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The Toy Train - Chugging away to Darjeeling by jackson curry
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The Toy Train - Chugging away to Darjeeling |
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Travel & Tourism
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The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, also known as the "Toy Train" is a 2 feet narrow gauge railway that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. It was built between 1879 and 1881. The railway line is about 78 kilometers long. Its elevation varies from 100 meters at New Jalpaiguri to about 2,200 meters at Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, along with the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway, is listed as a Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site. Franklin Prestage, an agent of Eastern Bengal Railway Company approached the government with a proposal of laying a steam tramway from Siliguri to Darjeeling. The proposal was accepted by Sir Ashley Eden, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. The construction started the same year. The toy train is operated by the Indian railways, supported by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. It has 13 stations such as New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Town, Siliguri Junction, Sukna, Rongtong, Tindharia, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Sonada, Ghum and Darjeeling. Ghum is the highest point of the toy train journey. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway operates a number of tourist train services. Some of them are the Daily Train Services, the Joy Rides and the Jungle Safari Holiday Trains. The toy train is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. There are certain criteria to be fulfilled to receive this honour. These criteria are expressed in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and its corresponding Operational Guidelines. The site must be of outstanding value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. The railway line basically follows the Hill Cart Road which is partially the same as National Highway 55. The track is on the road side. As long parts of the road are surrounded with buildings, the railway line often rather resembles urban tramway tracks than an overland line. To warn the residents and car drivers about the approaching train, engines are equipped with very loud horns that even drown horns of Indian trucks and buses. The main difficulty in mountain railways is the steepness of the climb. Hence special driving techniques like loops and Z-Reverses were designed as an integral part of the system at different points along the route. The toy train is viewed with affection and enthusiasm by travellers and rail enthusiasts. The train is popular among tourists, novelists, poets and film makers. Some noted movies have portrayed the toy train. The BBC has made three documentaries dealing with the Mountain Railways. One among them is the toy train of Darjeeling. The series has won the UK Royal Television Society Award in June 2010. Thus the toy train still chugs its way through the picturesque ranges of the hills and valleys of Darjeeling. For More Info: Toy Train Darjeeling and Places to Visit in Darjeeling
Related Articles -
Toy Train Darjeeling, Places to Visit in Darjeeling,
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