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Mountain railways of India
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Mountain railways of India
The Mountain railways of India refer to railway lines operating in the mountainous regions of India. These include narrow-gauge railways that connect to select hill stations, and some of the broad-gauge lines running across mountainous terrain.
Three of the lines, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka–Shimla Railway, are collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Mountain Railways of India". Two more narrow-gauge lines, the Matheran Hill Railway and the Kangra Valley Railway, are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is the only rack and pinion railway in India.
The Jammu–Baramulla line, completed in 2025, uses broad-gauge. Other broad-gauge mountain railways, such as the Chota Char Dham Railway, Bhanupli–Leh line and Sivok–Rangpo line are currently under construction, and others are in the planning stage.
Three railways, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka–Shimla Railway are collectively designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, under the name 'Mountain Railways of India'. The Matheran Hill Railway and Kangra Valley Railway are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UNESCO describes the Mountain Railways of India as "outstanding examples of bold, ingenious engineering solutions for the problem of establishing an effective rail link through rugged, mountainous terrain." The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway received the honor first in 1999 followed by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in 2005, and the Kalka–Shimla Railway was added in 2008. The three routes are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site criteria ii and iv, within the Asia-Pacific region.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 610 mm (24 in) narrow-gauge railway that links the 88.48 km (54.98 mi) route between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. The latter is a major hill station and the centre of a tea-growing district in East India. The town of Siliguri, at the start of the railway route, was connected with Calcutta via railway in 1878, while the additional journey to Darjeeling required the use of tongas (horse-driven carts) along a dust track. On the recommendations of a committee appointed by Ashley Eden, work on the route began in 1879. The line opened in phases and was completed by July 1881. Initially, small four wheel carriages were used, which was replaced by bogie carriages later. The line underwent several improvements such as making its gradients more gradual over the years to increase its manoeuvrability.
The route is operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway of the Indian Railways. The line starts at near sea level at Siliguri and raises to over 2,100 m (7,000 ft) at Darjeeling. The highest elevation is at Ghoom station, 2,258 m (7,408 ft). The line has steep gradients and several sharp curves along the route. The line originally had bankings of gradient ranging from 1 in 19 to 1 in 36 with sharp curves of 50 ft (15 m) radius. However, over the years, the line was modified, with the steepest gradient now being 1 in 23, and the sharpest curve having a turning radius of 69 ft (21 m). The track features four zigzags and four loops. The train is pulled by steam locomotives, and moves at speeds of between 20–25 km/h (12–16 mph). Although the service was begun in the 19th century to move humans and freight efficiently, its primary clients today are tourists. The railway is notable for its signage located at key vantage points, marking locations with titles such as Agony Point and Sensation Corner. The spirals on steep hills that provide scenic views of the valleys below.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a 45.88 km (28.51 mi) metre gauge single-line railway. It connects the town of Mettupalayam with the hill station of Udagamandalam (Ooty) in the state of Tamil Nadu. It traverses through the Nilgiri Hills of Southern India ascending from an elevation of 326 m (1,070 ft) to 2,203 m (7,228 ft). Before the line was laid, travel was slow and arduous with bullock carts, and horses used for travel. Plans for the railway line was first made in 1854, however, the line was completed only in June 1899. The line was initially laid till Coonoor, and was extended to Ooty in October 1908. It was initially operated by the Madras Railway, which later became part of the South Indian Railway Company. It is currently been operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways.
It is the only rack railway in India, and it uses an Abt rack system, which requires the use of special steam locomotives. The line runs for 7.2 km (4.5 mi), up to the station of Kallar, where the rack rail portion begins. The rack rail portion ends at Coonoor railway station. In addition to the traction by adhesion as in an ordinary loco, additional traction is generated by pinions acting on the track bars in the segment. There are four brakes including two hand brakes, and two air brakes, and the former are used for shunting while the latter for descending steep gradients. One of the handbrakes acts on the tyres of the wheels in the ordinary manner and the second acts on grooved surfaces of the pinion axle, but can be used in those places where the rack is laid. The line has an average gradient of 1 in 24.5, with the steepest at 1 in 23, and is one of the steepest mountain railway in Asia. The line includes 250 bridges, 15 road over bridges, and 16 tunnels. The longest tunnel of this section measures 97 m (318 ft). The uphill journey along the route to take about 290 min (4.8 h), while the downhill journey takes 215 min (3.6 h). The line is prone to disruptions, as the region experiences heavy rainfall during the monsoon.
