dana Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 coach and engine shed (steam ) No 520 dual control steam engine private car we rented on the down trip my mom and dad ( who paid for the car lucky me ) tough in the tropics pose luxuary loo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
newport_rod Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Thanks for posting these Dana. They brought back wonderful memories of travelling on the line in 2008. We didn't go for the posh private carriage option though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I'd say the usual Indian toilet facilities were worth avoiding at any price! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dana Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 Well a little better then the second class 2 tier ac cars that i had travelled on to get to kalka less crowded and smelly and you didnt have to worry about the lock on the door coolies waiting for customers as you couldnt drive a vechicle past the outer town limits unless you got permit for your driver to take you to hotel the porters are still called coolies acording to this sign notice the plat form 1 & 2 signs on same platform Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgundy Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Dana When we travelled early last year, the steam loco was unavailable (allegedly in pieces on the floor in Amritsar works). We therefore travelled in one of the modern-image railcars. Bullet holes from an attack by bandits (in the 1930s) had been completely repaired. On the return journey back down to Kalka, we were treated to the "on train catering". Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 The writing on the red buffer beam transliterates to "rel motar kar 4", which surely means what it sounds like! Can't quite make out the lettering on the black box though Edit: just found the photo enlarges if you click it. The black box reads "baitri baks", or battery box by the look of it! Getting the hang of it now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgundy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Did anyone else notice in yesterday's Telegraph that there was a particularly incoherent piece about the Kalka-Shimla railway? The gist of it was that "the train" would not run any more because the wheels were no longer usable and no replacements could be found. The implication was that the line was being shut as a result. This link suggests otherwise (although some of the description of the features of the line seems to be arithmetically challenged) . If I understand it correctly, it is only the 1927 railcar that is posing a problem (possibly the one in the photo above). When we were there, our group was transported in two similar vehicles and it is not clear whether it is one or both that are in distress. In any event, it sounds as though it is not the whole line, as the Daily Telegraph article rather suggested. Best wishes Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 It would appear to be the rail cars that are life expired as per http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/End-of-road-for-1927-Kalka-Shimla-rail-car/articleshow/15369815.cms They still have the locos & coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Now that's a shame, 'cos me and SWMBO are off to India, to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary, in November and part of the trip is on the 'Toy Train' from Kalka to Shimla. Would have been great to see one of these old 'buses'. We are doing the usual touristy bits, Taj mahal, Amber Fort etc and then get the Night Mail to Kalka, which SWMBO is not looking forward to!!!! A trip up the line to Shimla and then 3 days in Shimla, unfortunately we're not getting the train back down, ah well can't have everything :biggrin_mini2: Regards Neal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devonbelle Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Great to see the pix. I travelled the line in April 1988 - it doesn't appear to have changed. We had at least two of the vintage railcars for our journey from Kalka - was there a third? On route from Kalka at Jutogh we passed a mixed train hauled by one of the Bo Bo Mak diesel locos, with a train loaded with coal, some bogie drinking water tank cars, and a coach packed to the gunnels. My pal and I stayed in Simla, and one of the days when photting at the station the Carriage and Wagon Superintendent, Mr Pathak, had us into his office as guests, with afternoon tea and cakes and a tour of the carriage sheds with his staff changing brake blocks on bogie carriages, he later took us into Simla signal box where I was allowed to work the frame. Aside from coal, Mr Pathak said the other freight traffic was potatoes in bogie vans. On our return journey - in the evening there was a hoo-hah, with the booked pass (loco and coaches) going ahead of our railcars, not as per plan, we eventually over took the L&C but only after a very heated argument between our railcar driver, the L&C driver and the signaller at one of the intermediate loops - lots of head shaking and shouting ensued I recollect! Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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