Posted on September 27, 2011, 8:59 am, by rail.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is built for connecting Silliguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. Its nick name is ‘Toy Train’. Indian Railways run this train between Silliguri and Darjeeling.
This narrow gauge railway was built between 1879 and 1881 and its length is about 86 km. The elevation level of the track is about 100 metres at Silliguri and about 2,200 metres at Darjeeling. The train still runs by steam locomotives. For Darjeeling’s mail modern diesel engines are used.
In 1878 Kolkata was connected with Siliguri through a standard gauge railway. A cart road which is now called as Hill Cart Road was connecting Siliguri to Darjeeling at the base of Himalayas. Tonga or carriage services were available on the cart road.
Construction of a steam tramway from Siliguri to Darjeeling was started in 1879 with the effort of Franklin Prestage who was an agent of Eastern Bengal Railway Company and Ashley Eden, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.
Though many natural calamities such as earthquake in 1897 and a cyclone in 1899 occurred in Silliguri and Darjeeling but Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) continued to improve by extending its lines which was being done because no. of passenger and freight traffic were growing.
Buses running over the Hill Cart Road gave tough competition to the DHR because bus used to take less time than DHR. During World War 2millitary personnel and supplies were taken to different camps of Ghum and Darjeeling via DHR.
After independence, DHR was merged into Indian Railways and it is a part of the Northeast Frontier Railway Zone. Later on DHR was realigned and extended for about 6 km to New Jalpaiguri so that it can be connected to the new broad gauge line available there.
DHR rail line has been mostly built alongside Hill Cart Road and partly it is like National Highway 55. When some natural incident such as landslides took place then both road and track gets affected. In most of the areas buildings are built on both side of the road. Rail track appears like urban tramway tracks.
Train engines are equipped with very loud horns so that residents and car drivers can be warned about the approaching train.
Mostly trains continuously produce horn noise so the foreigner visitors who are not used to listens such a loud noise should protect their ear once they are riding the train.
Many stations such as New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Town, Siliguri Junction, Sukna, Rangtong, Chunbatti, Tindharia, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Dilaram, Sonada, Rangbul, Jor Bungalow, Ghum, Darjeeling etc are connected on Darjeeling Himalayan railway route.
B’ Class steam locomotives are used for DHR, it was built between 1889 and 1925 later on their total reached upto 34 by 2005 but now only 12 are remained which are being used.
From time to time locomotives were given different looks. One of the DHR steam locomotive has also been sent out of India.
Those who travels via Darjeeling Himalayan Railway enjoys the journey which is full of affection and enthusiasm.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society support and preserve the DHR, they put their efforts in making the journey enjoyable for the travellers.
Many Bollywood films have been shot in Darjeeling railway. One can see popular song of film ‘Aradhana’ which was shot in Darjeeling, other films such as Parineeta, Jhumroo etc. have also been shot in Darjeeling. ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ film is also based on the DHR. BBC has also made documentary on the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway.
Source: http://indianrailwaystation.com/station/darjeeling-himalayan-railway-dhr-darjeeling-railway-station/
This narrow gauge railway was built between 1879 and 1881 and its length is about 86 km. The elevation level of the track is about 100 metres at Silliguri and about 2,200 metres at Darjeeling. The train still runs by steam locomotives. For Darjeeling’s mail modern diesel engines are used.
In 1878 Kolkata was connected with Siliguri through a standard gauge railway. A cart road which is now called as Hill Cart Road was connecting Siliguri to Darjeeling at the base of Himalayas. Tonga or carriage services were available on the cart road.
Construction of a steam tramway from Siliguri to Darjeeling was started in 1879 with the effort of Franklin Prestage who was an agent of Eastern Bengal Railway Company and Ashley Eden, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.
Though many natural calamities such as earthquake in 1897 and a cyclone in 1899 occurred in Silliguri and Darjeeling but Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) continued to improve by extending its lines which was being done because no. of passenger and freight traffic were growing.
Buses running over the Hill Cart Road gave tough competition to the DHR because bus used to take less time than DHR. During World War 2millitary personnel and supplies were taken to different camps of Ghum and Darjeeling via DHR.
After independence, DHR was merged into Indian Railways and it is a part of the Northeast Frontier Railway Zone. Later on DHR was realigned and extended for about 6 km to New Jalpaiguri so that it can be connected to the new broad gauge line available there.
DHR rail line has been mostly built alongside Hill Cart Road and partly it is like National Highway 55. When some natural incident such as landslides took place then both road and track gets affected. In most of the areas buildings are built on both side of the road. Rail track appears like urban tramway tracks.
Train engines are equipped with very loud horns so that residents and car drivers can be warned about the approaching train.
Mostly trains continuously produce horn noise so the foreigner visitors who are not used to listens such a loud noise should protect their ear once they are riding the train.
Many stations such as New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Town, Siliguri Junction, Sukna, Rangtong, Chunbatti, Tindharia, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Dilaram, Sonada, Rangbul, Jor Bungalow, Ghum, Darjeeling etc are connected on Darjeeling Himalayan railway route.
Darjeeling railway station:
From time to time locomotives were given different looks. One of the DHR steam locomotive has also been sent out of India.
Those who travels via Darjeeling Himalayan Railway enjoys the journey which is full of affection and enthusiasm.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society support and preserve the DHR, they put their efforts in making the journey enjoyable for the travellers.
Many Bollywood films have been shot in Darjeeling railway. One can see popular song of film ‘Aradhana’ which was shot in Darjeeling, other films such as Parineeta, Jhumroo etc. have also been shot in Darjeeling. ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ film is also based on the DHR. BBC has also made documentary on the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway.
Source: http://indianrailwaystation.com/station/darjeeling-himalayan-railway-dhr-darjeeling-railway-station/