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The Pearl City Express is a superfast overnight express train of the Southern Railway, a zone of the Indian Railways. The Pearlcity Express runs between Chennai Egmore and Tuticorin via Tiruchirapalli Junction - Vridhachalam Junction - Villupuram Junction (Chord Line). Pearl City is another name of Tuticorin as the sea water of Bay of Bengal in this area is suited for Oysters resulting in cultivation of Pearls. This train is typically referred to as "Muthu Nagar Express (Muthu-Pearl and Nagar-City) in Tamil. It is a Prestigious train of Southern Railways consisting of 24 coaches(from 7/12/2016). The main cities and towns which are connected by this train are Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vridhachalam, Tiruchirapalli, Dindigal, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sattur and Kovilpatti. The train operates daily and covers a distance of 656 km. The train runs at a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph)."
Contents
Unlike Pandian Express and Rockfort Express Pearlcity Express used to run with all class of coaches in Indian railways it used to have AC first cum 2 tier, AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, Non AC First class, Sleeper Class, and unreserved coaches till Feb 2014, By the End of 2014 When Indian Railways Decided to Condemn all old Non AC First class Coaches, The Prestigious Non AC first class was removed and instead an AC 2 tier was added to pearlcity fleet
Schedule
12694 Up From Tuticorin to Chennai Egmore
12693 Down From Chennai Egmore to Tuticorin
Train Route and Timings
Chennai Egmore - Tuticorin Pearlcity Express (12693) starts from Chennai Egmore at 19:15 hours towards Tuticorin and reaches its destination at 07:10 hours the second day of the journey. It takes a total of 11 hours and 55 minutes for the entire journey. Tuticorin - Chennai Egmore Pearlcity Express (12694) starts from Tuticorin at 19:50 hours and reaches Chennai Egmore at 07:45 hours the second day of the journey. Pearlcity Express connects Tuticorin and also major cities of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai and large towns like Villupuram, Dindigul and Virudhunagar en route its journey. Pearlcity Express take the Chord Line route via Tiruchirapalli Junction - Vridhachalam Junction - Villupuram Junction on its journey. Pearlcity express usually gets a Diesel Engine from Chennai Egmore to Tuticorin until a few months ago but recently it is being hauled by Electric locomotives from Erode or Royapuram shed between Chennai Egmore - Tiruchirapalli Junction - Chennai Egmore. Between Tiruchirapalli Junction and Tuticorin it is being hauled by Diesel locomotive from Erode shed most of the times. The route has been completely electrified now and so and Electric locomotive (ED/RPM WAP4) hauls the train end to end for the entire journey.
October 2016 Timetable brought major changes in Time table of 12693 Down Pearlcity Express Pearlcity Express Departure was changed to 19.30 and its arrival at Tuticorin was changed to 6.35am upon which Pearlcity Express became the fastest train in the line The interesting Fact is the Running time Between Chennai and Madurai was Reduced to 7 hours 45 minutes from 8 hours 15 minutes thus making Pearlcity express as the fastest train between chennai and Madurai which was intern 5 minutes Faster than the SR's Prime Super-fast The Vaigai Express Where as in Up direction 12694 Pearlcity Express Departure was made 20.00 hours from 19.45 hours and arrival at chennai is pushed to 7.50am
Due to increase in patronage Madurai Division of Southern Railways Added an Extra Unreserved coach to Pearlcity Express from 7/12/2016 thus making it as 24 coach rake Train
12693 Chennai Egmore to Tuticorin
Total number of coaches 23
The train consists of:
There is no Rake sharing alignment for Pearlcity Express and it is a stand-alone rake.
Relevance
Pearl City is another name of Tuticorin as the sea water of Bay of Bengal in this area is suited for Oysters resulting in cultivation of Pearls. This train is referred to as "Muthu Nagar Express" (Muthu-Pearl and Nagar-City) in Tamil.