Salem railway division

2021-12-26T10:37:03Z

2409:4072:8E86:545E:65C1:EE17:CAAF:464A: /* Important railway stations */

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name = Salem Railway Division
| logo_filename =
| logo_size =
| system_map =
| map_caption =
| marks =
| image = File:Salem Junction.jpg
| image_size = 240 px
| image_caption = [[Salem Junction railway station]], Headquarters Salem railway division
| locale = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| start_year = 14 November 2006
| end_year =
| predecessor_line = Southern Railways
| successor_line =
| gauge = {{Track gauge|5ft6in|lk=on}} [[broad gauge]]
| old_gauge = Broad gauge and Meter gauge
| electrification =
| length = {{convert|862|km|abbr=on}}
| hq_city = [[Salem, India|Salem]]
| website = [http://www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,263,579,585 Southern Railways - Salem railway division]
}}

Salem division is one of the six divisions of [[Southern Railway (India)|Southern Railway]] zone. Its headquarters is at [[Salem, Tamil Nadu]].

== History ==
'''Salem Railway Division''' is the newest division of the [[Southern Railway Zone]] of [[Indian Railways]]. It was carved out of the [[Palakkad railway division]] and [[Tiruchirappalli railway division]]. It was inaugurated on 14 November 2006 in the presence of Arjun Singh and former chief minister of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[M. Karunanidhi]].<ref name="thehindu">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kerala-rail-zone-in-lieu-of-two-truncated-divisions/article6072911.ece | title=Kerala rail zone in lieu of two truncated divisions | publisher=The Hindu | access-date=10 June 2014}}</ref>

== Important railway stations ==

[[Coimbatore Junction railway station|Coimbatore junction]] is the busiest railway station in this division and accounts for 45% of the revenues. Coimbatore junction is classified under NSG-2 and it has 35,000 footfall per day. [[Salem Junction railway station|Salem]], [[Erode Junction railway station|Erode]] and [[Karur Junction railway station|Karur]] are the other important junctions, while Erode handles most of the crew change in the route. [[Tiruppur railway station|Tiruppur]] is an important station in Salem division that handles a significant volume of agricultural commodities, textile products and machinery, which contribute an abundant profit in the freight segment.

== Routes ==

Salem division has its jurisdiction entirely in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It covers 15 districts in [[Tamil Nadu]] and has a total route length of {{convert|862|km|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Salem railway division formed|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/Salem-railway-division-formed/article14856680.ece|access-date=8 February 2018|publisher=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref name="sr">{{cite web|title=Southern Railways - Salem railway division|url=http://www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,1,263,579,585|access-date=10 June 2014|publisher=Southern Railways, India}}</ref> Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Karur and Namakkal being the important district Headquarters.

[[Salem division]] jurisdiction includes the following:

* [[Tiruppattur, Tirupattur district|Tiruppattur]] to [[Irugur Junction railway station|Irugur]]
* [[Irugur Junction railway station|Irugur]] to [[Podanur]]
* Irugur to Coimbatore North Junction
* [[Mettupalayam railway station|Mettupalayam]] to [[Podanur Junction railway station|Podanur Junction]]
* [[Magnesite Junction railway station|Magnesite Junction]] to [[Mettur Dam railway station|Mettur Dam]]
* [[Mettupalayam railway station|Mettupalayam]] to [[Ooty]] (Meter Gauge)
* [[Erode]] to [[Tiruchirappalli Fort]] (Excluded)
* [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] to [[Dindigul]] (Excluded)
* [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] to [[Virudhachalam]] (Excluded)

== Loco Shed ==

There is a Diesel as well as an Electric Loco shed in Erode. Both the loco sheds provide locomotives to Southern Railways and South Western Railways.

One Meter Gauge loco shed is situated at [[Coonoor railway station|Coonoor]] to facilitate [[Nilgiri Mountain Railway]].

