Coimbatore : The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) engine which was sent to Trichy Ponmalai eight months ago for repair arrived at the Mettupalayam railway station today, after a complete renovation.
Coimbatore : The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) engine which was sent to Trichy Ponmalai eight months ago for repair arrived at the Mettupalayam railway station today, after a complete renovation.
NMR which is recognized by UNESCO in its World Heritage Site, operates from Mettupalayam to Ooty daily at 7.10 am. Tourists from various parts of the country as well as from other nations throng the NMR for a coveted ride every summer, to enjoy the scenic beauty of the hills during their journey. In light of the high demand for NMR, an additional special train is now being operated during Saturdays and Sundays at 9 am to accommodate more tourists. Out of eight engines, two old charcoal engines are not being used due to fault in the engines. The remaining engines were sent one after the other, every year, to Trichy Ponmalai workshop for repair.
The steam engine which arrived in Mettupalayam after repair was built in India in 2013, weighs approximately 5 tonnes. It consists of 4500 litre capacity water tank and 1200 litre capacity burner oil tank. It was brought in a truck via road, and was unloaded with the help of a giant crane and more than 30 railway workers were involved in unloading the engine. Railway authorities said that this engine will be back into regular usage in a few days time.
NMR which is recognized by UNESCO in its World Heritage Site, operates from Mettupalayam to Ooty daily at 7.10 am. Tourists from various parts of the country as well as from other nations throng the NMR for a coveted ride every summer, to enjoy the scenic beauty of the hills during their journey. In light of the high demand for NMR, an additional special train is now being operated during Saturdays and Sundays at 9 am to accommodate more tourists. Out of eight engines, two old charcoal engines are not being used due to fault in the engines. The remaining engines were sent one after the other, every year, to Trichy Ponmalai workshop for repair.
The steam engine which arrived in Mettupalayam after repair was built in India in 2013, weighs approximately 5 tonnes. It consists of 4500 litre capacity water tank and 1200 litre capacity burner oil tank. It was brought in a truck via road, and was unloaded with the help of a giant crane and more than 30 railway workers were involved in unloading the engine. Railway authorities said that this engine will be back into regular usage in a few days time.