KOCHI: After several decades, a train with steam engine carrying passengers chugged into renovated Cochin Harbour Terminus railway station on Saturday morning. The 165-year-old locomotive, EIR 21, received a warm response from passengers on the first day of its two-day stay in the city.People came from far and wide to board the train or to get a glimpse. The 40-seater train chugged off at 11am carrying 31 passengers, including children and elderly people.When the flower decorated steam locomotive train reached Ernakulam Junction from marshalling yard, people thronged to take selfies. The air-conditioned train took around half-an-hour to cover 8km from Ernakulam Junction to Harbour Terminus station.Many boarded the train with cameras to capture the moments of their journey. "My mother booked five tickets for our journey on Friday itself. We came from Kadavanthra early this morning. It is a wonderful journey," says Theresa, a fifth-standard student who came with her friends and mother. "It is a part of history and children should know about it. This is our first journey on a vintage train ," says Rose George, mother of Theresa who was the first to book ticket for the journey.Many want to keep tickets as memorabilia. "My son working in US has affinity to trains. We want to send him photos of our vintage train journey. This is our second journey on a vintage train. Children should enjoy this ride," says Asha S Mani, who travelled with her husband from Tripunithura.The presence of kids in the train made the journey memorable for many. "Usually my son does not read newspapers. But this morning, after having his milk, my son leafed through newspaper and found the picture of the heritage train. He expressed wish to travel on the train. We rushed to the station and the train was about to start. But the officials made sure we boarded the train," says Anju, who came with her son Nandan, a UKG student from Vyttila.Some others strived hard to catch the train. "I came to know about the service of the train only this morning. Though I travelled on vintage train on Ooty-Mettupalayam stretch, this journey made my dream come true. I wanted to take photo of a vintage train. When I tried decades ago in Ahmedabad, RPF officials threatened me. I could not take from the one from Ooty as well. But officials here allowed me to take photos," says Vinod Thomas, a rubber board official from Tripunithura.Since there is a huge demand for the journey, railway officials will conduct two services on Sunday. Tickets for first service at 11 am on Sunday have been sold out. The second service on the day will be held at 2pm and tickets are available at Ernakulam Junction railway station.

Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.