Puffing Billy Railway, Heritage railway in Dandenong Ranges, Australia.
The Puffing Billy Railway is a 762 millimeter narrow gauge line running from Belgrave to Gembrook through forested slopes and open valleys in the Dandenong Ranges. The route connects several stops and passes through areas of tree ferns, eucalyptus woodland and rural pastures.
The line opened in 1900 as one of five narrow gauge railways built to serve remote communities reliant on timber and farming. After closing in 1954 it was reopened by volunteers and has operated again with historic steam locomotives since the 1960s.
The name comes from the steam locomotive that puffs and whistles as it travels through the hills. Volunteers in period uniforms staff the trains and maintain engines using techniques from the early days of rail transport.
Trains run daily between Belgrave and Lakeside, with Friday through Sunday service continuing to Gembrook. Open carriages let in wind and occasional ash, so layered clothing and closed shoes work best for the trip.
Passengers are allowed to sit on the open window sills of the carriages during the journey, dangling their legs outside the train. This practice was common on many rural railways in the past but is now permitted almost nowhere else.
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