Fresh coal fails to fire toy train ride - Hill track journey cut short for second time in four days

Darjeeling, March 29: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway continues to be hit by disruptions. The Unesco World Heritage property ran out of steam once again today because of poor quality of coal.

On Friday, too, the DHR could not operate its services as inferior quality coal was shoved into the engines. Even though the DHR officials stocked up 11 tonnes of coal on Saturday, the fresh supply failed to propel the engine.

“The Kurseong 10DN train (which does a daily round between Darjeeling and Kurseong) could not overcome the gradient near Bokshijhora today and had to return,” said a witness.

The 44 passengers on the train who were charged Rs 240 each for the two-hour ride had to be satisfied with half the journey.

The other joy ride, which starts from Ghoom at 1.20pm, could, however, be completed as the authorities segregated the better quality coal from the stock and shoved it into the engine.

“Eleven tonnes of coal were brought on Saturday, but it was also muddy and dusty. The quality was the same as in the DHR’s stock. The fresh supply has not made any difference,” said a source.

P.P. Roy, director, DHR, admitted that the coal supplied on Saturday was of inferior quality. “Coal is supplied by the Eastern Coalfields and we always make a very specific order about the quality. However, the coal we have received does not conform to the standards set by us. There are very few lumps and the stock is mostly dusty.”

The director said a complaint had already been lodged with the Eastern Coalfield authorities about the poor quality. “We are facing a lot of problem as the DHR needs coal which has high calorific value. We usually require Grade B coal. We are hopeful that a better grade coal will arrive as early as possible,” said Roy.

He added that the DHR was trying its best to operate the services.

The DHR requires around 3.5 tonnes of coal every day to operate its steam services.

Coal is not just the problem plaguing the DHR. A few days back, the joy ride was delayed because of lack of water.

“The 10.40am train managed to leave the station around 1pm. There was no water at the railway station and officials were seen pumping water from private tankers. The Darjeeling loco shed does not even have a proper water storage facility,” said an official.

A toy train needs around 2,000 litres of water during a ride.

“Even the refilling point at West Point Water Column has no proper source to fill up the tanks,” he added.

“In December, when a chartered toy train was being run from Siliguri to Darjeeling, it was stranded for almost four hours at Rongtong station because of lack of water,” said Pradip Lama, the secretary of the Darjeeling Association of Travel Agents.

Source: The Telegraph