December is almost over and everyone in and outside Shimla is hoping for a White December. Even the Railway Department is expecting it to snow this December and to make your journey to Shimla even more convenient, they have decided to run two special trains on the Shimla-Kalka route.

Special trains will start from 21 December 2012 and last until 1 January 2013.These two special trains can accommodate 500 passengers. Currently there are ten trains running on the Shimla-Kalka route, five up and five down. 1000 passengers are traveling via railways on the Shimla Kalka route and with introduction of two special trains, 1500 passengers can enjoy the joy ride on this beautiful Himalayan Railway track.

However, in the broader sense, the Shimla Kalka rail line, once considered an engineering marvel, today stands in a dismal condition.

Although it appears in list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this newly acquired status has only frozen the track in a time capsule. A simple look at other mountain railway systems around the world reveals the stark disparity we have lead ourselves into.