HSCT appeals to southern railways to revive idle centennial locomotives

31 Jan 2024 CW Team

Expressing concern about the inactivity of two coal-fired engines, specifically the oldest Swiss-made X-class locomotive, X37384 (1914), and another indigenous one, X37400, due to a lack of coal for over a year, the Heritage Steam Chariot Trust (HSCT) has appealed to the Southern Railways for intervention. The HSCT urges the Southern Railways to regularly operate these locomotives on the Nilgiris Mountain Railways (NMR) to ensure they remain in running condition.

The HSCT has informed railway officials that the locomotives X37400 and Swiss X class 37384 are currently idle at the Mettupalayam station. K Natarajan, the founder managing trustee of HSCT, emphasised that leaving any machinery idle can have adverse effects on its performance. The Swiss X class 37384 locomotive, manufactured in 1914, began operating on the NMR route the following year, making it one of the oldest coal-fired locomotives in the world that is still in running condition.

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