Big news from Southern Railway! The crew has just completed a thrilling third trial run between Jolarpettai and Coimbatore stations, covering 286 km. Their mission? To speed up trains from the usual 110 kmph to a zippy 130 kmph! Officials from the Salem Division spilled the beans to The Hindu. This trial is not just a show but a giant step to serve long-distance passengers better. The goal is simple: faster trains mean you reach your destination quicker. A senior railway official shared, “Necessary upgradation, including on tracks, have been done to increase speed limit of express trains.” Right now, express trains like the Coimbatore Intercity and Cheran Express take around five hours to travel this 286 km stretch. The Shatabdi Express manages to shave off 30 minutes, running at the current max speed of 110 kmph. But wait, the trial train stole the show by completing this journey in just three hours! It made quick stops at Salem and Erode stations before zooming to Coimbatore, hitting speeds up to 145 kmph. What’s even cooler? This trial run helped railway engineers check vital safety features — from track shape to train stability and how trains move on curves. This means when the speed officially goes up to 130 kmph, passengers can travel safer and smoother. Every day, 70 to 80 express trains zoom through Jolarpettai station on routes connecting Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru. Big names like Vande Bharat and Shatabdi Express run here regularly. Local commuter C. Ramachandran is thrilled. He said, “Increase in speed limit will help us to reach our destination sooner and safer. More express trains that have fewer stops like Vande Bharat should halt at Jolarpet railway station.” Over 16,000 long-distance travellers board trains daily at Jolarpettai alone — so faster trains are a big win! The final icing on the cake? Railway officials expect this Jolarpettai–Coimbatore section to get the green signal for 130 kmph operations soon. Once approved, faster trains will not only save your time but also reduce track congestion and boost overall train operations. Looks like the train journey just got a lot more exciting!