Chennai Metro Conducts Trial Run Between Thirumangalam Ramp – Anna Nagar Tower Using OHE Inspection Wagon

In a move that caught me by surprise, the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) today conducted a trial run between the 2 km Thirumangalam Ramp – Anna Nagar Tower section of the 22 km Central – St. Thomas Mount line! This trial run comes just a day after official trial runs began on the Little Mount – OTA Section of Washermenpet-Airport Line.

Since electrification on this section is yet to be completed, the trial run was conducted by an old school diesel run OHE Inspection Wagon, so “official” trials are yet to begin.

All aboard the choo! choo! train – Photo Copyright: CMRL

Here’s a map I’ve made which shows the location of the Ramp and Anna Nagar Tower station. Please note that this line is operational from Alandur (not shown) and Koyambedu.

Route of the metro line between Thirumangalam Ramp – Anna Nagar Tower – view full Chennai Metro map

Some more images:

Pooja being conducted on the ramp – Photo Copyright: CMRL

Looking down the ramp into the tunnel – Photo Copyright: CMRL

From the ramp, the locomotive passed through the Thirumangalam station (see recent images) and went on towards the Anna Nagar Tower station using the up-line.  As you can see above, proper installation of the down-line’s tracks is not yet complete.

The CMRL’s Press Release has this to say:

TRIAL RUN BETWEEN THIRUMANGALAM RAMP TO ANNA NAGAR TOWER STATION

1. Trial with OHE Inspection Wagon was conducted from Thirumangalam Ramp to Anna Nagar Tower Station in the down line today between 11:00hrs to 13:00hrs with necessary Pooja conducted at the Thirumangalam Ramp. It is entirely underground with 2Km of tunneling and covering two underground stations, namely Thirumangalam and Anna Nagar Tower.

2. The inspection was headed by the MD/CMRL along with Director/ Project, senior officers of CMRL, General Consultants along with the agencies which carried out Tunnelling and Station work, Track works, & other System works.

3. During the inspection, following aspects were checked:
a. Quality of Civil, Electrical and other systems work like Signalling work etc.
b. Quality of Track work with respect to dimensions and oscillations and electrical Traction works.
c. Platform screen doors works at Thirumangalam station
d. Thirumangalam & Anna Nagar Tower underground station works.
e. Schedule of Dimensions & other safety related works

4. These trials & inspections will be continued for several months. These trials and inspections will cover more and more stretches and more systems and also both down and up lines progressively to cover from Koyembedu upto Nehru Park (about 8.5 Kms). Once Electrical Traction works are progressively completed, we will do trials and inspection through the normal Metro Rail Trains.

Please note the text in bold . It is expected that after a week, this diesel locomotive will conduct a trial run all the way till Shenoy Nagar! That’s the entire length of contract UAA-05 which Afcons and it’s Russian partner, Transtonnelstroy Limited, were entrusted to build.

For more updates on Chennai’s Metro, check out the Chennai section of the The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG