Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

The narrow gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway ( Darjilingbahn, DHR ) is a narrow gauge railroad, the track width 610 mm (2 feet) in India, which runs from Siliguri to Darjeeling and is operated by the Indian State Railways. It is, like other Indian narrow-gauge railways, called Toy Train (English toy train ).

Route

The railway line was built in 1879-1881 by the British colonial government and is mostly on the roadside of the Hill Cart Road. It overcomes to 86 kilometers an altitude of over 2,000 m. The route with the twelve stations via 554 bridges and through a single short tunnel. The average gradient is 44 ‰, 56 ‰ at the steepest point. In addition, six double hairpins and three circular reversing loops were installed at the points where the slope of the road is too large and the path so the road can not follow. Of the 873 curves, has the closest a radius of only 13 meters.

The trains need for the whole route planned 6 1 /2 hours, with delays sometimes 10 hours. Frequently landslides make the tracks impassable, so that the road transport needs to be changed.

In the villages along the route, the track is usually in the street, so that the trains often pass by a few centimeters away to homes and market stalls. The diesel engines are equipped with a very loud horn that clearly drowned out the horns of Indian trucks.

In the monsoon season of 2010 km 50 near Pagla Jhora between Mahanadi and Gayabari spilled a landslide 26.87135888.304724 the route, together with the parallel road. In September, another Erdrutsch26.87135888.304724 at Tindharia broke the track, followed by another in July 2012. To date ( January 2014 ) is not yet clear when the route at Pagla - Jhora landslide is passable again, the tracks are in Tindharia moved, the operation should be initially taken up again in 2014 to Gayabari. For now runs the DHR only on the portions of Darjeeling - Kurseong with two pairs of trains daily, usually the same biases, and Chunbati - Siliguri Junction with the same daily spanned Tschungel Safari train; also operate four daily steam hauled train pairs between Darjeeling and Ghum for tourists.

To date, the passenger trains between Darjeeling and Ghum of steam locomotives pulled while trains that will take you other course sections are covered with diesel locomotives. Passenger trains to exist alongside the locomotive in the rule of three cars: a baggage car, a car for the first class with brocade seats and one for the second, quite comfortable class. The tourist trains consist of two cars for the first class.

World Heritage

The web is since 1999 part of the World Heritage Site Mountain Railways of India UNESCO. At this World Heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway are in addition to the Kalka - Shimla also the Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. Because the Darjeeling railway is no longer continuously navigable for a long time, threatens UNESCO to withdrawing the World Heritage site, if it were not repaired immediately.

Gallery

The Toy Train traveling

Train at Batasia Loop

A railway worker, the switch to a hairpin

Class D- Train, from 1911 to 1954 in use

Service

Eating on board

The railway company offers in the small car to no operation. Before departure in New Jalpaiguri meal packages can be purchased. After departing staff goes from a private provider by the train and takes orders for a hot lunch, which is placed halfway when stopping at the board.

Tickets for steam trains

For the special trains with steam locomotives the cards for a single ticket at the ticket counter at the departure station to be sold. Return tickets there are not at the counter. (As of September 2010)

  • Special trips in IRCTC

Tickets for diesel trains

For the regular trains with diesel reservations are also available via online booking services. The required station abbreviations for the full range: DJ for Darjeeling and New Jalpaiguri NJP for.

  • IRCTC official booking site of the state railway - ( Unfortunately, not user-friendly )
  • Cleartrip.com private, but functioning booking service for Indian trains
  • MakeMyTrip.com another private, functioning booking service
Bazaar Kalka–Shimla Railway International Council on Monuments and Sites
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