#TRAINCYCLOPEDIA
#11
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Name:
12431 / 12432 Rajdhani Express - Hazrat Nizamuddin - Thiruvananthapuram
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ROUTE:
Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore
Konkan Railway
Panvel-Vasai Rd
Vasai Rd - Nizamuddin
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ETYMOLOGY:
The name of the train signifies"capital". Rajdhani express trains are the overnight passenger trains that offer the fastest connectivity from New Delhi to the respective state capitals. The Rajdhani class trains began thier service in the year 1969 when the first Rajdhani Express ran from New Delhi Station to Howrah. Rajdhani express receive the highest priority and are certified to run at 130 kmph. These train sport a unique livery of RED and Grey. Almost all the Rajdhanis have the LHB designed rakes. Currently there are 22 sets of Rajdhani Expresses operating. The states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan,Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya do not have a dedicated Rajdhani Express. Andhra Pradesh had a dedicated Rajdhani Express service, but after the bifurcation, the train now services the Telengana State.
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HISTORY:
Kerala was one of the states that was geographically far from Indias capital. Hence there was a pressing need for a fast connection between Kerala and Delhi. Hence a Rajdhani express was started by extending the Chennai Rajdhani express via Salem -Palghat-Ernakulam. After the inauguration of the Konkan Railway, the train was renumbered and re routed via the Konkan Railway. Being a rajdhani express, it offers the fastest connection to Delhi to the states of Kerala, western Karnataka, Goa and Konkan Coast of Maharashtra. The current version of the Rajdhani express began its service on April 1, 1998 from Delhi`s, Nizamuddin Station.
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DESCRIPTION:
The train is the longest Rajdhani by the distance travelled. The train is operated the Northern Railway zone. The train departs every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from Trivandrum and reaches Delhi 2 days later. the Return train departs delhi on Sundays, tuedays and Wednesdays reaching kerala 2 days later.
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The Train offers only AC Sleeper accomodation, with 3 classes of accomodation. It has an 18 coach consist comprising of 1 AC First Class Compartment, 5 AC 2 Tier Compartments, 9 AC 3 Tier compartments, 1 Pantry Car and 2 Generator Vans. The train travels through the scenic Malabar and Konkan Coasts , parts of Mumbai Suburban City, the dry and arid Thar desert. The crosses the rivers of Periyar, Bharatapuzha, Valappattanam, Netravati, Sharavati, Zuari, Mandovi, Vasishti, Savitri, Ulhas, Vaitarna, Tapi, Narmada, Chambal, Sambhar. The train was once a hot favourite amongst travellers, but increasing fares and competition from airlines resulted in fewer end to end travellers. However the train is the most favoured train for foreign tourists visiting Goa.
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The train connects the Malayalam, Tulu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Marwari and Hindi speaking regions. Being a Rajdhani express, it enjoys unrivalled priority and speed enroute. Passengers are provided complementary meals. The train has the advanced LHB design rakes, thereby making the journey comfortable. The train has a total of 19 stoppages enroute and averages 68 kmph on the route. The train initially had only 15 halts, stoppages at Kollam, Alappuzha, Karwar, Kota were added later
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Since the train is the longest Rajdhani, the train holds several records. The most prominent ones being the longest non stop run of any train in the country, between the vadodara and Kota stations, highest ticket fare in the normal indian trains, a mind boggling INR 7740 per head in the 1AC end to end. High sectional speeds, including 130+ kmph on the KOTA NZM section and the 120 kmph on the Konkan Railway and Vasai Rd - Vadodara sections.
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LOCOMOTIVES.
The train is hauled by a WDP3A from the Golden Rock shed from Trivandrum to Vadodara, and onwards by a WAP 5 from Vadodara shed..
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RSA: Shares rakes with its older cousin, the Chennai Rajdhani Express
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VERDICT:
The train offers the fastest train connectivity from Kerala to Delhi, However since the train is completely AC , the fares may not be exactly pocket friendly. Food quality is average. But train is clean and very comfortable for enjoying beautiful landscape of India. The train is a hot favourite amonsgt rail fans.
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FARES: (end to end)
1 AC - INR 7740
2 AC - INR 4640
3 AC - INR 3305
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Ratings:
Speed: Outstanding 10/10
Comfort: Excellent 10/10
Cleanliness: Very Good 8/10
Food: Okayish 5 /10
Punctuality : good 7/10
Total score: 40/50