Khyber train safari

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Khyber Train Safari
خیبر بخار سفاری
Overview
Service typeTourist train
First serviceApril 11, 2015 (2015-04-11)
Current operator(s)Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Route
TerminiPeshawar Cantonment
Attock Khurd
Distance travelled69 kilometres (43 mi)
Average journey time1 hours, 26 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)1UP (Peshawar→Landi Kotal)
2DN (Landi Kotal→Peshawar)
Technical
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Track owner(s)Pakistan Railways
Khyber Steam Safari
Overview
Service typeTourist train
First service1996 (1996)
Last service2006 (2006)
Former operator(s)Sehrai Travels’ & Sarhard Tourism Corporation (1996 to 2006)
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (2006)
Route
TerminiPeshawar Cantonment
Landi Khana
Distance travelled58 kilometres (36 mi)
Average journey time1 hours, 52 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)1UP (Peshawar→Landi Kotal)
2DN (Landi Kotal→Peshawar)
Technical
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Track owner(s)Pakistan Railways

The Khyber train safari (Urdu: خیبر بخار سفاری, Pashto: د خیبر تپ صفري) is a defunct tourist train that was operated and maintained by Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan Railways between Peshawar and Landi Kotal.[1] The trip took approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes to cover a published distance of 69 kilometres (43 mi), traveling along an entire stretch of the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line.[2] It was the only passenger line in Pakistan still operating steam engines.

History

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Main article: Khyber Pass Railway

Passenger service (1925–1982)

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The Khyber Railway. With a Pakistan Railways HGS 2-8-0 at front and rear a charter train climbs the Khyber Pass through a series of zig-zags to gain height.

Regular passenger service along the Khyber Pass Railway began on 4 November 1925 between Peshawar City railway station and Landi Kotal railway station. The train took passengers through rugged mountainous terrain reaching a height of 1,200 m (3,900 ft) to reach Landi Kotal and covering a total distance of 52 km (32 mi) through 34 tunnels and 92 bridges and culverts. The oil-fired steam engines, which pushed and pulled the carriages from the rear and front, were built by Vulcan Foundry and by Kitson & Co in the United Kingdom.[3] One of the unusual features of this train journey was that its route passed across Peshawar Airport's main runway.[4] On 3 April 1926, the railway was extended to Landi Khana, just 3 kilometers from the Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan. In 1932, the Landi Kotal to Landi Khana section of railway was closed down at the insistence of Afghan government. Regularly scheduled rail service continued between Peshawar and Landi Kotal until 1982, when it stopped due to lack of commercial value. The 2006 monsoon season rains in the Khyber Pass washed away significant sections of the railway. The track as of today is closed for all rail traffic.

Khyber steam safari (1996–2006)

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A charter train about to depart from Shahgai and descend out of the Khyber Pass back to Jamrud, near Peshawar. The local tribesmen are asserting their right to free travel on the trains, a condition of the railway being built through their land.

In 1996, Sehrai Travels’ in collaboration with Sarhad Tourism Corporation launched the Khyber Steam Safari for foreign and local tourists[5] and was described by Time Magazine as "a journey into time and history". The train consisted of a refurbished parlour car and two second class coaches pulled by two vintage steam locomotives, as those used originally on the Khyber Pass Railway. The train was run on the first Sunday of every month as a charter, however the local population around the Khyber Pass were allowed free access. Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation took over operations in 2006 and in the same year the service was suspended due to damage of the line caused by monsoon rain.

Khyber train safari (2015–present)

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In 2015, the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took control of the former Khyber Steam Safari and renamed it to Khyber Train Safari (also known as Abaseen Steam Safari).[6] However, the route now takes the train between Peshawar and Attock Khurd.[7]

In 2021, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa announced the relaunch of the project on two routes: Peshawar to Attock, and Peshawar to Takht-i-Bahi. The Peshawar to Landi Kotal route was to remain defunct.[8] An inspection of the damaged tracks in the Khyber District was carried out by officials and technical staff of Pakistan Railways in November 2021.[9]

Route

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Station stops

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Khyber Train Safari

Khyber Steam Safari

Equipment

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Peshawar locomotive shed continues to maintain 3 steam engines, which were used on the original passenger service on the Khyber Pass Railway, the Khyber steam safari and now on the Khyber train safari.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ APP (2 April 2015). "Peshawar to Attock Safari train". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  2. ^ "[IRFCA] Pakistan Railway Train Names". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  3. ^ Hughes, H. (1990) Indian locomotives: Part 1 - Broad Gauge 1851-1940 Harrow: The Continental Railway Circle.
  4. ^ "Pol Eco, NOS, The News International". jang.com.pk. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  5. ^ Khan, Ismail (11 November 2012). "Khyber Safari — out of steam". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  6. ^ Report, Bureau (30 November 2012). "Safari train set to hit the track in KP". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 8 April 2022. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will run a safari train from Peshawar to Attock | Pakhtunkwa - Find News, Books, Poetry and Places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan". 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  8. ^ "The forgotten train: Khyber Safari train service can work wonders towards promoting tourism in the region | Footloose | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Authorities mull reviving Khyber Safari train". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 8 April 2022.

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