Amrapali Express

Amrapali Express (Informal)
Overview
Service type Express
Current operator(s) North East Frontier Railway (NFR)
Route
Start Katihar Junction
Stops 50 including start and end points
End Amritsar
Distance travelled 1,800 km (1,118 mi)
Service frequency Daily
On-board services
Class(es) AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements Yes
Sleeping arrangements Yes
Catering facilities Pantry Car not available
Technical
Rolling stock Standard Indian Railway coaches
Track gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed 110 km/h (68 mph) maximum
49.0 km/h (30 mph), including halts
Route map

The 15707/15708 Amrapali Express is an express train belonging to Indian Railways that runs between Katihar Railway Junction and Amritsar in India. It operates as train number 15707 in Up direction from Katihar Junction of North east Frontier railway to Amritsar of Northern Railway and as train number 15708 in the reverse direction.

Train name etymology

Ambapali, also known as Ambapalika or Amrapali, was a nagarvadhu (royal courtesan) of the republic of Vaishali in present-day Bihar around 500 BC. Following the Buddha's teachings she became an Arahant. She was of unknown parentage, and received her name because at her birth she was found at the foot of a mango tree in one of the royal gardens in Vaishali. The name, Ambapali or Amrapali, is derived from a combination of two Sanskrit words: "amra", meaning mango, and "pallawa", meaning young leaves or sprouts.

History

The service initially operated by the North Eastern Railway between Kanpur and Samastipur with service numbers 505/506. Soon the train got extended to Barauni Junction. When Indian Railway shifted to four digit service numbers in October 1988, the new service numbers allotted to it were 5205/5206.Very soon the other end of the train got extended from Kanpur to Delhi. In the year 1992, the then Railway Minister Jaffer Sharief proposed with yet another extension to Amritsar which eventually took place. In later developments the train got extended to Katihar Junction and operational responsibility shifted to North East Frontier Railway. The new number allotted to the service are 5707/5708 and when Indian Railway shifted to five digit numbering system the present numbers have been 15707/15708.[1]

Coaches

The 15707/15708 Amrapali Express presently has AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, Sleeper Class, and General Unreserved coaches. It has no pantry car coach. Although the rake comprises 22 coaches, the coach Composition, however, may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways, depending on demand.


Service

The 15707 Amrapali Express covers the distance of 1799 kilometres in 37 hours (48 km/hr). As the average speed of the train is below 55 km/hr, its fare does not include a Superfast surcharge.

Traction

The train gets WAP4 locomotive of Kanpur shed between Katihar and Amritsar. However, sometimes locomotives from other sheds also haul this train in case of technical difficulties.

Timetable

15707 Amrapali Express departs from Katihar Junction daily at 22:45 hrs IST and arrives at Amritsar at 12:45 hrs IST after a 38 hours journey.

15708 Amrapali Express departs from Amritsar daily at 07:10 hrs IST and arrives at Katihar at 19:55 hrs IST after a 36 hours 45 minutes journey.[2]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.irfca.org
  2. ↑ http://www.indianrail.gov.in Archived 8 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
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