Museum on NMR nears completion

COIMBATORE: In a couple of months, tourists reaching Mettupalayam station can get a glimpse of the history of the heritage Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) before they hop onto the train to head to Ooty.
The first loco, made at Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur in Zurich in Switzerland, which drew the NMR on its debut ride into the Western Ghats in 1899 will be on display. The coaches and wagons used to transport coal will also be on show.One of the highlights will be a showcase of the unique rack and pinion system used on the NMR.
Railway officials of Salem division said much of the work for the museum was complete. The officials have requested railways for some artifacts that could be displayed at the museum and the inauguration is expected soon after they arrive.
The museum is coming up in a hall next to the maintenance depot near Mettupalayam station. “The construction of the building is almost complete,” said Shubhranshu, divisional railway manager, Salem division. “Work on shifting articles for display is going on,” he said.
The project was announced by the railways more than a year ago as a bid to promote NMR. Work on setting up the museum began in May 2014 following a Southern Railways policy decision that every division should have a museum. Trichy, Madurai and Chennai have full fledged museums.
“We chose to have NMR as the central theme of our museum as it would attract lot of visitors due to its novelty and heritage value,’’ said R Venkatesh, spokesperson of Salem division. “We have asked for more life-size coaches and other artefacts from national railways which would make the museum more interesting,’’ said Shubhranshu.
Railways plans to set up a shop near the museum which will sell railways-related memorabilia such as medals, mugs, badges and coins. One outlet is already open at Coonoor station. “While the shop will sell general railway-themed souvenirs, the focus will be on NMR-themed products,” said Shubhranshu. “The Coonoor shop registers sales of 50,000 to 60,000 every month.”
NMR enthusiasts feel that the museum could have been located in Ooty rather than Mettupalayam.“It would make more sense to set it up in Ooty as more tourists visit the hill station,” said Nataraj, an NMR historian.