CHANAKYAPURI

National Rail Museum

It is located near the diplomatic area Chanakya Puri, near the Bhutan embassy.
History - It was got constructed by the British architect M.G.Satto in 1957. In its present location, the foundation stone was laid on 7th October 1971 and was formally inaugurated on 1st February 1977.
Open space- It is spread over an area of 10 acres and houses a collection of locomotives and carriages, cranes, turn table, girder bridge of 1892, coaching and goods stock, etc. This includes the model of India's very first train, a steam engine that made its journey from Mumbai to Thane in 1853; other exhibits like the Viceregal Dining Car (1889), the Prince of Wales Saloon (1875), Maharaja of Mysore's Saloon (1899), Maharaja of Baroda's Saloon (1886);
Fairy Queen (1885) - the oldest working steam locomotive in the world;
Patiala State Monorail Trainway - here the track is a single rail on one side of the road. It is still in working condition and a ride on the Steam Mono Rail can be enjoyed on Sundays. It was first built in 1907 connecting Bassi with Sirhind (6 miles) in the erstwhile Patiala State. Originally the train was pulled by mules but later on from 1909 onwards, 4 unique locomotives were used to pull the train;
Morris Fire Engine - This was first built in 1914 by the famous fire engineers M/s John Morris and Sons Ltd, Manchester, who invented the concept of instantaneous coupling for these machines. Only two of these models are known to exist today. Since its original purchase by the Nizam's State Railways, the fire engine was in active service in the Lallaguda Carriage and Wagon Workshop, Secunderabad. It was retired from active service in 1960, after 4 decades of service, due to difficulty in obtaining the spare parts.
There are as many as six gauges on exhibit, four of them accommodated on only four rails. The lines of various gauges are connected with multigauge lines to facilitate movement. There is a toy train to take you around the museum on a miniature track.
Indoor gallary - This air conditioned octogonal gallary is devoted to the display of various exhibits, models, records, photographs, coat of arms, documents etc. The development of engines, rolling stock, signalling and telecommunications, engineering constructions and architecture and the railway's contribution to the industrial development of the country is also depicted in the systematic and pictorial manner. One gallary has been set apart to focus attention on the post-independence developments and modernisation of the Indian Railways including self-sufficiency, export promotion and development plans for the future. The skull of an elephant that struck a mail train in 1894 with his head is also an exhibit. There is big screen TV showing vedio films on the Railways.
Timings - Summer 9.30 to 19.30; Winter 9.30 to 17.30 (Closed on Mondays and National Holidays)