RailEnquiry

Bathinda:  The 86-year-old rail motor car will soon start chugging with a new look on the heritage Kalka-Shimla track. It was withdrawn about six months ago because of worn-out wheels replacement which was not available immediately.Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala division, PK Sanghi today said here that a fresh set of wheels had now been procured and the rail motor car would shortly start running again on the Kalka-Shimla track.Sanghi said the popular set of two rail cars had been refurbished with a new colour scheme and it might take a few more days to complete the work. The rail car was withdrawn in July last because with worn-out wheels its operation was unsafe.The rail car has a freedom related history attached to it as it carried Mahatma Gandhi to Shimla in 1945 to have talks with Viceroy Wavell about the British leaving India. It has been running on the UNESCO heritage rail track since 1927.The single-coach rail car with an inbuilt engine and transparent fiber-glass roof had over the years become very popular with domestic and foreign tourists. It has the capacity to carry about 18 passengers.