Palani trolley bus

by R.Venkatesh

The famous Palani Temple is situated above a hill; to visit the temple one climbs around 900-odd steps. An alternative to the strenuous climbing of these steps is to take a trolley bus that operates on a pair of rails, hauled by a guy rope. Atop the hill, the rope winds itself onto a motor-operated winch. Incidentally, this is NOT a single-line.

I noticed three tracks and — I remember — two platforms for passenger traffic. The third track merges with the second track as soon as we are out of the winch station and begin the ascent. On this third track are a pair of goods wagons — they're apparently made of wood that haul supplies to the temple.

— Venky

	The Palani (code PLNI) station between Palghat and Dindigul on the SR.
	Shot of the Palani temple hill and the cable car lines leading to the top.
	The 'station' at the base of the hill.
	View of the lines — the middle line has a point/switch.
	Another view of the steep incline.
	The two-coach 'train'.
	More views of the 'train'.
	There is a wooden freight rake too.
	View uphill, the winch cable in the middle. There seems to be naked wires on ceramic insulators next to the 'steps'.
	Note the massive embankment on the opposite track. So these are not steps after all but part of the civil work.
	Almost at the top, the other track sports a descending 'train'.
	Venky's parents and brother in the car.
	The winch station at the top of the hill.
	View from the top of the Palani hill.

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