This Republic Day, Fairy Queen, the world’s oldest steam engine, was taken out of the railway museum for a short trip from New Delhi Railway Station to Delhi Junction. The next day, it travelled from Delhi Cantonment to Rewari in Haryana at the trademark pace of the 1850s.
If you think the vintage train was brought out just for the special occasion; you are wrong. Indian Railways is actually planning a comeback for several vintage locomotives.
Currently, Railways is planning to employ heritage steam engines for an evening tour around New Delhi and to haul the Palace on Wheels, which is expected to boost its nostalgic appeal.
There are also plans to revive another two engines lying defunct for decades, including a Rama Gooty.
Interestingly, Indian Railways has more than 250 steam locomotives, some of which are over 100 years old. The most popular ones can be found running the circuits of Darjeeling and the Nilgiri region.
By introducing heritage steam engines, Railways hopes to enhance their lure and thereby, give its economy a boost. As of late, the popularity of luxurious royal trains, mostly tourist attractions, has been falling. The revenue of Palace on Wheels decreased by 24.08%, while earnings of Royal Rajasthan dipped by 63.18%.
