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Jogging up the mountain, the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway.

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The world's oldest mountain steam train is in India.

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The Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway was founded in 1881.

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The train starts at an elevation of 114 meters.

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The last stop, Darjeeling, is at 2,143 meters.

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It takes eight hours to climb the 2,000 meters between.

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This steam engine was highly advanced when first built in 1926.

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With careful maintenance and loving care, it remains in active service.

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The track gauge is 61 centimeters.

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A worker sits on the front to look out for obstacles.

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The train travels at about 10 kilometers an hour, so even bicycles can overtake.

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Nowadays only two trains run per day.

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Diesel locomotives are replacing steam engines on parts of the route.

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The technology needed to climb the 2,000 meters includes switchbacks to allow the train

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to switch direction on the zigzag track.

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The technique was later adopted by mountain railways all over the world.

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When it gets very steep, people up front scatter sand on the tracks to increase traction and

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prevent slipping.

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The railway was built at the time the British planned to claim Tibet.

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The train that was to go all the way up to Darjeeling was meant to help create an important

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strategic base.

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The train finally arrives after climbing hours uphill.

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Darjeeling tea is cultivated here in the foothills of the Himalayas.

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The railway was the start of the tea's distant journey to Britain.

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The world's first mountain train continues to chug away in the Himalayas.