First trial run of toy train in Siliguri

TT, Siliguri, Dec.25: The first trial run of the toy train took place today from Siliguri to Darjeeling after a gap of four years.

According to officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway, they expect the toy train services to resume from Siliguri from December 27.

“We have to check the railway tracks near the Paglajhora area that was damaged by a landslide four years back, by conducting a few more rides. Once we confirm that the track is suitable to carry the train with passengers through the damaged portions that we have already restored, we will restart train service between Siliguri and Darjeeling,” said B.R.Diyali, the assistant divisional mechanical engineer of NFR.

A.K.Sharma, the divisional railway manager of Katihar division of NFR, on December 19, had said that the toy train service will resume from December 25.

However, after he and other railway officials visited the railway tracks at Paglajhora, around 35km from here yesterday, they postponed the train services and said that more trial runs were required.

An NFR official today said there are plans to conduct at least four more trial runs through the restored portions of the track, which were damaged by the landslides.

“Keeping in view the on going festive season, we are keen to restart uninterrupted train service from Siliguri to Darjeeling this time so that it can attract more tourists here,” the official said.

“Toy train service is always an attraction not only for tourists who are visiting Darjeeling, but also for local residents. However, the safety parameters cannot be ignored and we prefer to delay the resumption of services only after the complete safety check through trial runs, are done,” he said.

The rail service from Siliguri to Darjeeling was stopped on June 2010 after a landslide washed away about 500 meters of the track at Paglajhora.

The tracks got affected further after a major earth quake damaged a portion of it near Tindharia on September, 2011.