DHR celebrates its 144th birthday as ‘Toy Train Day'
: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) celebrated its 144th birthday on Friday as the first 'Toy Train Day', marking the occasion with tributes to the rich past of the heritage marvel and promises of a dynamic future.
To commemorate the very day its first locomotive ascended the misty hills from Siliguri to Darjeeling in 1881, celebrations were held at Sukna station, about 9 km from Siliguri.
DHR director Rishav Choudhary said: "As part of the 144th anniversary, we are not only celebrating the past but preparing for the future, aiming to cater to the growing interest in heritage travel and strengthen Darjeeling's appeal as a year-round destination."
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To enhance tourist experience and operational capacity, DHR is set to roll out a range of new services — including evening joy rides, on-demand charter services and additional routes from Sukna station. Three new diesel locomotives are also being introduced to the fleet by the end of 2025.
Choudhary said DHR had received one loco and it was undergoing trials. Two more are expected later this year, with all three being manufactured by San Engineering in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
"New locomotives will be pressed into service from next month. We will also introduce new services from Sukna soon," he added.
On Friday, DHR, in collaboration with North Bengal Painters Association, hosted a variety of art competitions for children, including sit-and-draw, painting and poster-making events. "The goal is to inspire the youth to connect with the Hills and this historic railway through art," Choudhary said.
Unesco included DHR on the list of World Heritage Monuments on Dec 5, 1999. DHR covers 87.21 km of journey in 7 hours and 20 minutes, climbing more than 2,000 metres into the mountains covering 12 stations. It also runs 8 km short joy rides between Darjeeling and Ghoom through Batasia Loop.
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