Most of us, in our childhood, have played with the toy trains and it used to be an amusing game as kids. Just imagine you sitting in a cute and small toy train. Sounds like a beautiful experience is it? Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting in a tiny train which is crossing the beautiful and hills, over streams and through tunnels.
All that and much else comes true in case of the celebrated toy train which runs from Kalka to Shimla. The rail passes through mesmerizing vistas including hills on both sides of the train track, clings to the awe-inspiring steep cliffs, and crossing over 800 bridges and most of the bridges are on small streams.
There are around 900 beautiful curves and the train crosses 102 tunnels through its route of 96 kilometres. Approximately 2/3 of the railway track of this refreshing journey has curves which are at breath taking angles, some are curved upto 48 degrees.
One of the beautiful narrow gauge railway track, the Kalka-Shimla toy train runs through the charming hilly terrains of Himachal Pradesh and it has proudly made it up to the Guinness Book of World Records. The beauty and breath taking charm of the Toy Train of Shimla has made it one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
During the British times, the beautiful Toy Train of Shimla was considered as the “crown jewel†of the Indian National Railways. The train was built by the British during the reign of Lord Curzon in 1903. The train was built by the British as they wanted a beautiful and comfortable mode of transportation while they used to visit Shimla, their summer capital.
Every single second, in this one of the finest living example of Shimla’s heritage, one could enjoy the scenic beauty. In this journey of five hours through mystical mountains and pine forests, the toy train arduously climbs 4800 feet high in a slow motion at a speed less than 25 km ph.
The train halts at various places where the spectacular glimpse of nature can be captured. One can even get down for a quick snap and catch back the train with ease.
There are many classes of toy trains i.e. regular passenger trains, deluxe trains and super deluxe coaches that run on this route. There’s a special honeymoon coach, the romantic Shivalik Queen Coach which is designed with luxurious facilities and complete privacy for the couples.
The wall to wall carpet of the coach makes it look lavish and the fabric used for curtains is also soft and elegant. The windows are big in the honeymoon coach so that the couples do not miss the romantic moments inside as well as outside the train. If the couple wants to communicate with the driver of the train, there is a bell mounted for communication.
The journey by this toy train in such a scenic route, in any part of the year, will surely cherish in one’s memory as an adventurous and exceptional one.
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