The Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway (DHR) is an outstanding example of
a hill passenger Railway. The DHR is popularly known as the ‘Toy Train’.
It was opened in 1881. Establishing a rail link across a mountainous terrain was
not an easy task. It applied bold and ingenious engineering solutions to
overcome this problem and connected the queen of the mountain of the rest of
the country. This old rail line is still fully operational with most of its
original features intact.
Rowland Macdonald Stephenson was responsible
for railway extension in India who promoted East Indian Railway Co. (EIR).
Where corporate organisations like Eastern Bengal Railway (EBR) and Northern Bengal State Railway (NBR) failed to carry put any plan of construction
of a railway line, Franklin Prestage, an individual entrepreneur who fascinated
by Darjeeling succeeded in settling for
a 2ft. rail gauge, and formed the Darjeeling Steam Tramway Co. In 1881, title the company was renamed as Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway Co.Get Tour package to Darjeeling in unique and easily way. The line was taken over by the Indian Government on Oct.20, 1948 from this
company. The narrow gauge Darjeeling line was able to traverse the
tightly twisting route through the hills. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was officially opened in sections
between August 1880 to June 1886.