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Darjeeling Toy Train (44k)
Toy Train Engine (53k)
Toy Train Engine (53k)
Darjeeling Toy Train Movie File Format: MPEG File Size=9.5Mb Running Time: 59 secs.
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In 1999, the 23rd Session of the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Committee inscibed the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (affectionately called the Toy Train by some of us) on the list of World Heritage Sites. DHR is only the second railway to have this distinction - the first being the Semmering Railway in Austria.
The DHR being given World Heritage Status means that it will be protected in the location that it currently is. The Govt. of India will now have an obligation to care for the railway. The UNESCO will get a conservation report on DHR every five years.
For more information on the Toy Train - check out the Toy Train links on the Links page.
HISTORY
It was a cold wintry evening in London town and a young boy
sat staring at the tea kettle on the stove while his mother fussed
at him for wasting his time. The boy was James Wat who was to
invent the steam engine, leading to the railway engine by George
Stevenson in the eighteenth century. Trains caught man's fancy
and spread rapidly to other parts of the world, each trying to outdo
the other in luxury and elegance as the wheels and years rolled on
the rails.
Trains came to India in the early part of the last century --
among the very first and most novel, is the famous Toy Train of
Darjeeling. It is 117 years old having made its maiden trip
in the September of 1881. Officially known as the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway, it is as much a pioneering work of achievement,
projecting not only its engineering ingenuity but also a historic
development of the 19th century British convalescent center in the
remote north eastern Himalayas.
In 1870, an agent working for the Eastern Bengal Railway came
up with a brilliant idea to reduce the costs of transport. His name
Franklyn Prestage -- the idea -- the Toy Train. It took eight long
years for Prestage to submit his scheme to Lt. Governor Sir Ashley
Eden, who gave it immediate sanction. Named the Darjeeling
Steam Tramway Co., it was changed to The Darjeeling Himalayan
Railway Co. on September 15th 1881. It remained as such till it was
taken over by the Indian Government on Oct. 20, 1948. The
construction had begun in 1879 and with the zeal shown by the workers,
the first 20 miles from Siliguri to Tindharia station was opened in
March 1880 for the Viceroy's special train only. After a further
11 miles to Kurseong were completed, it was opened to the public
on August 23 of that year. Sonada was reached on February 1,
1881, the summit of Ghoom on April l4th, 1881 and finally on July 4th
1881 the baby locomotive and three coaches puffed right through
to Darjeeling-a total of 50.75 miles.
In 1914, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was further extended down south towards
Kishanganj and close to the Nepalese frontier for jute traffic and in
1915. Meantime the DHR was extended from Siliguri toward
Sevoke by 10 miles and further to the north 16 miles on Kalimpong
road. Until 1878, the journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling took from
5 to 6 days by the East Indian Railway from Howrah to Sahebganj,
then by steam ferry across the Ganges to Charcoal, then by bullock
carts on the river opposite Danger Hat, after crossing again by
bullock cart or 'palki' (palanquin) to Purnea, Kishanganj, Titalya and
Siliguri whence the ascent commenced via the Punkhabari road
which finally joins the present cart road at Kurseong. In 1878,
Siliguri was put on the map of the railway, the journey was cut to two
days and another six to seven hours to Darjeeling.
THE JOURNEY
Puffing along a two foot gauge track, the gradient of which stays
at a maximum of 1 to 20, the train passes through a region, the sheer
beauty of which starts manifesting itself as soon as one begins the
journey at Siliguri, a stone throw from Bagdogra. Dense jungle with
solid walls of vegetation hem in the track as the train begins its climb
to its destination by a system of special loops and 'Z' crossings or
switch backs. Soon the landscape changes to tea plantation
clinging to the steep mountains and forming narrow terraces looking
like giant steps. The first station on the line is Sunk (146.5 meters)
at a distance of 10 km from Siliguri Junction. From here, the train
passes through thick and magnificent foliage of Sal, Toon, Teak and
other numerous trees. The dense green is dotted with the purple of
bougainvillea, the scarlet of the poinsettia and the exotic mauve of
the orchid. In the distance are stately trees, rocks, boulders and
lovely waterfalls while further away meandering rivers look like
flowing silk ribbons in the extensive plains. From here, too, the
painstaking ascent of the train starts and at about 18 km is the first
spiral or 'loop' which runs partly through a cuffing, and again at
20 km the train stops for its first watering operations offering a good
view of the valley stretching below.
Running on south at about the 22nd
kilometer, is another beautiful and somewhat complicated loop.
