Besides a vast network of Rails in the plains and
plateaus, the Indian Railways also have some fascinating rail networks
in the Hill regions of India. These hill trains of India connect many
beautiful hill stations spread across the Himalayas and South India.
Let's have a look at these hill trains (toy trains), running through the
Himalayas and the Nilgiri Hills.
The Darjeeling Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is one of the most fascinating and
superb engineering feats of the world. The Darjeeling toy train/Sikkim
toy train runs 83 kilometers between Siliguri and Darjeeling for about
eight hours. The toy train runs on narrow gauge, only 0.6096 m but the
journey is exhilarating.
The Kangra Valley Railway
The Kangra valley railway is yet another superb example of railway
engineering. It is hard to believe how the railway engineers went about
the whole project without destroying the grandeur of the mountain, and
at the same time, revealing to the traveler, the enchanting beauty of
the mountains.
Kalka Shimla Railway
Kalka/Shimla train, popularly called 'Toy Train', runs on one of the
most fascinating landscapes. Meandering on these trains is a thrilling
experience as one passes through the breathtaking landscapes of the
majestic Himalayas, tunnels/ bridges and lush green valleys embroidered
with pine and oak trees.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Nilgiri Mountain Railway is one of the steepest railway tracks one in
Asia. The main feature of the Nilgiri mountain railway is the unique
rack system and the equally unique and complicated locomotives.
Matheran Light Railway
The Matheran light railway has an interesting history. Abdul Hussain,
son of business tycoon, Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy, started the construction
of Matheran railway. The construction of Matheran light railway was
started in 1904 and the two feet gauge line finally opened to traffic in
1907.
