Nilgiris loco to end its 105-year run in Feb

UDHAGAMANDALAM: After over a century of service, one of the oldest Swiss made X' class locomotives operating on the Nilgiri Mountain Railways (NMR) is all set to be phased out in February. It will be replaced by a new oil-fired steam engine.
The Swiss locomotive had served for 105 years on the mountain track, considered the longest and steepest meter gauge section in Asia.
Four oil-fired steam locos, estimated to cost Rs 40 crore, are being manufactured at the Golden Rock railway workshop in Tiruchi exclusively for the NMR section.
The first loco will be ready by February for hauling up compartments on the hilly stretch, which has been declared a World Heritage Railway system by Unesco. The second loco will roll out in June.
"At present, the NMR section has six Swiss-made steam locos, of which three are being operated by coal and the rest by furnace oil. The oldest one will be replaced with a new loco by the end of February," B Sude, chief mechanical engineer, Southern Railways, told TOI.
At present, of the six steam locomotives, only four are in working condition. Of these, the oldest was commissioned into service over 105 years ago, while the youngest is 59 years old.
On the 45.88km-long NMR track, the toy train' is operated by steam engines on the Mettupalayam-Coonoor stretch, a distance of 28km. In the Coonoor-Ooty section, a distance of about 18km, the train is hauled by a diesel locomotive.
Because of the scarcity of good quality charcoal, the engines will be operated by furnace oil. They are designed in such a way that, with minor modifications, they can also be operated by coal.
"As far as pollution is concerned, charcoal emission is slightly more than that of diesel but less harmful," said Sude, adding that the new engines will have the power to haul four coaches like at present.
K Natarajan, president, Heritage Steam Chariot Trust, told TOI, "Periodical maintenance of locomotives is very important.
The railways should set up a permanent maintenance unit in Coonoor instead of at the Golden Rock workshop." This would reduce the maintenance cost for the railways.
However, Sude said, "A mini maintenance loco shed is functioning at Coonoor station and only production related works are being carried out at the Golden Rock workshop."
Pointing out that NMR was Asia's steepest and longest metre gauge network, Natarajan said the Scottish-designed rack & pinion' railway system should be preserved.