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Mountain railways of India
The Mountain railways of India refer to railway lines operating in the mountainous regions of India. These include narrow-gauge railways that connect to select hill stations, and some of the broad-gauge lines running across mountainous terrain.
Three of the lines, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka–Shimla Railway, are collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Mountain Railways of India". Two more narrow-gauge lines, the Matheran Hill Railway and the Kangra Valley Railway, are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is the only rack and pinion railway in India.
The Jammu–Baramulla line, completed in 2025, uses broad-gauge. Other broad-gauge mountain railways, such as the Chota Char Dham Railway, Bhanupli–Leh line and Sivok–Rangpo line are currently under construction, and others are in the planning stage.
Three railways, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka–Shimla Railway are collectively designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, under the name 'Mountain Railways of India'. The Matheran Hill Railway and Kangra Valley Railway are on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. UNESCO describes the Mountain Railways of India as "outstanding examples of bold, ingenious engineering solutions for the problem of establishing an effective rail link through rugged, mountainous terrain." The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway received the honor first in 1999 followed by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in 2005, and the Kalka–Shimla Railway was added in 2008. The three routes are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site criteria ii and iv, within the Asia-Pacific region.
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 610 mm (24 in) narrow-gauge railway that links the 88.48 km (54.98 mi) route between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. The latter is a major hill station and the centre of a tea-growing district in East India. The town of Siliguri, at the start of the railway route, was connected with Calcutta via railway in 1878, while the additional journey to Darjeeling required the use of tongas (horse-driven carts) along a dust track. On the recommendations of a committee appointed by Ashley Eden, work on the route began in 1879. The line opened in phases and was completed by July 1881. Initially, small four wheel carriages were used, which was replaced by bogie carriages later. The line underwent several improvements such as making its gradients more gradual over the years to increase its manoeuvrability.
The route is operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway of the Indian Railways. The line starts at near sea level at Siliguri and raises to over 2,100 m (7,000 ft) at Darjeeling. The highest elevation is at Ghoom station, 2,258 m (7,408 ft). The line has steep gradients and several sharp curves along the route. The line originally had bankings of gradient ranging from 1 in 19 to 1 in 36 with sharp curves of 50 ft (15 m) radius. However, over the years, the line was modified, with the steepest gradient now being 1 in 23, and the sharpest curve having a turning radius of 69 ft (21 m). The track features four zigzags and four loops. The train is pulled by steam locomotives, and moves at speeds of between 20–25 km/h (12–16 mph). Although the service was begun in the 19th century to move humans and freight efficiently, its primary clients today are tourists. The railway is notable for its signage located at key vantage points, marking locations with titles such as Agony Point and Sensation Corner. The spirals on steep hills that provide scenic views of the valleys below.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a 45.88 km (28.51 mi) metre gauge single-line railway. It connects the town of Mettupalayam with the hill station of Udagamandalam (Ooty) in the state of Tamil Nadu. It traverses through the Nilgiri Hills of Southern India ascending from an elevation of 326 m (1,070 ft) to 2,203 m (7,228 ft). Before the line was laid, travel was slow and arduous with bullock carts, and horses used for travel. Plans for the railway line was first made in 1854, however, the line was completed only in June 1899. The line was initially laid till Coonoor, and was extended to Ooty in October 1908. It was initially operated by the Madras Railway, which later became part of the South Indian Railway Company. It is currently been operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways.
It is the only rack railway in India, and it uses an Abt rack system, which requires the use of special steam locomotives. The line runs for 7.2 km (4.5 mi), up to the station of Kallar, where the rack rail portion begins. The rack rail portion ends at Coonoor railway station. In addition to the traction by adhesion as in an ordinary loco, additional traction is generated by pinions acting on the track bars in the segment. There are four brakes including two hand brakes, and two air brakes, and the former are used for shunting while the latter for descending steep gradients. One of the handbrakes acts on the tyres of the wheels in the ordinary manner and the second acts on grooved surfaces of the pinion axle, but can be used in those places where the rack is laid. The line has an average gradient of 1 in 24.5, with the steepest at 1 in 23, and is one of the steepest mountain railway in Asia. The line includes 250 bridges, 15 road over bridges, and 16 tunnels. The longest tunnel of this section measures 97 m (318 ft). The uphill journey along the route to take about 290 min (4.8 h), while the downhill journey takes 215 min (3.6 h). The line is prone to disruptions, as the region experiences heavy rainfall during the monsoon.