Arantangi is very much there on the still MG section of Thiruvarur - Tiruthuraipundi - Karaikkudi. It is 27 km from Karaikkudi and 6861/ 6862 Thiruthuraipundi - Karaikkudi Express has a halt here. This was the route taken by the Chennai - Rameswaram MG trains after Mayiladuthurai - Kumbakonam - Thanjavur - Tiruchhirapalli was converted to BG.

There was an elaborate system of NG lines in this area connecting Tarikere, Narasimharajapuram, Kemmanugundi, Bhadravati and Mandagadde. This must have been the southern counterpart of the Gaekwar's State railway centered around Dabhoi. Any one knows some more history about these lines?

The spur to Sangli must have been constructed much later. This MG line was later abandoned and the alignment was changed when BG came in 1971.

Dudh Sagar station did have scheduled stops in those days. Also, Castle Rock handled Customs and Immigration, yet the scheduled halts are only 30 - 40 minutes.

Confirms the fact that the "Main line" went upto Dhanushkodi. Rameswaram was on a branch line.

The entire Kulasekharapatnam Light railway is seen here, together with a Udangudi branch which has been cut off while scanning. Was this part of a original plan to connect Tiruchendur with Kanyakumari?

The entire Punalur - Shencottah section is marked as a Ghat section. Were bankers used in this entire section during steam days?

Not much change it timings between 1931 and today for the two trains 23/ 24 Express (today's 2609/ 2610) and 7/8 Mail (today's 2657/ 2658).

Yes there was. The line was closed to passenger traffic some years ago. Incidentally Royapuram - Walajah Road - Arcot was the first railway line to be opened in South India on 1st July 1856.

In 1931 too, as it is today, services ran only upto Agastiyampalli. Or was the line to Koddikarai (Point Calimere) constructed at a later date?