Boat Mail Express

The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, previously known as the Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train that connects Mandapam with the state capital Chennai via Tambaram, Chengalpet, Melmaruvattur, Viluppuram, Cuddalore port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Tanjore, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai and Ramanathapuram. During the 1900s, it was 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. Now, it runs from Chennai Egmore to Rameswaram via Villuppuram, Kumbakonam, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi, Devakottai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, and Pamban.

This train shares its rake with Sethu Express.

History
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 metre-gauge train from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi via Chengalpattu Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Cuddalore Port Junction, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai Junction, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur Junction, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi Junction, Devakottai, Sivagangai, Manamadurai Junction, Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram. Due to the conversion of metre 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. 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 train was inaugurated on 1 January 1880. 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. Presently this train route is running as Pearl City Express.

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 35 km long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the 270 km long Tuticorin-Colombo route. From 1930's, this train has been rerouted from its original route via Madurai Junction to its present-day route due to the opening of Trichinopoly - Manamadurai railway route which is shorter distance in comparison with its original route which leads to reduction in overall travel time.

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 restarted from Rameswaram has been discontinued from 1984 due to Tamil Eelam issue. It now runs between Chennai Egmore and Rameswaram via Tambaram, Chengalpattu Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Cuddalore Port Junction, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai Junction, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur Junction, Tiruchirappalli Junction, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi Junction, Devakottai Road, Kallal, Sivaganga, Manamadurai Junction, and Ramanathapuram in the Indian end where as it runs as Colombo - Thalaimannar Night Mail express at Sri Lankan end.

Schedule

 * 16751 – Starts from Chennai Egmore daily at 19:15 IST and reaches Rameswaram next day at 08:20 AM IST
 * 16752 – Leaves Rameswaram every day at 17:20 IST and reaches Chennai Egmore next day morning 06:45 IST

Traction
The Rameswaram to Tiruchchirappalli section is hauled by a WDM-3A/WDG-3A Diesel locomotive and Tiruchchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a WAP-4 electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between Tiruchchirappalli Junction and Chennai Egmore, this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/h.

Coach composition
The train consists of 23 coaches, which shares its rakes with Sethu Superfast Express, operates daily and covers a distance of 667 km. It includes One AC First Class cum 2nd AC (HA), AC 2 Tier (A), AC 3 Tier (B), Sleeper Class (SL), Unreserved general sitting coach (GS) and End on Generators (SLRD).

Alternative proposals
At one time the South Indian Railway considered constructing a bridge 12 mi long across the shallow waters and sand shoals and reefs known as Adam's Bridge between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when World War I broke out.

Locomotive

 * Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express Running Chennai to Trichy with WAP-4 Locomotive from Erode, Arakkonam Electric Shed.
 * Trichy - Rameswaram WDM-3A, WDG-3A Locomotive from Diesel Loco Shed, Golden RockTrains first came to India and Sri Lanka about 200 years ago in the 1850s.