Heritage status for Nilgiris Railway soon.

steven_ber

Coimbatore, June 22: While the long-cherished dream of getting heritage status to the Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) may not be a far off reality, the Railways are more concerned how to make the train more viable.


The UNESCO is understood to have accepted in principle the application from Southern Railways, and other different organisations in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu to accord the heritage status, which is to come by the end of July, highly placed railway sources said.


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lonelyaztec

That's great news.

Another movable heritage site for India - other than the Darjeeling Toy Train.

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phantom

What is the route of this train ?? Which places it touches ?? Is this the one that goes to Ooty ??

pkalra

thats the one , runs from OOTY to Mettupalayam

Great News !!!

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...puser/131/sl/p

rangss

The railway deserves the heritage status, specifically for the rack and pinion working.
Also the X class "Swiss Miss" 0-8-2 tank engines are of antique value today and it is an endearing sight to the eyes to see them puff up the hills in full steam. Sad thing, most of these locos were scrapped! The YDM-4 that takes over from Conoor to Ooty are pretty soon going to be an extinct class. These Alcos (Montreal Loco Works) might find work only on the NMR now.

The Heritage status will ensure that The X Class gets full maintenance.

Check this member's site for some great pics and descriptions:
http://members.tripod.com/~railinindia/south.html

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beach

They are finding it extremely difficult to maintain the engines in working order.
When I traveled, the front section was practically empty. So I could easily make company with the guard at the front of the train. (the engine pushes the train to Ooty and on return journey it pulls to Metupalayam )

I’ve been told by the guard along with I traveled in this rail that it’s more expensive to maintain these kind of steam engine than the regular ones. So 90% of the time it’s in the shed and they you’re the diesel engine to run the train.

Also it’s funny when I asked him why the train doesn’t have windshield. He said they are not modifying anything so as to keep its heritage look and value. He was the part of the team when the UNESCO officials visited the railway. It’s extremely difficult to stand in front portion of the running train in the chilly weather of Ooty hills. I could not stand it for more than 30 minutes. This man wears a shawl covering his head leaving the eyes alone. Then he wears a spectacle.

I asked him why couldn’t he request the workshop to fit it with a glass panel at the front so that the wind doesn’t hit so harshly. To which he replied “It’s easy for the officials to say the heritage to be maintained. For they travels only once like this. I’m doing it every day and suffering. I’ve been doing this for the past 25 years, so I’m used to it! ”

But whatever is said and done, it’s great fun & pleasure to travel by this rail.

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