Amidst great excitement in Darjeeling on Monday, a narrow-gauge railway line transported G-20 delegates in three vistadome coaches using a steam locomotive. The Darjeeling Toy Train, which is a UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site, is a popular attraction among tourists, including those from other countries.

“All aboard! 2nd #TWG Meeting delegates got a taste of vintage experience with the world-famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railways. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Toy Train was right on track to give everyone a nostalgic ride and unforgettable memories,” tweeted the G20 India Twitter handle.

Also Read

Owned by Indian Railways (IR) and operated by Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the Toy Train is quite popular among tourists. Here are some interesting facts about it:

– The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a 2 ft gauge railway
– In the Indian state of West Bengal, it runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling
– It was built between 1879 and 1881 and is about 88 km long
– It does not run on plain land and climbs from about 330 ft above sea level (at New Jalpaiguri) to about 7,200 ft (at Darjeeling)
– To gain altitude, it uses six zig zags and five loops
– The railway’s headquarters are at Elysia Place, Kurseong

Also Read

World Heritage Site status

On 5 December 1999, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway a World Heritage Site. Later, two more railway lines were added. It is now known as one of the mountain railways of the country.

About World Heritage Sites

A World Heritage Site is an area (or landmark) with legal protection by an international convention administered by UNESCO. World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having historical, cultural, scientific, or other forms of importance.

On the list, Italy is the country with the most sites (58). India has 40 World Heritage Sites in total.