No Toy Train from NJP now

The famed Darjeeling toy train would not operate between New Jalpaiguri and Kurseong for about a week following a landslip on the narrow gauge track near Tindharia, the Railway officials said.
A 30 m-stretch of the track in between Tindharia and Rongtong was left hanging yesterday as the soil under it gave way, barely an hour after the down train carrying about 50 passengers had crossed the place, assistant operating manager NF Railway Mr RK Jha told PTI.
Mr Jha along with the director of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Mr S Nath and other officers visited the spot and engaged workers for repair work.
Meanwhile, it was decided to run the train on the entire stretch after the repair work was scrutinised by an appropriate authority, Mr Jha said, adding this might lead to suspension of the train in that stretch for about five to seven days. However, the toy train, a major attraction of tourists, would continue to run in between Kurseong and Darjeeling during this period, he added.
The great landslides of 1950's devastated many places and caused widespread damage to property and life. The DHR was no exception. Extensive damage was caused and large portions of the railway track were washed out and fell into the Teesta river. Repairs and restoration of the track involved a huge sum. Sadly, the Railway authorities, lacking foresight, at least from the heritage point of view, decided to disband and close this sector forever. It left only a handful of old timers to retain nostalgic memories of the Siliguri-Sevoke-Teesta sector of DHR, abandoned and heaped in the river Teesta by the Railway mandarins in New Delhi.

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