This is the timeline for India's Southern Railway zone that encompasses present day Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Timeline 19th century
1845 Madras Railway Company was launched. 1853 Madras Railway Company, registered in Chennai (Royapuram) began work. 1856 July 1, First passenger rail service began from Royapuram - Walajapet (Walaja Road) route. Perambur loco workshop set up in Vaughan. 1856 July 1, 1856 Second passenger rail service began from Royapuram - Tiruvallur (Tiruvallur). 1857: Walajapet(Walaja Road) - Cuddalore route was proposed via: Katpadi, Tiruvannamalai, Tirukoilur. 05.04.1859 Construction of Railway System started at Nagapattinam to lay BG track to Tanjore by the Great Southern of India Railway Company (G.S.I.R). 1861: Tirur - Chaliyam (Kozhikode) route commissioned . Great Southern Railway of India Tiruchirappalli - Nagapattinam (broad gauge) up to 125 km from the gauge set. Walaja road - Cuddalore route came to existence via: Tiruvannamalai, Viluppuram. 01.05.1861 BG section from Kuttipuram to Tirur opened 18.07.1861 Old Coimbatore Now Podanur Station Building was Completed 02.12.1861 First BG train from Negapatam to Tanjore inaugurated. 11.3.1869 Track extended to Trichinopoly' from Tanjore and further extended to 'Trichinopoly Fort' (BG section) 1862: Madras Railway Company's Tram way for local transport established in Chennai. 1864: Jolarpettai - Bengaluru mail began service. 14.04.1862 BG section from Podanur to Pattambi opened 12.05.1862 BG section from Sankaridurg to Podanur opened 01.02.1864 First Express Train of South India "Blue Mountain Express" From Old Coimbatore (#Podanur) To Chennai Royapuram Started Anthropology of the Todas and Kotas of the Nilgiri Hills rarebooksocietyofindia 1865: GSIR's General Office building constructed at Trichinopoly 08.05.1865 BG section from Conjeevaram to Arkonam opened. 03.12.1866 BG section opened between Trichinopoly Fort and Karur. 01.07.1867 BG section opened between Karur and Kodumudi 01.01.1868 BG section opened between Kodumudi and Erode. 1868: Service began in Nagapattinam - Tiruchirappalli. 01.02.1873 BG section from Podanur to Coimbatore Junction opened. Opening of Coimbatore Railway Station. 01.02.1873 BG section opened from Vellalore Road to Nanjundapuram Coimbatore Junction. 07.04.1873 Partial Opening of Madras Central (Now Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Chennai Central Railway Station) 31.08.1873 BG section from Coimbatore Jn. to Mettupalayam opened Opening of Mettupalayam Railway Station. 01.07.1874 The South Indian Railway Company (SIR) formed by amalgamating the Great Southern of India Railway Co. and the Carnatic Railway Co. 26.01.1875 Nidamangalam to Tiruvarur section converted from BG to MG. 19.06.1875 Tiruvarur to Negapattanam section converted from BG to MG. 03.07.1875 Tanjore to Nidamangalam section converted from BG to MG. 10.07.1875 Track between Tanjore to Budalore converted from BG to MG. 17.07.1875 Track between Budalore to Trichinopoly Junction converted from BG to MG. 01.09.1875 MG section opened from Trichinopoly Junction to Madura. 01.01.1876 MG section opened from Madura to Tuticorin. 01.01.1876 MG section opened from Maniyachi to Tinnevelly. 01.09.1876 MG section from Madras Park to Tindivanam opened. 01.01.1877 MG section from Tindivanam to Cuddalore Junction opened. 15.02.1877 MG section from Mayavaram to Tanjore opened 01.07.1877 MG section from Cuddalore Jn. to Porto Novo opened. 01.07.1877 MG section from Shiyali to Mayavaram opened 01.01.1878 MG section from Coleroon to Shiyali opened. 14.07.1878 Conjeevaram to Arkonam section converted from BG to MG. 21.08.1878 G.O.No. 810 issued for the transfer of Railway HQ from Negapatam to Trichinopoly. 01.10.1878 MG section from Porto Novo to Chidambaram opened. 01.01.1879 MG section from Madras Beach old to Park opened. 01.07.1879 MG section from Chidambaram to Coleroon opened. 