Kalka-Shimla Mountain Railways 🚞

Kalka is not only a terminus of the broad gauge railway of India. However, from there one of the mountain railways of India originate. This railway line is around 96 km long and connects Kalka with Shimla. It passes through diversified scenes and shows marvelous engineering. There is a roadway that connects Shimla with Kalka, but to be the part of my bucket list, I chose this rail route.

How is this rail route different from other rail routes? 

This mountain rail route is identified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. And do you know, this 96 km rail route has around:

• 988 bridges
• 917 curves (with a few which are too sharp)
• 102 tunnels (I counted it by myself)

The whole route is covered with dense forest and rich diversity. In some instances, you might find clouds floating near you, plants waving you off, mountains running by your side and the Sun playing hide & seek with you.

On 31st August 2019, I was lucky to witness this heritage route. It was morning and around 6:00 am we boarded the train from Kalka. In the beginning, I assumed only my squad is extra excited but after passing through the first tunnel I realized we are not alone with this excitement level.

The Game of Tunnels

Since tunnels are dark and sound get echoed inside it. So whenever our train is about to pass through them. Every person from the coach starts to shout and when tunnels end everyone goes silent like nothing happened. And this game continues until your voice is not capable to come out. Honestly speaking at the end of this journey I was having a sore throat.

This whole journey was beyond my expectations, I wish I could pen down everything. Despite having a separate and empty compartment with window seats, we spent most of the time hanging/sitting near the door (this requires a lot of alertness, usually not recommended without the presence of supervision). Believe me from there anyone, could feel a closeness to nature when:

• the breeze touches your face
• palm touch leaves of a plant
• eye-catching landscapes

Apart from nature, the train was also tempting. Red-colored coaches led by a red-yellow engine were tearing the dense forest. Sounds of the tracks, the chugging of the engine with honks, and the smoky clouds due to chugging, and the train on curves. These all were fascinating.

This whole journey was around 5.5 hours long. At one point, we were feeling so dizzy because we all were tired as we didn't have sufficient rest last night. But it wasn't able to stop us from having fun. Around 11:40 am we reached Summer Hill, the second last stoppage of this route, there we observed the valley was surrounded by clouds and the weather was soothing.

Around 12 noon we finally reached our destination on time. We crossed 102 tunnels by playing The Game of Tunnels, in the result of it we all were having a sore throat. Overall this journey is listed as one of the memorable journeys.

Tunnel#33, Barog Tunnel

Tunnels seem long, dark, and suffocating. But they ensure, 

another end will always be waiting with the beauty of nature and peace!

- Gaurav Purwar