Vaigai Express - Innagural of Vaigai Express

Innagural of Vaigai Express

On August, 15, 1977, a train woke up the people of Madurai early in the morning. It was on that day at 6 a.m. sharp that train no 135 down Vaigai Express began its inaugural journey from Madurai to Madras Egmore, with 16 yellow and green livery coaches and a matching YDM4 diesel loco.When it was introduced in 1977, this train had 16 coaches, hauled by twin-YDM4 diesel locos, and by 1984 it was bifurcated as Pallavan express, comprising eight coaches.

With its never-before-achieved unique speed ever run on the SR MG, Vaigai express clocked the fastest run between Madurai and Madras Egmore, the distance of 495 kilometers on the very first day in 7 hours and 5 minutes when it entered Madras Egmore at 1.05 p.m. that afternoon, matching the speed of many Broad Gauge super fast trains on the SR. For safety purposes the train, was slowed down to a journey time of 7 hours and 30 minutes later on. It was the only train in SR which had completely tube lighted interiors and sun control sliding glass shutters installed for the first time ever in all its 8 second class coaches. The driver and the guard also had a corded telephone system to communicate between themselves. With the turntable facility available at Trichy, Chennai and Madurai, the operations staff always ensured that the YDM4 hauling Vaigai Express always had the short hood facing the front every time its started it journey.

This train also was one of its kind in SR which had its livery changed quite a few times from its original yellow-green combination to white-gray-red livery and then again to vermillon red - cream livery and again to cream-brown livery on the MG. The YDM4 for the Vaigai Express had been fitted with a double-tone horn which made it easy for rail users and railway staff alike to identify the loco as well as the train, which was never on use on the other YDM4s which operated on the same route for other trains.This the only MG train on the SR to be fitted with specially enhanced buffers and certified to run at 110 km/h. For the first time on the MG, the ICF manufactured two 40-seat AC chair car coaches exclusively for the Vaigai and Pallavan express.