Tea Garden Express 16188 Ernakulam-Karaikal With WAP7& WAP4 Dual LOCO aggressive on bridge.

The train introduced during the 1940s,[2] as Ooty–Cochin express to transport tea and related products from the Nilgiris to Cochin Port and further exported to Europe and world over, hence came the name of the train. It ran in narrow gauge between Udhagamandalam and Mettupalayam and broad gauge between Mettupalayam and Cochin Harbour Terminus.[3] Post Indian independence, the Ooty–Mettupalayam trip was cut–off and the train ran as No.565/566 between Cochin Harbour Terminus and Mettupalayam, since the 1970s.[4] Then, the Mettupalayam–Coimbatore Junction portion was cut–off and was re-routed to Tiruchirappalli Junction from Cochin (Ernakulam Junction), numbered as 6865 / 6866.[5] In the 2009–2010 Railway Budget, it was announced that the service will be extended to Nagore,[6][7][8] and the extension was effected on 30 March 2010.[9] The number of train was changed from the 6865 / 6866 to 16865 / 16866, since December 2010 onwards as a part of train management system over the entire Indian Railways network.[10][11] The train services were further extended to Karaikal from 17 December 2011 onwards[12] and re–numbered from 16865 / 16866 to 16187 / 16188, since 1 September 2013.[13][14]