SRI LANKA ~ Demodara railway station ~

First of tree lovely cards received from dear postcard friend Ravindra...this one shows an engineering masterpiece...Thanks a lot Ravindra!! (More to come ◕ ‿ ◕ )

A. Felix J. Perera Demodera-Loop is the only rail loop of its kind in the entire rail network of Sri Lanka. It is situated at Demodera, which is 172 miles from Colombo along the rail track. When the construction work came up to this point, the engineers were in a dilemma not knowing which way to cut across due to the wide gap between two hills confronting each other. For a while, they even thought the Upcountry Main Line might have to be terminated at this place. After much predicament, engineers of the time decided to cut the line towards the left, around the hill at a gradual slope forming a full circle. The line had to descend at 1 foot to every 44 feet, thus plunging 100 feet below the level of the station. The line by now had come below the hill. A tunnel 416 feet in length was then dug which brought the track to the other side of the bund. The open line now faced the opposite hill but the gap was not as wide as at the top of the hill.


Stamp:
From a set of 6 stamps which commemorated the Pigeon Island Marine National Park. Crabs - Sea Life
(Issued 22-08-2014)