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India_Delhi Museum_PSMT (1): Patiala State Monorail Trailway. The only known locomotive-hauled monorail on the Ewing System ran from Patiala to Sunam (56km). Four locomotives of the 0-3-0 wheel arrangement were delivered by Orenstein and Koppel in 1907 and ran until the system closed in 1927. One locomotive and coach were rescued and restored to working order for Delhi Museum and are seen here from the “outrigger” side on 11 December 1979. Colour slide and scan by Roger Griffiths. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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India_Delhi Museum_PSMT (2): A view from the other side shows the three coupled driving wheels, the outer ones being double-flanged, the centre flangeless. Note also that the locomotive’s right-hand water tank is much larger, so that the weight of the water balances the machine onto the outrigger. 11 December 1979. Colour slide and scan by Roger Griffiths. roger.griffiths@hotmail.com

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Patiala State Monorail Tramway is one of the most unusual steam powered means of transport ever. Most of the weight rests on double flanged wheels on a single rail (9 kg/m), with a balancing wheel on one side carrying about 5% of the weight. The system was proposed by British engineers W. Thorold and W. J. Ewing in 1868, and first implemented 1902 in the Kundala Valley Railway in Kerala, India, consisting of carts pulled by bullocks to transport tea. That system was destroyed by flood in 1908. In february 1907 Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala (Punjab) initiated the building of two lines, planned by chief engineer Colonel C. W. Bowles. The unconnected lines went from Sirhind to Morinda (24 km) and from Patiala to Sunam (56 km). Initially mules and bullocks pulled the wagons, later four steam locomotives were built by Orenstein & Koppel (Berlin), an adaptation of three axle narrow gauge locomotives, with three 0.5 m wheels at a wheelbase of 1.19 m and a 0.99 m balance wheel at the right side. 75 goods wagons and 15 passenger coaches were operated. A petrol powered locomotive was experimentally built and tested at one point. The system closed down in 1927. In 1962 one locomotive and the Chief Engineer's inspection car were rediscovered and restored (rebuilt as a regular passenger car). A short track layout was built in the museum, so the locomotive and car can be operated. More about the PSMT National Rail Museum New Delhi, 2012-12-07. tobias b köhler

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Patiala State Monorail Tramway track with turnout. The balancing wheel runs on the paved strip to the side, the turnout works by moving an end of the single rail to the left and right. National Rail Museum New Delhi, 2012-12-07. tobias b köhler