After winding through a third loop, at Chunamandi (2,000ft) the train
comes to its "Z" crossing or switchback at about a distance of 28 km.
Here, it starts zigzagging or reversing to attain a higher elevation,
The first big station, Tindharia, 37 km from Siliguri, is at a height of
860 meters and has a workshop for repairs. Leaving the station, the
train passes another "Z' crossing and at a distance of 6 km is
Gayabari station at a height of 3,516feet where the line runs close
to the edge of a precipice, the mountain terraced with tea bushes
and wild flowers in flaming colors while in the distance is Pagla
Jhora or "Mad Torrent", a roaring, cascading waterfall. This is the
chief outlet of rainfall due to the clouds striking against Mahaldiram
Range and after a heavy rain this course is a roaring torrent in which
large boulders are helplessly tossed about. The train has now
covered half the distance to Darjeeling.
Near Mahanadi station at about 48km, the train passes through
a rock cutting and a fresh view of the plains is yielded. The rocks are
very bluff and a large projecting rock is known as "Artilleryman's
Rock" owing to an unfortunate man having committed suicide at that
spot. Above the road is the Gladstone Rock aptly named after the
famous Victorian statesman and Prime Minister, whose resemblance
it is supposed to bear. Suddenly, after another kilometer or so the
town of Kurseong, or "The Land of the White Orchid", jumps into
view. The train is now on street level and at an elevation of 1,524
meters (4,860 ft). It goes by shops and is followed by excited
screaming children who never tire of greeting every train. From
here a splendid view of the plains is obtained and the wide belt of
the forest at the foot of the hills can also be seen making the extent
of 'Terai'. An important station on the line, Kurseong maintains a good bazaar
and is well kept and clean.
Soon the train leaves this delightful station, fog appears and all
of sudden is gone -- a will o' the wisp -- Mount Kanchenjunga first
leaps into view showing off its mighty majesty. Running generally
along the old Hill Cart road, the train reaches Toong station at an elevation
of 1,724 meters (5,565 ft) and 8 kilometers from Kurseong. Toong
abounds in Toomi trees. Sonada, enveloped in dense fog, at an
elevation of 1,997 meters (6,552 ft) is eight kilometers away. The
abode of bears, Sonada provides Darjeeling with its milk and fruits.
Many tea gardens converge here along the Hope Town spur. It is
also an important vegetable growing center.
Looking like a caterpillar, the train continues winding along the
twisted paths crawling alongside, almost hugging the side of the
hill. Ascending gradually, the train reaches Jore Bungalow Bazaar,
from where a road leads to Senchal Lake, Tiger Hill, Kalimpong and
the many tea gardens lying ahead. Soon it will reach the last town
on the Indo-Nepal frontier -- Ghoom. Situated at an altitude of
2,225.7 meters (7,407 ft), Ghoom is the highest rail-road station in
the world and the home of a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. After
Ghoom, the train starts descending towards Darjeeling for a distance
of 6 km and the line falls about 182.9 meters (1,000 ft). In between
is the graceful double loop -- Batasia -- from where a grand view of
Darjeeling in all its glowing beauty presided over by mighty
Kanchenjunga with all the other peaks-the land of perpetual
snows, bursts before the eyes of the eager traveler.
Constructed on spurs of the Himalayan hills, the loops, once
named "Sensation Corner" and "Agony Point", are very good viewing
points and the passengers get the feel of the sheer drop below. No
tunnels were ever dug since it was desired that the traveler got full
views of the ever-changing scenery.
CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Originally estimated at a cost of rupees 14 lakhs, it escalated to
17 lakhs in 1881 and to 28 lakhs by 1887. By 1891 the costs had
climbed to a height of 32 lakhs, or Rs. 60,000 per mile. After
World War I in 1920, when the Batasia Loop on the final descent to
Darjeeling had been built, the investment had reached Rupees
43 lakhs, truly a labor of love. A system of bogie stock consisting
of four cars and one van pulled by a Garret or eight wheeled engine,
weighing 28 tons and running on a 2 foot broad track, was
introduced in 1909 and is traditionally continued till this day. From
a quarter million passengers and 60,000 tons of freight in 1914, the
traffic rose to 300,000 passengers in World War I and steadied at
260,000 passengers and 65,000 tons of freight in 1920. Recently
the figures have been 1,500,000 passengers and 90,000 tons of
freight per year.
NOTE:
At last check, the Toy Train is still running, albeit less frequently and with more problems.
It is only through the labor of love of the engineers that work with it, does this relic still function.
