A loco of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) derailed near Sukna, on the outskirts of Siliguri, on Friday while it was on its way to Kurseong from New Jalpaiguri railway station.

Senior railway officials visited the scene and ordered a detailed investigation into the derailment. They said no casualties were reported.

“The loco was on its way to Kurseong for operational reasons. While ascending the hills from Sukna, it derailed while negotiating a bend. The engine went off the tracks and turned its side,” DHR director Rishav Choudhary said.

“The loco pilot and his assistant, who were on board, managed to jump outside. None of them suffered any injury,” he added.

Located about 10km from Siliguri, Sukna is the last DHR station in the plains. From Sukna, the toy train tracks ascend to the hills, ending in Darjeeling town, about 80km away.

Railway officials from Tindharia, where the DHR’s workshop is located, Kurseong, and NJP reached the spot. They inspected the loco, and a hydra machine was engaged to bring it back on the tracks.

Later, the locomotive was loaded onto a vehicle and shifted by road to Siliguri Junction station, which has a loco shed for engines used by the DHR.

Choudhury said a detailed inquiry would be conducted to ascertain the cause of the incident.

“The statements of the pilot and his assistant will be recorded. Today (on Friday), regular passenger services between Darjeeling and NJP did not run because of operational reasons. But tomorrow, the services will run as usual,” he said.

Every day, a pair of toy trains runs between NJP and Jalpaiguri.

The derailment led to questions as to whether the rolling stock of the DHR, which is a world heritage site recognised by Unesco, was properly maintained.

Earlier, DHR engines had derailed, mostly in the hills.

“Fortunately, the loco was not hauling coaches, or else, there was always a risk of passengers getting injured. We would request the DHR authorities to pay more attention to better conservation and maintenance of the DHR’s assets, especially the rolling stock,” said Raj Basu, the secretary general of DHR India Support Group.