* [[Diesel loco shed, Erode|Diesel Locomotive Shed, Erode]] has been assessed as the best Diesel Loco shed in [[Southern Railway Zone]] during the tenure of 2005–2006 and 2009–2010. The shed has been internationally certified with [[ISO 9001:2000]] for ''Quality Management System'' in March 2004 and [[ISO 14001|ISO 14001:2004]] for ''Environmental Management System'' in September 2004 for its standards. A diesel loco belonging to shed was awarded "''Black Beauty Queen''", during the inaugural annual best loco competition among [[Southern Railway zone]] outmatching other sheds viz., <abbr>Tondiarpet</abbr>, <abbr>Ernakulam</abbr> and [[Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock|Golden Rock]], as about 15 parameters were considered for the selection. It has one of the largest fleet of [[Indian locomotive class WDM-3D|WDM-3D]], [[WDG-3A]] and [[Indian locomotive class WDM-3A|WDM-3A]]. Around 2014, Erode Diesel shed started to receive the High horse power EMD locomotives apart from the conventional Alco locomotives. [[Indian locomotive class WDG-4|WDG-4]] was initial HHP loco allotted and [[WDP4D]] variants were allocated later on. Around 2019, it started to home the WAG variant electric locos which are for freight operations and in 2020, it got [[Indian locomotive class WAP-1|WAP-1]] locomotive transferred from [[Electric Loco Shed, Arakkonam]]. Apart from the Mainline service locomotives, plenty of shunting locomotives are maintained as well.
* [[Electric Loco Shed, Erode|Electric Locomotive Shed, Erode]] is one of the premier sheds in Indian Railways, it was having the largest fleet of [[Indian locomotive class WAP-4|WAP-4]] till 2017, eventually few were transferred to [[Electric Loco Shed, Arakkonam]]. In October 2017, Erode received first two 3-phase AC locos of the class [[Indian locomotive class WAP-7|WAP-7]] from [[Electric Loco Shed, Royapuram]]. In July 2020, Erode was allocated with four [[Indian locomotive class WAG-9|WAG-9]] locomotives, making it the first shed in [[Southern Railway zone]] to home WAG-9 locomotive.
* The Meter gauge loco shed at Coonoor is the place where the steam and diesel locomotives for [[Nilgiri Mountain Railway]] are serviced, maintained and fueled for their trips. Coal-fired or Oil-fired steam engines are homed here along with [[YDM-4]] class.

== Pit lines ==

The pit lines for maintenance of passenger coaches are at Coimbatore, Erode, Mettupalayam and Coonoor.

* Coimbatore has two pit lines, both can handle 24 coach trains.
* Erode has two pit lines, one can handle 17 coaches and other can handle ten coaches. An additional pitline for handling long-distance trains is nearing completion.
* Mettupalayam has three pit lines: Two broad-gauge pit lines and one meter-gauge. The lone meter-gauge pit line is capable of handling four coaches. Among the two broad-gauge pit lines, one can handle seven coaches and other pit line has the capacity of six coaches.
* Coonoor has one meter-gauge pit line which can handle four coaches.

== Trains Handled ==

Salem division handles many long-distance and interstate trains. Coimbatore coaching complex is the most important in Salem division and it is congested due to the huge volume of trains.

* [[Cheran Superfast Express]], [[Chemmozhi Express]], Intercity Express, Tirupati Express, [[Uday Express]], [[Thiruvananthapuram Mail]], Mayiladuthurai [[Jan Shatabdi Express]], Nagercoil Express, [[Tuticorin]] Link Express are maintained at Coimbatore coaching depot. Apart from this Coimbatore Jaipur Express and Hisar Coimbatore Express belonging to [[North Western Railway zone|North Western Railway]] gets their secondary maintenance.
* Erode Coaching depot maintains [[Yercaud Express]] and Chennai Hyderabad Express. Besides these two express trains, few more passenger trains are handled at Erode.
* Toy trains plying in Nilgiri Mountain Railway are maintained at Coonoor and Mettupalayam.

== Tourism ==

The famous [[Nilgiri Mountain Railway]] heritage line is under Salem division. The scenic line starts from Mettupalayam and ends at Ooty. The section from Mettupalayam to Coonoor is hauled by a Steam locomotive. A [[Indian locomotive class YDM-4|YDM-4]] Diesel engine is attached at Coonoor for the further journey till Ooty. Between [[Mettupalayam, Coimbatore|Mettupalayam]] and [[Coonoor]], the line uses the [[Rack railway#Abt|Abt rack and pinion]] system to climb the steep [[Grade (slope)|gradient]]. The NMR is the only [[rack railway]] in India. The average gradient in this rack section is 1 in 24.5 (4.08%), with a maximum of 1 in 12 (8.33%). Even though the NMR supplies networked computerized ticketing systems for onward journeys, it still issues [[Edmondson railway ticket|Edmondson style manual tickets]] for the Udhagamandalam-Mettupalayam journey to preserve its 'World Heritage Site' status. Ticket booking is similar to conventional trains and can be done via the Indian Railway website. It is advisable to book tickets well in advance, especially during peak season.

== Medical Facilities ==

The medical Department comprises two sub Divisional hospitals – Erode and Podanur.
It also four Health Units at Coonoor, Mettupalayam, Salem and Karur.
At present proposals have gone to Railway Board for approval of a multi specialty sub divisional hospital at Erode.

== Facts ==

* Southern Railway's first Anaconda freight train was operated by Salem division from [[Erode Junction railway station|Erode Junction]] to [[Jolarpettai Junction railway station|Jolarpettai Junction]].
* India's first [[Uday Express]] was inaugurated at Coimbatore.
* Salem division has most of its entire Broad Gauge line electrified, once after the completion of Salem Vriddhachalam Electrification, it will be a hundred percent Broad gauge electrified division.
* Chemmozhi express in Coimbatore coach care is completely maintained by women.
* It has the only hill railway tourist toy train present in entire South India.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Salem railway division| ]]
[[Category:Southern Railway Zone]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Divisions of Indian Railways]]

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Salem railway division