History
When first introduced, the train was numbered 121/122 and the train had 13 compartments and was hauled by a single WDM2 locomotive. After the Madras to Vijayawada line was electrified, the train was hauled by a single WAM/4 electric on that stretch, and a single WDM/2 from Vijayawada to New Delhi. When the Chennai-New Delhi line was partially electrified in the late 1980s, it had to change engines twice in the route, from WAM/4 to WDM/2 at Vijayawada and then from WDM/2 to WAM/4 at Itarsi. It started off with red/cream livery (a la old style Rajdhanis), briefly switched to green-yellow before falling in line with the regulation blue.
When it was a non-daily train, it shared time slots with AP Express and KK Express. The train from Delhi previously split at Katpadi (Vellore) or Jolarpettai, with corresponding train sets departing got Bangalore and Trivandrum (now called Thiruvanthapuram). Similarly, the two portions used to combine at one of these stations and operate to New Delhi.
The first Superfast to connect the Southern Metro with the state capital the train beat the record of GT Express which held the superfast train status of the South that time and fastest to reach New Delhi. Timings were not convenient for Delhi travelers, leading to daily and timings altered to leave Chennai in the evening.
The train had 13 coaches initially including luggage and guard van. Of these 13, 2 coaches were Chair Car(CC). Rest were sleepers and had one Pantry Car. The Guard, TTE, attendants were all SR staff in the beginning. All staff used to come from Chennai to New Delhi and travel back the next day. The Chair Car got badly damaged near Kazipet loopline due to excess speed on that travel at night and thereafter CC was discontinued.
The Tamil Nadu Express faced a problem with the engine when it had to haul 18+ coaches. The train could not cover the terrains near ET and was regularly late by 2–3 hours while on its way to New Delhi. Mr George Fernandes as Railway Minister, introduced the concept of twin engines and tried to fix the problem. Later the travel time was increased to 33 hours. The train was rescheduled to night later.
Though the name is Tamil Nadu Express, the train has only one stop in Tamil Nadu i.e., Chennai.
Read more about this topic: Tamil Nadu Express
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