The locomotive of the heritage Nilgiris Mountain Rail (NMR) derailed at Aravankadu, 32 km from Mettupalayam on the Coonoor-Ooty stretch on Saturday. No one was injured as only a few wheels of the engine went off the track.
Railway engineers and staff rushed to the spot and started carrying out repair work on the damaged track and putting the engine back on the track. Officials are yet to find out the reason for the derailment. This led to suspension of train movement of Train No. 56143 for the rest of the day.
The train with five coaches was fully occupied and was carrying about 250 passengers from Coonoor. Following the derailment, about a dozen passengers in the first class returned to the Coonoor station and were given a full refund of the fare. The others took a bus to Ooty from Aravankadu. Railway officials arranged three buses to bring about 150 passengers from Ooty to Coonoor.
The train from Coonoor to Mettupalayam leaves Coonoor at 3.15 p.m. every day. It left Coonoor at 3.45 p.m. on Thursday, as it waited for passengers who came from Ooty by bus.
Salem Railway Division authorities said that Coonoor to Ooty operation would resume on completion of repair work. It could be completed in a day.
Suspension of operation of NMR from Coonoor to Ooty has left tourists disappointed as the peak tourism season will end soon.
