Kalka-Shimla Himalayan Railway

Kalka-Shimla Himalayan Railway



The Kalka Shimla Railway line is one of the most popular hill railway in India. The trains running on these tracks, are popularly called 'Toy Trains'. A journey on this railway is a unique experience as one passes through the breathtaking landscape of the majestic Himalayas, through tunnels and over bridges; amid the lush green valleys embellished with pine and oak trees. The traveller is left with a long lasting memory of rhapsody and triumph.

The Kalka Shimla railway line was inaugurated by the British Viceroy, Lord Curzon in November 1903, covering the distance of 96 km from Kalka through the curving tracks, up to Shimla hills- the summer capital of colonial India. The toy train passes through 102 tunnels (originally 103), 969 bridges, 919 curves and 20 railway stations in its entire journey. The Guinness Book on 'Rail Facts and Feats' included Kalka-Shimla Railway as the greatest narrow gauge engineering achievement in India.

Kalka Shimla Toy Train has about 07 coaches that can accommodate around 200 passengers in a single trip. The 700 horsepower B-B type diesel engines run energetically meeting the challenge of hazardous and adverse weather conditions - temperatures ranging from 0 to 45°C, heavy snowfall -average recording 2 feet during winters, and the annual rainfall of 200-250 cm, perceived by the valley. The train acquires up a moderate average speed of 25-30 km throughout its journey enabling its travelers to soak in the beauty of the picturesque valley.

An interesting feature of the Kalka-Shimla Railway is the almost complete absence of Girder bridges. Multi arched galleries like ancient roman aqueducts being the commonest means of carrying the line over the ravines between the hills spur. There is only one 60 feet plate girder span in a Pinewood near the old engineer’s bungalow at Dharampur and a steel trestle via duct, which replaced a stone gallery in 1935 in the 869 bridges representing about 3 percent of the line.