01.07.1879 Track between Trichinopoly to Karur Converted from BG to MG. 15.12.1879 MG section from Villupuram to the Gingee river inclusive of the bridge over the river opened 15.12.1879 MG section from East bank of the Gingee river to Pondicheri opened. 16.12.1879 Track between Karur to Erode Converted from BG to MG. 1879: Metre gauge line between Puducherry and Viluppuram formed according to an agreement between French Government and the British Government. 1880 Agent's Office shifted from Negapatam to Trichinopply. 01.08.1880 MG section from Chingleput to Walajabad opened. 01.01.1881 MG section from Walajabad to Conjeeveram opened. 30.09.1885 Original Nilgiri Mountain Railway Company registered. 1886 Engineering workshop opened at Trichinopoly. 1886 Some portion of workshop activities transferred from Negapatam to Trichinopoly 02.01.1888 BG section from Kadallundi to Calicut opened 02.01.1888 BG section opened from Olavakkot to Palghat. 1890 The "South Indian Railway" company which was incorporated in England came into being at Trichinopoly 17.11.1890 MG section from Villupuram to Tiruvannamalai opened. 18.03.1891 MG section from Tiruvannamalai to the outer signal of Katpadi opened. April 1894 Original Nilgiri Mountain Railway Company Liquidated. 1891: Nilgiri Mountain Railway Company was commissioned. 02.04.1894 MG section opened from Mayavaram Junction to Mutupet. Feb. 1896 New Nilgiri Mountain Railway Company formed. 1898: Metre gauge line between Karaikal and Peralam formed according to an agreement between French Government and the British Government. 1899: Mettupalayam (Coimbatore) - Coonoor service of Nilgiri mountain railway began. Olavakkode - Palakkad line constructed. 1899: Chennai - Vijayawada passenger service began. Boat Mail from Chennai to Ceylon, with passenger ship with a connecting service between Dhanushkodi (Rameswaram) and Ceylon started. 14.03.1899 Mettupalayam - Coonoor MG section opened for traffic. 07.08.1899 MG section opened from Tuticorin to Foreshore. 01.12.1899 MG section from Negapatam to Nagore opened. 15.01.1900 MG line from Madras Beach Junction to Madras Beach opened.
20th century
01.10.1901 BG section from Calicut to Badagara opened. 01.01.5.1902 BG section from Badagara to Tellicherry opened. 01. 01.6.1902 MG section from Tinnevelly to Kallidaikurichi opened. 16.7.1902 Ernakulam - Shoranur path was set up. 1902: Kollam–Sengottai branch line was constructed to link port cities of Madras and Quilon together. 01.08.1902 MG section between Manamadurai Jn. to Mandapam opened. 01.08.1902 MG section opened from Madura to Manamadura. 20.10.1902 MG section opened from Mutupet to Pattukottai. 20.05.1903 BG section from Tellicherry to Cannanore opened. 01.08.1903 MG section opened from Kallidaikurici to Shencottah. 31.12.1903 MG section opened from Pattukottai to Arantangi. 15.03.1904 BG section from Cannanore to Azhikkal opened. 01.06.1904 MG section opened from Punalur to Quilon. 26.11.1904: Passenger train service started on Quilon-Madras railway line. 18.09.1905 NG (2 '6") section opened from Tiruppattur to Krishnagiri. 18.01.1906 NG (2' 6") section opened from Morappur to Dharmapuri. 21.08.1906 BG section from Azhikkal to Kanhangad opened. 01.09.1906 MG section opened from Pamban to Rameswaram 01.10.1906 BG section from Kanhangad to Kasaragod opened. 17.11.1906 BG section from Kasaragod to Kumbla opened. 21.01.1907 Feasibility Survey Report for India - Ceylon Railway was submitted by South Indian Railway Company. 03.07.1907 BG section from Kumbla to Mangalore opened. 1908: was built. 01.01.1908 Sections of Madras Railway Company transferred to South Indian Railway. 15.09.1908 MG section opened from Coonoor to Fernhill. 15.10.1908 MG section opened from Fernhill to Ootacamund. 10.12.1908 MG section opened from Rameswaram Road to Dhaneshkodi Jetty. 