Ooty Locomotive Engine

Ooty train is popularly known as 'toy train', moving across the beautiful hills, and plains, making the journey a memorable experience. Ooty's train runs at a maximum speed of 33 km. per hour, crossing 16 long and short tunnels and 250 bridges.

The Queen of hill stations, Ooty is connected by rail through a narrow guage line from Mettupalayam, which is the nearest broad gauge railway station. The nearest broad gauge railway junction is Coimbatore. Towards the journey to Ooty, one can enjoy the scenic beauty of the lush green tea gardens and valleys with pine trees through the large open windows of the compartments.

The Ooty train traverses 46 km in four - and -a half hours from Mettupalayam. During the journey five stations come between Mettupalayam and Coonoor - Kallar, Adderely, Hill Grove, Runnymede and Kateri, and there are five stations between Coonoor and Ooty also. The Fern Hill station, was shut down a few years ago.

The construction of narrow gauge rail line for Ooty train was a big challenge because of the difficult terrain of Ooty. The first plan of the railway connections from Mettupalayam to Nilgiri hills was made in 1854, but was finally implemented in 1899. Swiss Locomotive Works made attractive wooden coaches with blue and cream colors and large windows to give a proper view of the beauty of the Nilgiri hills.