Ratnachal Express

Ratnachal Express

Ratnachal Express with a WAP-7 Loco
Overview
Service type	Superfast Train
First service	3 October 1994
Current operator(s)	South Central Railway
Ridership	Second sitting - 864, AC chair car - 216
Route
Start	Vijayawada
Stops	12
End	Visakhapatnam
Distance travelled	351 km (218 mi)
Average journey time	6 hours (average)
Service frequency	daily
Train number(s)	12717 / 12718
On-board services
Class(es)	AC Chair car, Second sitting, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Pantry Car
Observation facilities	Standard Indian Railway coaches
Technical
Rolling stock	One
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph) maximum 58 km/h (36 mph), including halts
Route map

Ratnachal Express at Marripalem

Ratnachal Express is a superfast Intercity Express Train belonging to Indian Railways that runs between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada as a daily service. It is maintained by South Central Railway Zone. It operates as train number 12717^[1] from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada and as train number 12718^[2] in the reverse direction.

Coaches

The Ratnachal Express has AC Chair car, Second sitting & 6 General unreserved coaches.

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
	SLR	UR	UR	UR	UR	C2	C1	D8	D7	D6	D5	D4	D3	D2	PC	D1	UR	UR	UR	UR	UR	UR	UR	SLR

Service

The Ratnachal Express covers the distance of 349 km in 6 hours as 12717 Ratnachal Express averaging 59 km/hr. As it runs above 55 km/hr, it has superfast surcharge. This train halts at Nuzvid, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Nidadavolu, Rajahmundry, Anaparti, Samalkot, Annavaram, Tuni, Anakapalli, Duvvada. It starts in vijayawada at 06:05 am and reaches vishakapatnam junction at 12:15 pm and in return it starts in vishakapatnam at 12:40 pm and reaches vijayawada at 18:35 pm

Traction

It is hauled by Lallaguda WAP7 from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada and by Lallaguda WAP4 from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam ^[3]

References

South Central Railway zone
Administration	Indian Railways Ministry of Railways Railway Board
History	Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway Hyderabad–Godavari Valley Railways History of rail transport in India Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway
Divisions	Guntur Nanded Vijayawada Hyderabad Secunderabad Guntakal
Sections / Branch lines	Duvvada–Vijayawada section Bhimavaram–Narasapuram branch line Gudivada–Machilipatnam branch line Gudur–Renigunta section Krishna Canal–Guntur section Nallapadu–Nandyal section Samalkot–Kakinada Port branch line Tenali–Repalle branch line Vijayawada–Gudur section Vijayawada–Nidadavolu loop line Nandyal-Yerranguntla section
Major stations	Eluru Guntakal Junction Guntur Junction Hyderabad Deccan Kacheguda Kazipet Junction Hazur Sahib Nanded Nellore Rajahmundry Samalkot Secunderabad Junction Vijayawada Junction Tirupati
Named trains	Andhra Pradesh Express Andhra Pradesh Sampark Kranti Express Ajanta Express Charminar Express Dakshin Express Devagiri Express Falaknuma Express Godavari Express Golconda Express Goutami Express Hussainsagar Express Krishna Express Manikarnika Express Narayanadri Express Pinakini Express Ratnachal Express Sabari Express Sachkhand Express Satavahana Express Secunderabad Rajdhani Express Visakhapatnam – Secunderabad Garib Rath Express Tirumala Express Venkatadri Express Machilipatnam Express
Indian rail subsidiaries	Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Rail Land Development Authority Central Organisation for Railway Electrification
Institutes	Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications
Transits	Hyderabad MMTS Hyderabad Metro Rail
See also	Rail transport in India