Hirakhand express
 Hirakhand Express at Tikri | |||||
| Overview | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service type | Daily Train | ||||
| Locale | Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh | ||||
| Current operator(s) | East Coast Railway | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Start | Jagdalpur | ||||
| Stops | 37 | ||||
| End | Bhubaneswar | ||||
| Distance travelled | 786 km (488 mi) | ||||
| Average journey time | 17 hours 55 minutes | ||||
| Service frequency | Daily | ||||
| Train number(s) | 18447 / 18448 | ||||
| On-board services | |||||
| Class(es) | AC2 tier, AC3 tier, sleeper class and General sitting | ||||
| Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||
| Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||
| Catering facilities | No, Self-service | ||||
| Entertainment facilities | Nil | ||||
| Baggage facilities | Under the Seats | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (Broad Gauge) | ||||
| Operating speed |
Avg.43 km/h (27 mph) with halts Maximum 89 km/h (55 mph) | ||||
| |||||
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Hirakhand Express is a daily express train which runs between Jagdalpur and Bhubaneswar. It was initially introduced between Sambalpur and Balangir. Later extended to Bhubaneshwar. Now it is serving in a completely different route than the initial one. It is operated by the East Coast Railway Zone of Indian Railways.
Etymology
Hirakhand means a piece of diamond in Sambalpuri language spoken in Western Odisha. It is named after the medieval period kingdom of Hirakhand otherwise known as Sambalpur state spread across present Western Odisha and parts of Chhattisgarh state.
Schedule
The 18447 Hirakhand Express leaves Bhubaneswar every day at 1935 hrs IST and reaches Jagdalpur at 1330 hrs IST the next day. The 18448 Hirakhand Express leaves Jagdalpur every day at 1430 hrs IST and reaches Bhubaneswar at 0825 hrs IST on next day.
Stoppings
The train has stoppings at Koraput, Rayagada, Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Srikakulam, Ichchapuram, Brahmapur and Khordha.
Slip Route
On 11 August 2012, a "slip route" of Hirakhand Express was Inaugurated as "Junagarh Road-Bhubaneswar Link Express" (Train Number-18437/18438). The source of this train is Junagarh Road near Bhawanipatna. It leaves Bhawanipatna at 1855 hrs IST daily and arrives at 0825 hrs IST daily. The train amalgamates/bifurcates at Rayagada Railway Station with/from the main Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express. This train halts at Depur PH, G.Ramchandrapur, Lanjigarh Road Jn., Ambodala, Muniguda, Bissam Cuttack and Therubali before/after Rayagada.[1]
Traction
As the route is partly electrified, it is hauled by a BNDM based WDM-3A diesel locomotive. As partial electrification is completed, it is hauled by a [[Indian locomotive class WAP -4|WAP-4]] electric locomotive from raygada to bhubneswar with its slip connected.