Poor performance from railway engines
The ten railway engines imported from France during the administration of President Chandrika Kumaratunge appears to have ended up as a white elephant. According to reliable sources, nine out of the ten engines are said to be beyond repair due to crankshaft defects and are lying at a railway grave- yard at Ratmalana, covered with overgrown shrubs. Only one engine is said to be in operation according to well informed sources.
However, General Manager of Railways Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said that the storage description of the unused engines is an exaggeration and according to his knowledge around three engines are in service, but it is necessary to have the exact number confirmed.
The order of 100 coaches from China has also attracted criticism. A part shipment of 25 units was received about six weeks ago has yet to be put into use for transport of passengers. The length of each is 65 feet long, twenty feet more than some of coaches and ten feet in excess of others in use at present. The coaches currently in use are 45 feet and 55 feet in length.
The part shipment consists of third class compartments only and cannot be used to make up a train due to the non-availability of second and first class compartments. The proportion of rolling stock in the part shipment is 23 coaches and two guard wagons. The average length of a train will consist of ten coaches, but according to information received, on the extra length of the coaches, extra tests have to be conducted to ensure that derailing does not occur due to curvature.
The Additional General Manager (Technical), P. Wijesekera, confirmed that the trains have not yet been handed over for passenger use and trial runs have been conducted on the track to Polgahawela, Matara and Puttalam, without passengers.
He added that even though there is criticism that the Chinese trains are not suitable for Sri Lankan tracks, the truth is that the Chinese coaches are the best purchased by the Railway in its 144 year history. This rolling stock will be with us for at least the next 40 years, and due to being manufactured to suit the Chinese railway, would need a few modifications such as reducing of the railway platform by a few inches and increasing of the length of loop crossings to avoid foulings. “We will have to adjust our tracks to suit the new Chinese trains,” he added.
Source: The Island
Tags: carriages, china, class m9 alstom, crankshaft, locomotive engines, rolling stock, white elephant
