Steam loco

Steam loco to fade into history

Press Trust of India   New Delhi, Dec. 5: 

Reliving the past, a 57-year-old steam loco, the last one to be phased out by the Railways over 15 years ago, will chug out from Delhi Cantonment station to Rewari in Haryana on Tuesday.

The engine will cover 82 km in two hours and 10 minutes to join a fleet of other steam engines kept there for tourism purpose. “The loco – WL 15005 – had its last run from Ferozpur to Jalandhar on December 6, 1995,” said a Northern Railway official.

The loco, which has been repaired for the special day will haul two staff cars to the Rewari shed that also houses a steam loco museum. “It will be tested on the main line. The 82 km distance is expected to be covered in two hours and 10 minutes,” the official said.

Northern Railway has developed Rewari as a steam loco destination where nine locos are kept and maintained. A steam loco used by Price of Wales in 1920 is also kept there.

The official said Railway is trying to run a steam loco weekly or once in a fortnight from Delhi Cantonment to Rewari to boost Rewari as a tourism spot. Northern Railway, which has a guest house at Rewari, is also planning to have a cafeteria there for the benefit of tourists.