What is in news : The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has launched a regular Jungle Tea Toy Train Safari on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Route.

Details

• From Siliguri West Bengal to Rongtong
• Feature a heritage steam engine and view dome dining car
• Spectacular views of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding hills from trains.
• Expected to boost the tourism sector in the region. Locals will be having the opportunity to participate in weekend tours regularly

Additional information

• Existing direct DHR Toy train service was discontinued for one and a half years due to covid-19 pandemic
• Existing toy train services
  • The heritage toy train services, launched earlier, started again in between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in West Bengal. The service was halted for 17-month amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Currently, one train is running between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, each day to cover a distance of 88 kilometres.
  • The train climbs from New Jalpaiguri (100 metres above sea level) to Darjeeling (2,200 metres above sea level).
  • Steepness of the route was the most challenging part for the train. To tackle this challenge, oops and zig-zags were incorporated along the train route.
  • In order to gain altitude while going up the hill, this train moves forward, reverses and moves forward again.
  • DHR toy train is a UNESCO World Heritage site as it was declared by the UN body on December 5, 1999.