15.05.1913 NG (2'6") section opened from Dharmapuri to Hosur. Dec. 1913 Scherzer Rolling Bridge constructed at Pamban viaduct. 01.01.1914 MG section opened from Mandapam to Pamban 01.12.1914 MG section opened from Dhanushkodi Jetty to Dhanushkoai point. 15.02.1915 MG section opened from Nidamangalam to Mannargudi. 15.10.1915 MG section opened from Podanur to Pollachi. 01.01.1917 BG section opened from Salem Junction to Salem Market and Salem Market to Salem Town 01.01.1918 MG section opened from Quilon to Chakai. 15.05.1919 MG section opened from Tituthuraipundi to Agastiyampalli. May 1921 Traffic control by telephone commenced between Madras Egmore -Villupuram - Tanjore main line section inaugurated. 24.02.1923 MG section opened from Tinnevelly to Tiruchendur. 1923 A 2'-0" gauge tramway line was opened from Golden Rock to Sircarpalayam to a distance of 2.827 miles for carrying materials and trolley movement of the Inspecting Officials of the Railway. 1925 Water Storage Plant constructed at Sircarpalayam (near Trichinopoly). 25.11.1926 MG section opened from Mayavaram to Tranquebar 03.02.1927 BG section opened from Shoranur to Angadipuram 01.03.1927 'Publicity Branch' inaugurated under a whole time officer for publicity of all branches including railway Time Table. 30.06.1927 MG section opened from Virudunagar to Tenkasi 03.08.1927 BG section opened from Angadipuram to Vaniyambalam 22.08.1927 MG section opened from Srirangam to Golden Rock. 15.10.1927 MG section opened from Pamban to Rameswaram Road. 26.10.1927 BG section opened from Vaniyambalam to Nilambur Road. 01.12.1927 MG section opened from Villupuram to Vriddhachalam. 12.12.1927 MG section opened from Bikshandarkoil to Srirangam. 16.01.1928 Central Workshop at Golden Rock established. 10.03.1928 MG section opened from Lalgudi to Bikshandarkoil. 21.06.1928 MG section opened from Cuddalore Junction to Vriddhachalam. 1928 MG shop floor except Stores Department closed at Negapatam. 1928 BG shop floor at Podanur closed 19.11.1928 MG section opened from Dindigul to Pollachi. 20.11.1928 MG section opened from Madura to Bodinayakanur. 01.02.1929 MG section opened from Vriddhachalam to Lalgudi. 15.04.1929 BG section from Salem to Mettur Dam branch including the mileage of assisting siding from Mecheri Road to Mettur Dam opened. 17.04.1929 MG section opened between Trichinopoly Junction to Pudukottai. 25.09.1929 Track between Erode to Trichinopoly converted from MG to BG in a record time of 5 hours 1929: Chennai suburban railway service began. 01.07.1930 MG section opened between Pudukottai to Manamadurai Jn. 1930 Trichinopoly Marshalling Yard commissioned. 03.02.1931 Salem Junction to Salem Market section and Salem Market to Salem Town section converted into mixed gauge of BG and MG. 03.02.1931 MG section opened from Salem Town to Chinnasalem. 01.04.1931 Through goods line from Cammerford Block Station to Broad Gauge Buffer end in Trichinopoly Goods Station opened. 01.04.1931 Through goods line between Trichinopoly Junction and Golden Rock via classification yard opened 02.04.1931 MG Electrified suburban service from Madras Beach to Tambaram inaugurated 20.04.1931 Traffic Training School started at Trichinopoly to train probationers and signallers of Traffic department 11.05.1931 First electric train for public service from Madras Beach to Tambaram started. 17.08.1931 MG section opened from Chinnasalem Junction to Vriddhachalam. 04.11.1931 MG section opened from Chakai to Trivandrum Central. 21.11.1931 Dry dock at Mandapam for docking the SIR Steamers completed and T.S.Irwin was first docked at Mandapam 01.04.1932 BG Section between Olavakkot to Palghat converted into mixed gauge. 01.04.1932 MG section opened from Pollachi to Palghat. 1934: Ernakulam - Shoranur gauge conversion. 1935 Trichinopoly Passenger Station remodelled with six additional platforms, two subways and two Road-over-bridges. 20.01.1936 MG section opened from Agastiyampalli to Point Calimere.