Baidyanathdham Express

The Baidyanathdham Express is an Express train belonging to East Coast Railway zone that runs between Puri and Patna Junction in India. It is currently being operated with 18449/18450 train numbers on a weekly basis.^[1][2][3]

Baidyanathdham Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand & Bihar
Current operator	East Coast Railway zone
Route
Termini	Puri (PURI) Patna Junction (PNBE)
Stops	24
Distance travelled	932 km (579 mi)
Average journey time	19h 35m
Service frequency	Weekly [a]
Train number	18449/18450
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, Sleeper class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	No
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	On-board catering E-catering
Observation facilities	LHB coach
Entertainment facilities	No
Baggage facilities	No
Other facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	2
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	48 km/h (30 mph), including halts
Route map

The train has given name in honour to the famous Baidyanath Temple of Deoghar. Other than Baidyanathdham Express, one Station in Deoghar has named Baidyanathdham Deoghar railway station and two other trains named in honour to the temple, These trains are 22465/66 Baba Baidyanath Dham Deoghar SF Express and 22459/60 Baba Baidyanath Dham Deoghar Humsafar Express.

Background

This train is on the Ravana the demon king meditated hard, in order to invoke Lord Shiva. Shiva gave him one of the twelve Jyotirlingams to take back with him to Lanka, with the condition that if it were placed on the ground it would take root immediately. Varuna the God of water, entered Ravana's belly, and caused him to feel the need to relieve himself. Vishnu then came down in the form of a lad and volunteered to hold the Jyotirlingam as he relieved himself. But before Ravana could return, the young lad placed the Jyotirlingam on the ground to which it became rooted. A disappointed Ravana offered severe penances to Shiva here, and cut off nine of his heads as a part of his repentance. Shiva revived him and joined the heads to the body, like a Vaidya or a "physician", and hence, this Jyotirlingam goes by the name Vaidyanath.

Service

The 18449/Puri Baidyanathdham Express has an average speed of 48 km/h and covers 932 km in 19h 35m. The 18450/Puri Baidyanathdham Express has an average speed of 51 km/h and covers 932 km in 18h 15m.

Route and halts

The important halts of the train are:

• Puri
• Khurda Road Junction
• Bhubaneswar
• Cuttack Junction
• Hijli
• Bankura Junction
• Adra Junction
• Asansol Junction
• Madhupur Junction
• Jasidih Junction
• Jhajha
• Kiul Junction
• Barh
• Bakhtiyarpur Junction
• Patna Junction

Coach composition

The train has standard LHB rakes with a maximum speed of 130 km/h. The train consists of 18 coaches:

• 1 AC II Tier
• 7 AC III Tier
• 6 Sleeper coaches
• 2 General Unreserved
• 1 Seating cum Luggage Coach
• 1 Generator coach

Traction

Both train are hauled by a Samastipur Loco Shed or Gomoh Loco Shed based WAP-7 electric locomotive from Patna till Asansol. From Asansol till Puri the train is hauled by a Visakhapatnam Loco Shed or Howrah Loco Shed based WAP-7 electric locomotive.

Rake sharing

The train shares its rake with 22889/22890 Samudra Kanya Express and 12895/12896 Shalimar-Puri Weekly SF Express.

Train No.	Train name	Departs	Arrival
18449	Puri Baidyanath Dham Express	PURI@14:25 MON	PNBE@10:00 TUE
18450	Puri Baidyanath Dham Express	PNBE@8:40 WED	PURI@3:20 THU
12896	Puri–Howrah Weekly Superfast Express	PURI@22:10 THU	HWH@7:05 FRI
12895	Howrah–Puri Weekly Superfast Express	HWH@20:55 FRI	PURI@5:50 SAT
22890	Samudra Kanya Express	PURI@23:40 SAT	DGHA@9:25 SUN
22889	Samudra Kanya Express	DGHA@17:15 SUN	PURI@3:20 MON

Direction reversal

The train reverses its direction once:

• Asansol Junction

See also

• Patna Junction railway station
• Puri railway station
• Samudra Kanya Express
• Howrah–Puri Express

Notes

1. Runs one day in a week for every direction.