International Railroad Discussion > New steam locomotive on Indian Railways

Last month (August 2021) Indian Railways completed a new meter gauge coal-fired 0-8-2T locomotive at its Golden Rock shops.  This engne, numbered X37400, is for use on the Niilgiri Mountain railway in southern India, and is similar to other engines on that line's roster.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/21 12:11 by LTCerny.

So it was built new recently. Is it for a tourist railroad or general everyday freight / passenger work?

The line was built in 1908 for tourists that wanted to reach higher elevations in the mountains to get away from the heat in southern India.  113 years later it still serves the same purpose.

Location
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgiri_Mountain_Railway
Mettupalayam to Coonoor to Udhagamandalam

Lots of twists and turns in these mountains.  
And good Google Streetview images!

https://en.mapy.cz/zakladni?x=76.7918133&y=11.3441094&z=19
https://en.mapy.cz/zakladni?x=76.7972877&y=11.3435953&z=15
https://opentopomap.org/#map=14/11.34234/76.83743
https://opentopomap.org/#map=17/11.34616/76.79343
https://www.google.com/maps/@11.3443105,76.7915793,127m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e4
https://goo.gl/maps/EHsdocgFU5wNtHeo7
https://goo.gl/maps/XbvCoAw8upDifsc47
https://goo.gl/maps/8oNXLRcuHPegGxcL8
https://goo.gl/maps/5GY5b6KBXKDV7cmY9
https://goo.gl/maps/yQaY9gC9akeLuFJA7
https://goo.gl/maps/hVddKW8kGN7dyq8M7
https://goo.gl/maps/BQwYhmqhaM1H4pRh6 (tie replacement crew on both ends of the bridge)
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=11.351554088368028&lon=76.81460380554199&zoom=13

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/21 01:48 by gobbl3gook.

When I was there the railway effectively operated in two sections. Between the hill stations of Coonoor (where we stayed) and Ootacamund / Udagmandalam there were three trains in each direction daily, one of which was the through service on the rack and pinion section from Coonoor to Mettupalayam, where the Nilgiri line connects with the main broad gauge line. The train from Mettupalayam ascends the Nilgiris in the morning, descending in the afternoon. We rode it down to Mettupalayam one afternoon / evening, returning by car. The station arrangements at Coonoor are odd, they are very similar to Killarney in Ireland. The line to and from Ooty, which was built as an after thought, joins the line from Mettupalayam beyond the station, all trains from Ooty having to reverse in to Coonoor and similarly all trains to Ooty have to reverse out. Makes for an interesting operation. Alco derived DLW built YDM4 metre gauge diesels haul trains between Coonoor and Ooty, the steam locomotives, which are of Swiss design, originally built by SLM, handle the daily passenger train (and whatever freight is carried) between Coonoor and Mettupalayam. The steam locomotives are not the prettiest and in some cases have been rather ruined, looks wise, by the addition of a large saddle tank carrying fuel oil. Here are some photos

1: A DLW YDM4 at Coonoor
2: One of the SLM steam locomotives, converted for oil burning.
3: The Mettupalayam bound train leaving Coonoor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/21 12:51 by 86235.

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4: Switching freight cars, this loco remains coal fired
5: Coonoor shed
6: Another oil fired example

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7: This is one of the coal fired examples
8: No one minds anyone walking anywhere, which is great for the railfan.
9: This gives you an idea of what Coonoor is like, we liked it immensely.

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10: Descending towards Muttupalayam
11: Water stop, monkey in attendance.
12: A couple of days later the Mettupalayam bound train between Ooty and Coonoor at Wellington

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13: This was our locomotive from Coonoor to Mettupalayam, the blue sheet gives some data details -  it shows that X37393 was built by the Swiss Locomotive Works in Winterthur in 1950, entering service on the 17th January 1953. It is an oil fired 0-8-2T four cylinder compound.
14: X37384 is significantly older, it was built by SLM in 1918 and placed into service in April 1920 and remains coal fired
15: X37384 backs down onto the coaches of the Mettupalayam train, at least there will be the smell of coal smoke to accompany the journey down the Nilgiris tonight. 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS68-1RVTNY

who would pass up a chance to ride this train with her

Very interesting. So those are 0-4-4-2T designations?

jst3751 Wrote:
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> Very interesting. So those are 0-4-4-2T
> designations?

No, 0-8-2T