Now witness the breath-taking views of the Himalayan mountains and the beautiful backdrop of the Kalka-Shimla rail route while sitting inside the train! Indian Railway’s Kalka-Shimla Rail got its first Vista dome coach which means the train will now be equipped with a coach that has a see-through glass roof top. This decision by the railways is a delight for the passengers. Now passengers can witness the aesthetic surroundings of the route at the comfort of their seats inside the train.
The train ran its first trial trip with the newly converted coach on Saturday. Railway minister Piyush Goyal tweeted about the development. In his tweet, Goyal said, "The Kalka - Shimla Rail, equipped with a Vistadome Coach, ran its first trial trip today. Passengers can now soak in the aesthetic landscape with better vision through the glass top ceiling of the newly converted coach." The Kalka-Shimla rail section falls under the Ambala division of Northern Railways and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Passengers can now have a panoramic view of the immaculate mountains through the glass rood and doors. The Vista dome coaches have a seating capacity for 36 passengers. To make the train journey more comfortable for the passengers, the coach has been equipped with cushioned wooden interiors, LED lights and window blinds. The coach also has revolving seats, bio-vacuum toilets, ridge and other amenities. These coaches are designed to let passengers enjoy nature in its full glory.
As per the railways, with the introduction of this see-through coach, the region will likely register more footfall of tourists in the coming days. The railways further released a statement and said that this special and aesthetically-designed vistadome air-conditioned coach named “Nihaar”, is a first-of-its-kind in this Kalka-Shimla railway section.
The glass roof is said to be electrically controlled opalescence, which means that the roof can be made transparent or opaque at the turn of the switch. The Vistadome coach given for Kalka-Shimla Rail has been modified as per the suitability. The normal Vistadome coaches are fitted with automatic sliding compartments doors, multiple TV screens and wider body side door.
The Ministry of Railways had commissioned the Second Vistadome coach, funded by the Ministry of Tourism, on the Jan Shatabdi Express plying on the scenic Mumbai-Goa route to provide the scenic view of the picturesque Western Ghats.
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