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DARJEELING:
The Darjeeling railway was proposed by Franklin Prestage in 1878 to build a 2' NG railway
line on the Hill Cart Road. The original line of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
( DHR) was constructed between 1879 and 1885 and was originally named the Darjeeling Steam Tramway Co.
The eternal Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway line having a two feet wide
track, links Darjeeling to Siliguri, a distance of 87.48 Kms. The most famous of the little trains, is the one linking the town of New Jalpaiguri in the plains to the lovely hill station of Darjeeling. The
86 km Darjeeling line allows the travelers an uninterrupted view of the breathtaking scenery of the Himalayas. Darjeeling Himalayan Railways
(DHR) is recognised as "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO.
Currently, it operates three routes: (i) Kurseong - Darjeeling - Kurseong (daily)
(ii) New Jalpaiguri - Darjeeling - New Jalpaiguri (daily) (iii) New Jalpaiguri - Silliguri
Jn. - New Jalpaiguri.
Shorter excursions between Ghum and Darjeeling are run often, known as the 'Joy
Train' services and intended for tourists. These are always steam-
hauled, while the other services are sometimes steam-hauled and sometimes
diesel- hauled these
days. |
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SHIMLA
toy trains: The Kalka-Shimla route is 96km long with 102 tunnels, 869
bridges, and 919 curves. Barog tunnel is the longest at 1,144m. The toy train journey from Kalka to Shimla is entrancing with
102 tunnels and lofty arched bridges. The dazzling view and the stop at the
picturesque stations along the way add to the experience.
Shimla is connected by a broad gauge line up to Kalka. From Kalka to
Shimla, the "toy train" covers 96 km. of track in six hours. |
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The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
or OOTY (UDHAGAMANDALAM):
The meter-gauge line from Mettupalaiyam to Conoor (the Ooty line) is a
rack railway. This is the only example of a rack railway in India. The Mettupalayam - Coonoor line was constructed in 1897 and opened in 1899.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway ascends to the highest point on meter-gauge in
India. Mettupalaiyam is at 310m (1071'). At a maximum speed of 33km per hour, this "toy train" treks across plains, plantation and forest clad hills. The 16 tunnels and tall girder bridges on the way, along with the breathtaking view, make this toy train journey to
Ooty, something not to be missed. Ooty is connected by a narrow gauge line from
Mettupalayam, which serves as the railhead for mainline trains. |
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MATHERAN - The 77-year-old line, connecting Neral to Matheran, is the main way to reach the tiny hill resort, close to Mumbai. As the little train wheezes up into the clear mountain air one can view the scenic vista of hills and plains below.
The toy train to Matheran commences from Neral (on Mumbai - Pune line). The journey up to Matheran takes about one-and-half hours. The toy train runs between sunrise and sunset. |
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SHIVALIK DELUXE EXPRESS - introduced on the lines of Shatabdi Express this train chugging its way up the hills has only one stop - Barog. The journey time is 4hrs 45min. The amenity fittings match the modern times - wall to wall carpets, wide glass windows, reversible cushioned chairs, improved toilet facilities, cabins for couples, tables for meals, tube lights, music system, micro phones for communication with the guard to name just a few. With a sitting capacity of 120 it connects the Howrah-Kalka mail. Breakfast is served in Up and dinner in Down direction.
SHIVALIK PALACE - For an exciting and charming journey for the elite class tourist between Kalka and Shimla, this Tourist Coach has free on board catering with an exclusive range of kitchenware. Special features include - decorative lights, musical cordless bell, music system, variety of indoor games, magazines and books, most ultra modern amenity fittings in
bathroom, artificial decorative plants, dining table with beautiful cushioned chairs, folding beds etc. Shivalik Palace is meant normally for a party of 6 persons. Two complimentary retiring rooms at Shimla is also provided for the tourists travelling on this train for one day.
SHIVALIK QUEEN - Also on the Kalka - Shimla line this Tourist Coach has been launched for honeymooners. Each coupe offers exclusive privacy and big windows for panoramic view of hills. The coupe has wall-to-wall carpet and the windows are elegantly curtained. All meals are provided on the train. There is an alarm bell for communication with driver while microphone keeps you in touch with the guard. Free newspaper and magazines are provided at Kalka and Shimla. |
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