General Discussion

Sri Lanka to modernize railway sector

COLOMBO, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will modernize its age old railway sector by purchasing over 100 new railway carriages and engines, and developing railway stations, Transport Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, quoted by state media, said on Tuesday.

De Silva said this will also help the government to strengthen the country's public transportation sector as a majority of Sri Lankans depended on public transport on a daily basis.

The minister said these plans were part of the Colombo suburban railway project which is to be funded by the Asian Development Bank(ADB).

Under this plan, the Transport and Civil Aviation Ministry together with Sri Lanka Railways will construct new parallel railway lines and modernize railway stations.

New railway lines will also be put in place to connect the capital Colombo to the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Thousands of tourists who visit Sri Lanka per year depend on Sri Lanka's railway sector to explore many areas of the island.

Source:xingzhou net

Foreigner's Forum is no more.

Facebook used to have a dedicated page on sri lanka railways known as sri lanka railway foreigners forum and there seems to be no sign of it now. Wonder what happened,

Can remember it posted memorable photos like the class M8A hauling the badulla night mail(1045/46), M4 and W2 hauling udarate menike, M2 alone pulling 10 carriages on the hill countries ruling incline.

Is there any place I can find those photographs?
Thank you

Not very sure, sorry.

Do you know their designation. Like this load bearing locomotive can haul this tonnage.

It means how much and the maximum load the locomotive can can haul.

Does anyone have an idea of what "load" means on locomotive number plates in sri lanka.
For eg:- class M6
784
Load V2
What does load mean. And there are various numbers and letters like H,X,V1,22/45 Etc

No comment. I think firstly road and traffic congestion should be taken care of first. But it would be a good idea, but I guess its all only talks, and I doubt that it'll be done. Let's see.

Hi Haleef,

Is it good idea operating light weight railway in Colombo as mentioned on the above link?

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Ka...ka-136309.html

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/170903/new...oi-257721.html

Property development prospects in Sri Lanka railway upgrade

Aug 17, 2017 18:31 PM GMT+0530

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s railway and urban development authorities are to work together to include property development, known as transit-oriented development, in a planned modernisation and electrification of suburban rail.

Palitha Samarasinghe, Railway Electrification and Modernization Project director, said the railway department was in talks with the Urban Development Authority on transit-oriented development or TOD, integrating rail and commercial development schemes.

“We are having talks with UDA on transit oriented rail operations,” he told a forum. “We asked them to consider railway development when planning urban development.”

He was responding to a question whether the modernisation, involving station upgrades, includes property development with private sector participation, during the 15th John Diandas Memorial Lecture held by the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, Sri Lanka.

“We will consider whatever urban development that can be included,” Samarasinghe said.

Transit-oriented development exploits the connectivity between the rail system and the city provided by stations and enables rail operators to earn alternative revenue and generate increased ridership.

The higher revenues in turn enable provision of better services to the public as in places like Hong Kong, whose Mass Transit Railway Corporation earns one-third of its revenue from non-fare sources like profit from retail and property management.
(COLOMBO, August 17, 2017)

- http://www.economynext.com/Property_...-3-8543-6.html

Massive electric train project to begin this year

The Transport Ministry has shortlisted six countries to call for tenders for an electric train project due to begin this year, Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera said. Under the project estimated to cost US$ 600 million, a track of 158km will be developed covering the areas between Panadura and Polgahawela, Fort to Negombo and the Kelani Valley line.

Mr Somweera said tenders would be called from companies from Japan, South Korea, France, Australia, Spain and China and the entire project would be allocated to one of them. The project would involve building platforms, installing ticket machines, establishing a security fence along the track and providing engines and compartments, he said. The control system also would be modernised.
A feasibility study for the project costing US$ 30 million was completed before deciding on shortlisting the countries, the secretary said. He said the the project was being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and was scheduled to be completed in about three years.

The Sunday Times

Nope, that's owned privately by Holcim lanka in Puttalam. They hire SLR drivers for that engine. Was bought from India, and is now known as the ALCO WDM6.

Please see the red ALCO type of engine in the below picture. Is it New Baby in the SLR fleet ?

credits to Thilanka Abeyasekara.