Indian TOY TRAINS

This is an unparalleled experience of exploring up the hills. If you have some time in you hand, then take a slow toy train up to the hill resorts of Shimla, Ooty (Udhagamandalam), Darjeeling or Matheran to enjoy every bit of the hill resorts. The toy trains operates on narrow-gauge tracks - henceforth the name toy trains. The toy trains were laid during the British era to link stations in the plains with the hill stations. All the routes offer a relaxing experience, where passengers takes the glimpse of the diverse mountain scenery at leisure hours


Some of the routes covered by toy trains are :

Kalka-Shimla

Kalka-Shimla Railway is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway in North-West India travelling along a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla. It is known for breathtaking views of the hills and surrounding villages, and for having the greatest incline over its 96km stretch.

The Kalka Shimla Railway runs through 103 tunnels. The longest tunnel is at Barog, and is named after the engineer in charge of construction.

The Kalka-Shimla Railway was built to connect Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British, with the Indian rail system. Now, Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh and Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana. Spectacular scenery along the whole route, and the marvels of its construction, keeps the traveler on this line spell bound. On leaving Kalka, 656 meters (2,152 ft) above sea level, the railway enters the foothills and immediately commences its climb.


The Shivalik Deluxe Express

The Shivalik Palace exudes royalty. A tourist coach, it has elegant interiors with comfortable folding beds, cushioned chair, wall clock, dining table, dressing table, in brief everything that you require to make your journey luxurious. There is also a well equipped kitchen and a modern bathroom. With light music playing in the background, you can either enjoy reading a book or play a variety of indoor games to entertain yourself.

As for Shivalik Queen coach, it is specifically meant for the newly wed couple who wish to enjoy the beauty of the nature and privacy simultaneously. The coupes have elegantly curtained big windows for you to enjoy the scenery outside. Like the Shivalik Deluxe, the Shivalik Queen, too has wall to wall carpeting for generating a feeling of travelling in a luxurious environment.


Darjeeling Hill Railway

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, nicknamed the "Toy Train", is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in West Bengal, 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 at Siliguri to about 2,200 m at Darjeeling. It is still powered by a steam engine


Nilgiri Mountain Railway

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) connects the town of Mettupalayam with the hill station of Udagamandalam, in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India. Both towns are in the state of Tamil Nadu.


Matheran Railway

This 77-year-old line connects Neral (on the Mumbai-Pune line) to the resort of Matheran . The view of hills and plains unwraps as the sturdy little train starts up for the peaceful retreat. The train runs between sunrise and sunset, covering the distance in 1.5 hours.