The Nilgiri
Express, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu.
Rising into the clouds
is Lamb's Rock.
The train starts at
Mettupalayam (1,069 feet above sea level), rises
to Coonoor (5,616 feet above sea level) and is pushed by a Swiss-built
steam engine,
using a rack and pinion system (see above, the centre rail is
the rack)
as far as Coonoor. It eventually climbs to Ootacamund (7,228 feet
above sea level).
The gradient reaches
a maximum of 1 in 12.
The line was opened
in 1899 and is being considered for World Heritage Status.
Source: Wikipedia