Century-old Nilgiri Mountain Railway train engine revamped; Here’s tips for travellers

The Ooty Railway, or Nilgiri Mountain Railway was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Now it has been revamped for tourists.

Nilgiris: The Nilgiri Mountain Railway engine maintenance work has been completed, and the mountain train has arrived at the Coonoor railway station with a new look, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

The Nilgiri mountain train has been operating between Coonoor and Mettupalayam on the Nilgiris mountain route for centuries. The Nilgiris Mountain Railway has received the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Maintenance work was completed in 6 months and it was carried out at a cost of Rs 4 crore The mountain train engine, which was brought to Mettupalayam by a lorry from the Ponmalai workshop in Trichy, was tested by connecting two coaches from Mettupalayam railway station to Coonoor railway station.

The mountain train engine successfully reached Coonoor railway station. It has now been upgraded in a modern way and will soon be installed in a passenger train and used for Ooty-Mettupalayam train.

Tourist Attraction

Not only domestic tourists but in a large number of foreign tourists are also travelling on the mountain train for the summer festival held in the Nilgiris district in the months of April and May.

The mountain train from Mettupalayam to Coonoor gives them a new experience.

Tourists said that travelling on the winding railway line along the mountain ridges, natural views, waterfalls, caves and mountains gives them a new experience.

About Nilgiri Mountain Railway

The Ooty Railway or Nilgiri Mountain Railway was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by the British in the early 1900s with labourers from the Kongu region, who were paid only two meals and daily wages of a mere 50 paise.

The train journey starts from Mettupalayam at 7.10 am and ends at Ooty or Udhagamandalam at around 12 noon. The train departs from Ooty at 2 pm and reaches Mettupalayam at 5.55 pm.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway travels a distance of 26 km and passes through 208 curves, 16 tunnels and 250 bridges. It runs on a narrow gauge, the only train in the world which uses a centre chain grip in the centre that is a total of three tracks, two tracks and one grip zigzag track, which controls and grips the train uphill and downhill from slipping.

The uphill journey takes about 4.8 hours, and the downhill journey takes 3.6 hours. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway has the steepest track in Asia, with a maximum gradient of 8.33%. Nilgiri Mountain Train tickets are usually purchased from the IRCTC website.

Tips for Travellers

• It is always a good idea to book tickets well in advance of your journey.
• The trick is to enjoy the journey from Ooty to Coonoor or from Coonoor to Ooty. The journey takes about an hour and twenty minutes each way.
• Try to sit on the side that looks out into the valley for the best views.
• It may be sunny and hot before you get on the train, but take something warm with you. You will be in the middle of the forest, looking at tea plantations and passing small streams and waterfalls, and the temperature is sure to drop. Be prepared!

The journey towards wonders will continue.