The Nilgiri railway.

On the  UNESCO  list are a few of the Indian trains. Hill train lines dating back to the time of British rule. It was constructed in 1907. Train lines that survived modernisation just long enough to make it to the protected world of UNESCO. Today their main economical base is tourism, but they still work for the locals as well. They are heavily outnumbered by tourists, though. The Nilgiri mountain railway is one of these venerable trains. Modern roads with cars and buses has made the line obsolete-a moving anachronism from another time. Without the UNESCO status, it would have been gone. But maybe not that long gone, it was inscribed on the list as late as 2005, as an addition to the more famous Darjeeling Himalayan railway.

The Nilgiri line is a 45,88 kilometer long 1 meter gauge line running from Mettupalyam to Ooty.  The steepest parts, from Kallar to Coonoor is equipped with a pinion rack. Along the way there are 13 tunnels, 27 viaducts and 206 curves.

I arrived in Mettupalyam the day before my planned trip, it is advisable to get a reservation placed the day before even in the low season. In high season, even that is usually not early enough. My plan was to get to the station in good time. However the Indian punctuality blew that. I couldn't place a reservation but was advised to show up at 5 am at the station. So i did, and joined a line of tourists and locals alike hoping for a seat. I had left my luggage at the hotel-the plan was getting my place, and then return to pick it up and get to a decent toilet at the same time. There were several hours to wait, so i expected even Indians would make it run quickly enough to make that work. A stupid plan. A guy eventually started to pass out white paperslips. Something written on it, i don't know what. Then shortly after ordering us to embarque and capture a seat. But-but-but, i tried to explain-i need to get my luggage. GET ONBOARD-NOW, OR LOOSE YOUR SEAT. YOU GOT YOUR TICKET> YOU DECIDE IF YOU USE IT OR NOT!!. Got my ticket? I wondered as i followed order. What i had done was following instructions. I had never paid a rupee anywhere. And suddenly I was on the list. Exellent, i thought. I got a seat, or half of it at least. I travelled budget class, in the most basics of traincoaches. Everybody had luggage, but not really anywhere to put it. Now came my moment of quick action. I put some clothing on my seat. Asked my seatfellow to look after it, telling I WILL return soon. Jumped out the window. It was easier than opting for the door, and ran to my hotel and back. Then in trough the window with my luggage. No problem.

Now it was time to enjoy. I came in time to welcome the steamlocomotive, she came coughing and panting from a shed. Passed us on a paralel track, got changed over to our track and was attached behind the couches. She was going to push, rather than pull. Probably adding to the safety.

  Then the boss with the green flag entered stage. The lok screamed, and we were off. The landscape along the way is beautifull, and in areas quite spectacular. There is a looong way down to the valley, sometimes visible from the train. Getting the right seat is vital-you should fight for a left side seat if going uphill. I didn't manage that, and was cheated for lot of the best views. However lot of people left when we arrived in Coonoor, because from there it is diesel-not steam. I could switch a bit between seats as it suited me.

Our locomotive is one of the old X class locomotives. Coal fired engines. There have been built four "modern"" oil fuelled X class locomotives to ease the burden for the old ones. The first of those arrived in 2011, the last entered service in 2013. The Lock was built in Switzerland and is a four cylinder compound engine. On normal racks it can manage 30 kilometers per hour, whilst on the rack it is down to 15 kilometers per hour. Romantically slow.

Lots of wheels and brackets. I would love to run one of these machines one day.

The steam lady breathes heavy as she pushes us uphill. The gradient is 8,33%, or 1:12. That is the steepest gradient in Asia.

A peek into my coach during a stop where most left to stretch their legs. An old coach, hundreds of daily life tales from the old India embedded in its walls.

A second class coach.

After a heavy uphill leg, the locomotive get a rest. Water is filled and the crew lubricate moving parts.

The pinion rack. Without it, it would have been impossible to run a trail along this line.

Kallar station, where the uphill battle starts.

Coonoor. The end of the line for the steam locomotive. From here a diesel engine propels us up to Ooty. It was an incredible different feel. The steam engine provided a more alive experience-chugging and shaking. The diesel was one rhythm, no heavy breathing. It felt like going from a living animal, to dead engine. I instantly missed the steam!