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Riding the toy train to Ooty
Ramrod straight track, did I crib? It is now a-turn-a-minute. Barren landscape, did I sulk? It is now a huge canvass of unending green, pristine waterfalls and intimidating rocks everywhere. The monotonous strokes of the locomotive? I am not even paying attention.
Soon, another tunnel is coming up. By now, you have seen at least seven of them and think you know what to expect. Just then, the train exits the tunnel and straightaway enters a viaduct. Not an inch between the tunnel and the viaduct! Cut back 100 years and imagine. The engineers would have had to drill a tunnel to get past a wall of mountain only to be confronted by a deep wide gorge. How they laid a track over these few metres is perfect testament to engineering's answer to nature's question.
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Soon, the train enters Coonoor. From hereon the train will be pulled by a bio-diesel engine that will see off the final leg from Coonoor to Ooty. The rack and pinion mechanism will also vanish and it will be a normal narrow gauge track all the way to Ooty.
Text and photograph: Krishna Kumar
Also read: Chugging up the hills
Share YOUR travel stories and pix!Have you been to Ooty? What was your favourite sight there? Where did you have the best meal? Do you have a hotel to recommend? Do post details on the message board below so other readers can benefit from your advice. Remember to add information on what was special about the restaurant, hotel or sight you visited, along with relevant telephone numbers and addresses.
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