Thanjavur to Chennai by Cholan Express | A Reminiscent Journey Behind A Roaring Diesel via Delta TN

Train : 16796 Tiruchirapalli - Chennai Cholan Express (via Main Line)
Loco : Golden Rock ( GOC ) WDP4D

Date - 2nd September 2017


I made this journey on a Saturday to capture all the three crossings with ALCos. Yet, by the time I actually worked on the video, the important videos had gotten corrupt due to HDD error. Hence, I have made the best of what could be salvaged.

Regardless of the error, I wanted to upload this, as all these regions are electrified now, and I will not be able to make another journey through this Diesel Paradise.

The Cholan Express is an express train operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. This train connects Chennai Egmore and Tiruchirappalli via Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. New LHB coaches has been installed for this train since 16 February 2017. This train is the successor of the very old train in that route known as "Day Express" which connected Madras Egmore and Tiruchchirappalli.

The train is named after the Chola Kingdom which ruled over the regions through which the train passes.The heartland of the Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri River, but they ruled a significantly larger area at the height of their power from the later half of the 9th century till the beginning of the 13th century. The whole country south of the Tungabhadra was united and held as one state for a period of three centuries and more between 907 and 1215 AD. Under Rajaraja Chola I and his successors Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola, and Kulothunga Chola I, the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South Asia and South-East Asia. The power of the new empire was proclaimed to the eastern world by the expedition to the Ganges which Rajendra Chola I undertook and by naval raids on cities of the city-state of Srivijaya, as well as by the repeated embassies to China. The Chola fleet represented the zenith of ancient Indian sea power.


This train is being operated via main line and hauled by Diesel locomotive class WDG-3A or EMD based WDP4D from Chennai Egmore To Tiruchirappalli Junction . The train was formerly hauled by YAM-1 until the conversion of Metre Gauge into Broad Gauge.As now the electrification and doubling process were going on between Villupuram Junction and Tiruchirappalli Junction, this train runs with RPM/ED WAP-7 from Chennai Egmore to Villupuram Junction and GOC WDP 4D/WDG 4 will pull this train to Tiruchirappalli Junction.

16795 - Starts for Chennai Egmore Daily at Morning 8:00 AM IST and reach Trichy on same day evening 4:00 PM

16796 Starts for Trichi everyday at 10:00 AM Ist and reach same day at evening 5:50 PM

#trains #indianrailways #cholan #thetrainguy