Friday, January 20, 2006

Nilagiri Mountain Railway #3


Rest In Dignity? A nicely painted Winterthur plinthed in front of Coonoor station house. The Abt system is not visible under the loco, however.


A flagstone for the loco describing its features. Even age....looks like the loco is still in running condition, for the age is changed every year.


The Mettupalayam-Ooty passenger slowly ambles into Coonoor after a 4 hour uphill crawl at 13kmph.


The coal is all used up! The loco, coaches and even the fireman are all covered with soot. A common site many years ago, now reserved only for the Nilagiri Mountain Railway. The passenger moves onto the only platform at Coonoor.



Many fans for the steaming hot Swiss Miss. One thing I have observed is that this train is more famous on the Coonoor-Ooty stretch than up or down to Mettupalayam. Hordes of tourists of all kinds and nationalities temporarily ditch their preferred mode of transport at Coonoor/Ooty and take a joy ride in this train. They even take snaps of the YDM4 diesel loco thinking it to be a part of the 'toy train' set-up. But the steamer has its own fans too, like in the photo.


The diesel and the steamer. Looks like it is straight out of Thomas The Tank Engine...the steamer would be Giggles and the Diesel is Barney....dunno ...the names just came to my head :-)


Giggles and Barney again...a critical mind would see a great deal in this photo....the locos, the distance between them, the angle etc. I see only one thing...darn! I screwed up the snap :)


Giggles is shunting itself out of the main line onto the pit-lane....sheesh that is Formula 1 jargon!...well towards its steam shed.


No more giggles (pun intended)! The Winterthur steam loco looks like it could do with a nice clean up and paint job in the front. After all, it is a Unesco heritage!Look at the plinted loco...it is all clean and polished.




Stations on the NMR are compact and cute. Note this points levers right beside the station master's office at Ketti. They are newly painted in bright colors. After all, they are a heritage under UNESCO.

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