Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: Encyclopedia - Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "Toy Train", is a 60 cm narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal in India, run by the Indian Railways.

It was built between 1879 and 1881 and is about 86 km long. The elevation level is from about 100 m in Siliguri to about 2200 m in Darjeeling. It is still to this day powered by a steam engine. A modern diesel engine is used for Darjeeling’s mail.

Since 1999 the train has been a World Heritage Site as listed by UNESCO. [1]

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - The Route

• New Jalpaiguri - The railway was extended to the south in 1964 to meet the new Broad gauge to Assam. Where the two met, New Jalpaiguri was created.

• Siliguri Town - Original southern terminus of the line.

• Siliguri Junction - Only became a major station when a new metre gauge line was built to Assam in the early 1950s

• Sukna - This station make the change in the landscape from the flat plains to the wooded lower slopes of the mountains. The gradient of the railway changes dramatically.

Loop No.1 was located in the woods above Sukna. It was removed after flood damage in 1991. The site is now lost in the forest.

• Rangtong

A short distance above Rangtong, there is a water tank. This was a better position for the tank than in the actual station, both in terms of water supply and distance between other water tanks.

When Loop 2 was removed in 1942, again following flood damage, a new reverse was added. This reverse, No.1, involves the train making the longest of all runs backwards.

Loop No.3 is at Chunbatti. This is now the lowest loop to remain.

Reverses No.2 & 3 are between Chunbatti and Tindharia.

• Tindharia - This is a major station on the line as below the station is the workshops. There is also an office for the engineers and a large locomotive shed, all on separate site.

Immediately above the station are three sidings, these were used to inspect the carriage while the locomotive was change before the train continued towards Darjeeling.

Agony Point is the name given to loop No.4. It comes from the shape of the loop which comes to an apex which is the tightest curve on the line.

• Gayabari

Reverse No.6 is the last reverse on the climb

• Mahanadi

• Kurseong - There is a shed here and a few sidings adjacent to the main line, but the station propper is a dead end. Up trains must reverse out of the station (across a busy road junction) before they can continue on their climb. It is said that the station was built this was so that the train could enter a secure yard and stay there while the passengers left the train for refreshments.

Above Kurseong station, the railway runs through the bazaar. Trains skirt the front of shops and market stalls on this busy stretch of road.

• Tung

• Dilaram

• Sonada

• Rangbul

• Jor Bungalow

• Ghum - Summit of the line and highest Station in India. Now includes a museum on the first floor of the station building with larger exhibits in the old goods yard.

Batasia Loop

• Darjeeling

The furthest reach of the line is in Darjeeling Bazaar, but this was a goods only line and is now lost under the road surface and small buildings.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - Locomotives

All the steam locomotives currently in use on the railway are of the 'B' Class, a design built between 1889 and 1925. A total of 34 were built but by 2005 only 12 remained on the railway and in use (or under repair).

Locomotive No.787 has been rebuilt with oil firing. This was originally installed to work on the same principle as that used on Nilgiri Mountain Railway No.37395. To operate the oil burner and an electrically driven feed pump, a diesel powered generator was fitted and to power the braking system, a diesel powered compressor was fitted. Additionally the locomotive was fitted with a feed water heater. The overall result was a dramatic change in the appearance of the locomotive.

In March 2001, DHR No.794 was transfered to the Matheran Hill Railway to allow a 'Joy Train' (Steam hauled tourest train) to be operated on that railway. It did not however enter service there until May 2002

Only one DHR steam locomotive has been taken out of India, this is No.778 (originally No.19). After many years out of use in a American museum, it was sold to an enthusiast in the UK and restored to working order. It is now based on a private railway in Oxfordshire but has run on the Ffestiniog Railway

Two diesel locomotives are in use on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, No.604 & 605. They are both members of the NDM6 class. Both were originally intended for use on the Matheran Hill Railway and are identical to the four locomotives actually delivered there.

Categories: World Heritage Sites in India | West Bengal | Narrow gauge railways | Rail transport in India

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Darjeeling Himalayan Railway", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki