Ooty Train Nilgiri Mountain Railway Test Run, 1900 Postcard
Old 1900 postcard of Ooty Train of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway probably on a test run. Except for a handful of railway staff, the train looks devoid of passengers perhaps indicating that it is on a test run. Ootacamund or Ooty dubbed the Queen of Hill Stations because of its beautiful setting in the heavily forested Nilgiri Hills.
The track was completed in 1899 and opened for traffic from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. The section from Coonoor to Ooty was completed in 1908. It was the second hill railway to be built after the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. With its world-famous toy train that is still in operation.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway adapted the rack and pinion gear system to climb the steep hills. Believed to be one of the steepest railway lines in Asia. The train is pulled by a steam locomotive from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. Then replaced with a diesel loco for its onward journey to Ooty.
Did you know – Ootacamund had become the summer resort for government employees and other Europeans based in Madras (Chennai).
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Portrait Photo – Old Postcard 1904., Spectacular View of British Era Bombay, 1900 Photo., First Line Beach Madras – Old Postcard 1900., View Of Bombay From Malabar Hill, Old Print 1853.
The images are of the actual items from my collection. And Not a photocopy, pirated, reproduced, stock photos, or taken from other sources.
