DHMU train trial completed on historic Kalka–Shimla line

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Yog Raj Sharma

The North News

Shimla, December 2

A newly built three-coach diesel-hydraulic multiple unit (DHMU) train set has completed a successful trial run on the historic Kalka–Shimla railway line, marking a significant step in efforts to modernise travel on one of India’s most celebrated mountain tracks. The train, developed in 2023, left Kalka at 10.31am on Monday and pulled into Shimla station shortly after 4.30pm, completing the ascent in around six hours. During the climb, technical teams monitored its braking performance, power delivery and handling on the steep, curved UNESCO World Heritage route. Engineers also inspected the train for mechanical issues and assessed how it responded to the gradient and narrow-gauge alignment.

Officials say the new DHMU is designed to make travel on the route faster, smoother and safer, offering an upgrade to the largely unchanged services that have run between Kalka and Shimla for more than a century. Each coach will accommodate 60 passengers, and railway officers claim the redesigned interiors will offer more comfort than existing stock.

The Kalka–Shimla line currently runs five trains a day, and the addition of this three-coach set is expected to ease passenger load, particularly during the tourist season when demand routinely exceeds capacity.

The train will be cleared for regular service once final technical approvals are granted, potentially giving the heritage route a rare infusion of modern engineering without disturbing the character of the railway that winds through the Himalayan foothills.