Historic Toy Train of Darjeeling to start rolling again

Darjeeling: The Historic Toy Train between Siliguri and Darjeeling would start operating again.

Government has planned to  restore road and rail link on National Highway 55 between Siliguri and Kurseong of Darjeeling District. The road transport and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway operations were suspended following a major landslide near Tindharia in June 2010.

The 88 kilometre long narrow gauge rail line between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling has 13 stations. The rail line running parallel to National Highway 55 was also damaged in the landslide. Railway authorities have said that the operation of toy train on this narrow gauge rail section will resume only after restoration of damaged rail lines However, toy trains are still running between Kurseong and Darjeeling. UNESCO had declared this unique hill rail link as a World Heritage Site in November 1999.

Update (September 2013)

No Scheduled service operates between Siliguri and Kurseong except the Jungle Safari which extends upto Chunbhati.  The train leaves Siliguri Junction at 1000hrs arriving Chunbhati at approx. 1130 hrs.

However, daily two trips of Diesel  Hauled Carriage plies between Kurseong and Darjeeling. Four separate Steam hauled trains operate between Darjeeling and Ghum (India’s second highest station at 2257 m).