The second-most preferred train to the south after Coromandel Express'.'
History
The train made its inaugural run on August 15, 1900, which makes it one of the oldest running trains on Indian railways. It was first hauled by steam engines, including the WP class engines, then by diesel, and now by electric WAP-4 or WAP-7 locomotives. It was the first passenger train to be dieselized on the South Eastern Railway in 1964–65. Till the introduction of the Coromandel Express in the mid-seventies, it was the main and fastest train link between Howrah and Chennai (then Madras), with much fewer halts. Presently, this train is the second most important train on the Howrah–Chennai main line after the high speed Coromandel Express. It covers 1,664 km (1,034 mi) at an average speed of 59 km/h (37 mph)