stnlnk|Tambaram}} and reaches {{stnlnk|Chennai Egmore}}. But this train is rerouted via Nidamangalam Junction, {{stnlnk|Thiruvarur Junction}}, Mayiladuthurai Junction and continues till Chennai Egmore via the old existing route. Indian Railways had taken this decision due to some technical reasons caused by this train. But people from Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, started opposing railways decision. But this train is diverted via Thiruvarur Junction during mid of 2017 in the month of March after a long demand from the Thiruvarur and Cauvery Delta district peoples.{{Cite news|last=Renganathan|first=L.|date=2017-10-28|title=Move to divert Mannai Express deplored|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/move-to-divert-mannai-express-deplored/article19937594.ece|access-date=2021-05-09|issn=0971-751X}}

After Sept 16 2023, There is an additional stoppage given by Indian Railways at Koradacheri on both directions. The technical reasons railways quoted are:

This train causes 2 loco reversals (one at Nidamangalam Junction and another at Thanjavur Junction) which causes more technical difficulties and loss of time and fuel.
while operating this train in the newly diverted route, it can over come those loco reversal problems and it is a shorter distance for Mannargudi when compared with the old route.

Route and halts

This train is being operated via the main line and hauled by an electric locomotive from Chennai Egmore to Mannargudi.

Schedule

class="wikitable sortable" width="65%" style="text-align: center;" ! colspan="5" align="center" style="background:#8a4117;" \|16179 ~ Chennai Egmore → Mannargudi
Station Name !Station Code !Arrival !Departure !Day
Chennai Egmore \|MS \| - \|22:55 \| rowspan="3" \|1
Tambaram \|TBM \|23:23 \|23:25
Chengalpattu Junction \|CGL \|23:53 \|23:55
Villupuram Junction \|VM \|01:25 \|01:30 \| rowspan="6" \|2
Chidambaram \|CDM \|03:33 \|03:35
Mayiladuthurai Junction \|MV \|04:13 \|04:15
Thiruvarur Junction \|TVR \|04:50 \|04:55
Koradacheri \|KDE \|05:11 \|05:12
Needamangalam Junction \|NMJ \|05:22 \|05:24
Mannargudi \|MQ \|06:20 \| -
colspan="5" align="center" style="background:#8a4117;" \|16180 ~ Mannargudi → Chennai Egmore
Mannargudi \|MQ \| - \|22:35 \| rowspan="4" \|1
Needamangalam Junction \|NMJ \|22:50 \|22:52
Koradacheri \|KDE \|23:01 \|23:02
Thiruvarur Junction \|TVR \|23:20 \|23:25
Mayiladuthurai Junction \|MV \|00:01 \|00:03 \| rowspan="7" \|2
Chidambaram \|CDM \|00:38 \|00:40
Villupuram Junction \|VM \|02:35 \|02:40
Chengalpattu Junction \|CGL \|04:08 \|04:10
Tambaram \|TBM \|04:38 \|04:40
Mambalam \|MBM \|04:58 \|05:00
Chennai Egmore \|MS \|05:35 \| -

class="wikitable sortable" width="65%" style="text-align: center;"

! colspan="5" align="center" style="background:#8a4117;" |16179 ~ Chennai Egmore → Mannargudi

Station Name

!Station Code

!Arrival

!Departure

!Day

Chennai Egmore

|MS

| -

|22:55

| rowspan="3" |1

Tambaram

|TBM

|23:23

|23:25

Chengalpattu Junction

|CGL

|23:53

|23:55

Villupuram Junction

|VM

|01:25

|01:30

| rowspan="6" |2

Chidambaram

|CDM

|03:33

|03:35

Mayiladuthurai Junction

|MV

|04:13

|04:15

Thiruvarur Junction

|TVR

|04:50

|04:55

Koradacheri

|KDE

|05:11

|05:12

Needamangalam Junction

|NMJ

|05:22

|05:24

Mannargudi

|MQ

|06:20

| -

colspan="5" align="center" style="background:#8a4117;" |16180 ~ Mannargudi → Chennai Egmore

Mannargudi

|MQ

| -

|22:35

| rowspan="4" |1

Needamangalam Junction

|NMJ

|22:50

|22:52

Koradacheri

|KDE

|23:01

|23:02

Thiruvarur Junction

|TVR

|23:20

|23:25

Mayiladuthurai Junction

|MV

|00:01

|00:03

| rowspan="7" |2

Chidambaram

|CDM

|00:38

|00:40

Villupuram Junction

|VM

|02:35

|02:40

Chengalpattu Junction

|CGL

|04:08

|04:10

Tambaram

|TBM

|04:38

|04:40

Mambalam

|MBM

|04:58

|05:00

Chennai Egmore

|MS

|05:35

| -

Coach composition

The Mannai Express runs between Chennai Egmore and Mannargudi has a rake sharing agreement (RSA) with Chendur Express between Chennai and Tiruchendur. These two rakes are used for operating Mannargudi – Mayiladuthurai – Mannargudi (06403 / 06404) and Tiruchendur – Tirunelveli – Tiruchendur (06405/ 06406) passenger trains.{{cite news |title= Confusion written over train name boards |newspaper= The Hindu |date= 20 June 2019 |url= https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/jun/20/confusion-written-over-train-name-boards-1992657.html |access-date= 20 November 2022}}

It has one AC First Class, one Ac Two Tier, one AC Three Tier, nine Sleeper class, four Unreserved general sitting coach.

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24px	SLR	UR	UR	H1	A1	B1	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7	S8	S9	UR	UR	SLR

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