DARJEELING, India -- As the tiny steam-powered train winds its way through Darjeeling, residents and shopkeepers along the track quickly cover washing and move crates of fruits and vegetables away from its smoke and soot.
I am riding the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the best known of India's narrow-gauge "toy" trains, which has operated since 1881. The line runs for 88 kilometers and was an engineering triumph of its time, carrying cargoes from Darjeeling's elevated tea-growing estates to the foothills for distribution across the world.
