Journalism of Courage
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: What it takes to run the toy train
A recent rap from UNESCO on the 'diminishing heritage value' of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has added to the long list of the 117-year-old toy train's problems.
Updated: July 25, 2018 06:36 IST
1 / 9A recent rap from UNESCO on the 'diminishing heritage value' of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has added to the long list of the 117-year-old toy train's problems. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
2 / 9A UNESCO team, stationed at the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway since 2016, has been working on a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
3 / 9As part of its CCMP project, one of the first activities that the UNESCO team carried out was to map the entire 88.48-km line and its surrounding areas. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
4 / 9The circuitous 5.99 km Darjeeling-Ghum-Darjeeling joyride is the most popular among tourists. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
5 / 9The DHR, or the Darjeeling toy train as it is commonly known, opened in 1881, connecting Siliguri with Darjeeling, climbing more than 2,000 meters into the mountains while crossing 456 bridges, 153 unmanned level crossings and looping impossibly around 872 curves. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
6 / 9One of the steam engines at the Darjeeling loco shed preparing for the early morning haul. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
7 / 9Encroachment on the tracks is rampant, and these are often used as footpaths by pedestrians. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
8 / 9According to the Darjeeling Association of Travel Agents, there are 6 lakh domestic tourists and 30,000 foreign tourists who come to Darjeeling annually. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
9 / 9The four-coach train makes eight daily trips between Monday to Thursday and additional three trips between Friday to Sunday. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
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