DC IMPACT: Vintage loco returns to NMR rails to salute Gandhi's memory

OOTY: Taking cues from reports appearing in these columns on February 18, 2007 and on February 5, 2018, besides concerted efforts taken by the Heritage Steam Chariot Trust (HSCT), an organisation of hill train aficionados, the railways at last decided to put back into service the century-old Swiss-made coal-fired steam locomotive that came out of retirement and took passengers in Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) on Tuesday. The event coincided with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi scripting a new history in the annals of the NMR, a World Heritage Site.

This Swiss-made coal-fired steam locomotive, which was inducted to NMR service in February 1918, is the lone surviving coal-fired locomotive in the NMR as oil-fired steam locomotives replaced the coal-fired locomotives in the NMR gradually over the years. This coal-fired loco too was retired from service in late 2016 and made as an exhibit in the railway station yard here.

Of course, the special “Joy-ride” in the train hauled by this coal-fired steam loco on Tuesday morning heralded the return of the vintage locomotive to NMR rails that saw both the coaches were filled to capacity. As the famed song “Kelvi piranthathu indru” in the Sivaji-starrer “Pachaivillaku” portrays the joy of coal-fired steam loco ride, on the train journey today in the 100-year-old coal-fired loco from here to Ketti, 10-km from here, and back, made passengers enjoy the “chikku-bukku” sound, the unique whistle, billowing of smoke, steam moving up the air, engine crew loading the coal and the locomotive being filled with water at the railway stations.