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Blue Mountain Railway
The Nilgiris or the Blue Mountains are a part of South India's Western Ghats mountain range. Nestled in these Blue Mountains, the Nilgiri Railway celebrated its centennial birthday in August 2000.
Soon after a British man went to the Nilgiris for the first time in 1819, colonial settlements with tea plantations were established and the beginning of the Nilgiri rack railway were put in place. In those days, the rail track from Chennai ended at Mettupalayam. From there the journey to the hills had to be undertaken on pony or bullock cart.
Attempts to construct the first railway line in the Blue Hills began at the end of the 19th century. Swiss genius Arthur Riggenbach was invited to India by the government to build a railway similar to the Swiss-Rigi Mountain, the world's first railway rack line. Following a study tour of rack railway systems in the German Harz Mountains, the builders decided to adopt the technically superior New Abt System which was also compatible with the usual meter gauge railway track system. In 1891, the Governor of Chennai laid the foundation of the Nilgiri railway and the line was officially inaugurated seven years later. By 1908, the line extended up to Ooty (Ooty is also called Udhagamandalam or Ootacamund), although without a rack. Bayer Peacocks were the first engines to haul the train through 16 tunnels and numerous bridges on the route.
Initially, this line had two small-geared engines built by Beyer-Peacock in Manchester, England. Their traction power was too weak for traffic, so in 1911 the new railway owner, the South Indian Railways placed an order for four coupling engines with Swiss Loco Maker (SLM). The heavy duty, 50 tonne steam engines were so designed that they could be used on the entire stretch. These sturdy engines are still in use. In 1952, a slightly changed version of this model was ordered, which allows the engine to also run without rack.
Now, the fleet consists of eight steam engines, of which even the youngest are already 40 years old. Several years ago, the first and only diesel engine was added to the fleet. Still, for visitors, the real wonder is watching the traditional steam engine locomotive heading its way through the blue haze of the mountains.
Today, the locomotive, huffing and puffing, makes its arduous journey over the Nilgiri Hills. Operating on a rack and pinion system used only in high altitudes, the railway has a unique technical system created especially to hold the train from rolling backward on the hills.
With a shrill whistle, the steam from the engine spirals upward and the train passes dense forests to reach the mountain heights. When the train takes a turn deeper into the mountain range, all of a sudden one would be surrounded by a burst of green, sporadic birdcalls and the surprised hum of insects.
The rhythmic clatter of metal wheels over steel tracks soothes the mind of the traveler as the train laboriously winds its way around high mountains. When the train halts at a tavern-like station, one can see the rack bars in between the railway line. This is called the rack and pinion system and provides for extra adhesion required by the engine to draw the trainload over the steep Nilgiris.
During the first 7 km from Mettupalayam to Kallar, the railway line meanders through extensive rice fields, followed by the impressive 21 km long rock section. The track passes over 26 viaducts, 13 tunnels and numerous bends and tropical rain forest. After a steep climb, the train arrives in Coonoor, which is surrounded, by tea plantations. From there, the track climbs once more until it reaches Fern Hill at a height of 22,218 m, the highest point on the railroad. Shortly before Ooty, the track dips slightly downhill. The viaduct between Kallar and Adderley is a photographer's delight. This place can be reached from Kallar by walking a few kilometres along the railway track but there are chances of encounters with elephants, tigers and snakes. It also happens at times that the train cannot continue its journey because of elephants having damaged the water pipe, which supplies water to Kallar. This effectively means 'no water, no steam for the steam engine'. Sometimes, during the rainy season, landslides block the X railway track. But the damage is repaired immediately and the wheels roll again. From mid-April to mid-July, an additional pair of steam engines is employed.
On way, one comes across stations like Wellington, Lovedale, Runneymade, Kateri Road, and other charming places like the Dolphin's Seat, Law's Falls, Sim's Park, and Ralliah Dam. Once the train emerges at Ooty 2,240 meters above sea level, the view that meets the traveler's eye is incomparable. It takes one a few minutes to take in the sheer beauty of the Blue Mountains. The best way to start a trip to Ooty is with this train journey and the trip is not complete if the journey back from Ooty is not by the Blue Mountain Railways.
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