Kamrup Express

Kamrup Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Status	Operating
Locale	Assam, West Bengal
Current operator(s)	Northeast Frontier Railway
Route
Start	Howrah Junction (HWH)
Stops	54
End	Dibrugarh (DBRG)
Distance travelled	1582km
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	15959 / 15960.
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Available
Sleeping arrangements	Available
Catering facilities	Available (Paid)
Baggage facilities	Available
Technical
Track gauge	Broad Gauge
Operating speed	Average - 42km/hr
Route map

The Kamrup Express is a daily express train which connects Howrah (Kolkata) in West Bengal with Dibrugarh, which is a major town in upper Assam. Originally the train ran between Howrah and Guwahati (which is the district headquarters of Kamrup District Assam), hence the name. Later it was extended to Dibrugarh Town after the successful conversion of Guwahati-Lumding-Dibrugarh from meter gauge to broad gauge. The train belongs to North East Frontier Railway of Indian Railway and is operated by Tinsukia division of NF Railway. The train is numbered as 15959/15960.

15959 departs Howrah every day at 17:35 and reaches Dibrugarh on the day following the day after, at 04:50 in the morning, covering a distance of 1582 km in 35 hrs 15 mins with an average moving speed of 42 km/h. On the way it passes through Bandel, Nabadwip Dham, Katwa, Berhampore(Khagraghat Road),Azimganj jn, Malda Town, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Kamakhyaguri, Fakiragram, Kokrajhar, New Bongaigaon, Guwahati, Lumding, Dimapur, Mariani, Duliajan, New Tinsukia en route to Dibrugarh. The train as an extended halt at Guwahati arriving at 15:40.^[1]

15960 departs Dibrugarh every day at 18:20 and reaches Howrah at 5:35 day after covering a distance of 1582 km in 35 hrs and 15 min with an average moving speed of 50 km/h. It stops at New Tinsukia, Duliajan, Mariani (Jorhat), Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, kokrajhar,fakiragram, Kamakhyaguri, New Alipurduar, New Coochbehar, New Jalpaiguri, Kishengunj, Malda Town,Azimganj jn,Khagraghat Road,Katwa,Nabadwip Dham, Bandel en route to Howrah. It has an extended halt at Guwahati and departs at 7:35 in the morning next day for Howrah.^[2]

The train has both AC and non AC accommodation, and one pantry car.

Both 15959 and 15960, throughout the entire length of the journey from Howrah to Dibrugarh and vice versa, are hauled by a WDM-3A from the diesel loco shed at Howrah. This train is one of the slowest trains between Guwahati and Howrah, but the maintenance of the coaches is very good and the condition of the coaches of this train is very good, with proper passenger facilities included. Recently this train was awarded the ISO certificate, and it is the only train of NF Railways to have been ISO certified, and one of the few in the fleet of Indian Railways, with proper passenger amenities and facilities. This is one of the oldest running trains of NF Railway (Assam Railway before) and is considered as a very important train and as the pride of the zone.

References