Khyber steam safari
I have the privilege to have a ride through Khyber steam safari to Landi Kotal. It was exciting and loving.
Train reached Landi Kotal in two and a half hours covering 32 miles from Peshawar Cantt Railway station.
Train passes 92 bridges and 34 tunnels.The train has two steam engines, one in front other in the rear.
This line was opened in 1926 by Sir Charles Innes,on behalf of viceroy of India.
Reversing Stations and Catch sidings
Reversing stations are an important feature of Khyber Railways. Since it is not easy to bend a train here due to tight space, trains switch tracks and engines change direction at the reversing station. The Khyber Railways is the last of the great railway constructions undertaken on the frontier during the British Raj. Besides reversing stations, track at numerous places is also provided with the runway train catch sidings.
One such catch siding is shown in the photo above.
From 1947 onwards, Pakistan Railway has continued a weekly passenger service through Khyber Pass. The service runs free of charge simply as a gesture to prove to the fiercely independent tribesmen that the line, in-spite of them, is open and the Pakistan Government is the boss. The regular service in Khyber Pass stopped in 1982 due to the lack of commercial patronage.
PR .......
