Hampi Express


The Hampi Express is a daily express train running between the Mysooru and Hubballi Junction, the headquarters of the South Western Railway in India. Numbered 16591/16592, it is a train of the South Western Railway having primary maintenance at Hubballi.

History

This train was introduced earlier between Bengaluru and Hosapete after the gauge conversion between Bengaluru and Dharmavaram was completed. Later, it was extended to run till Hubballi. In 1996, a slip/link was attached to this train as the Nanded Link Express which became a separate train in 2010. In July 2013, this train was extended to Mysooru to provide direct connectivity between Mysore and Ballari among other places
The train is named after Hampi, an historical town belonging to the Vijayanagara Empire. The town is a tourist attraction for the ruins of the empire. This train passes through Hosapete that has the nearest station to this town.

Locomotive and coach composition

This train generally gets a WDP-4 or WDP-4B locomotive from Hubli.
This train has one AC First Class-Two Tier combo, one Two Tier AC and one Three Tier AC coach, 9 sleeping coaches, 6 unreserved coaches and 2 second seating cum luggage rake. The train shares its rakes with 16535/36 Gol Gumbaz Express. Also the train has recently been augmented with one First Class Air Conditioned coach by duly replacing one First Class Cum AC Two Tier coach.

Route and time

This train runs via Mandya, Bangalore City, Yeswanthpur, Yelahanka, Gauribidanur, Hindupur, Penukonda Dharmavaram, Anantapur, Guntakal, Ballari, Toranagallu, Hosapete, Munirabad, Koppal, Gadag and reaches Hubballi.
On 22 May 2012, the 16591 Hampi Express collided with a stationary goods train at Penukonda station killing 25 people and injuring 74.