This is its maiden run - and railway enthusiasts see it as a key part of their plans to revive steam and attract tourists to this region. Called the Jatinga Steam Safari, the 40 km ride is part of an ambitious plan to attract visitors to a region which is generally off the tourist track - and one of the challenges will be persuading them this remote and volatile area is safe to visit. He says it also means a revival for the north-east region, which could help not only with the area's heritage but also its economy.
Development needs Money is desperately needed in the small villages close to the railway.
The area has seen very little development - and in recent years, the few crops here have been decimated by a mysterious disease. Former village headman Howell Rupsi explains that people's purchasing power is less and less every year. They don't have the means of earning. Now people are pinning their hopes on tourism. The villagers are reviving traditional tribal dances - in the hope of becoming an attraction themselves.