December 27 is a red letter day for the railway in Sri Lanka. On this day in 1964, Sri Lanka Railway celebrated its centenary. Now the railway is 144 years old. It was on this day in 1864 that the first train steamed out from Colombo to Ambepussa.
The railway has come a long way since. [...]
It travels through the mountains slowly like a snake, but roaring as if the sound of the engine and the horn notifying the people a train is on the way in this single track leading to the central mountains of Sri Lanka.
But this train is very different from others. It’s not an ordinary passenger train [...]
The Indian Government has pledged US $ 168 million to Sri Lanka to develop the island’s railways sector.
The financial assistance, provided under the Indian Credit Line (ICL) will be used to upgrade Sri Lanka’s coastal railway line hit by the 2004 tsunami and to strengthen the operating fleet of the Railways Department.
Though the coastal train [...]
The colour light signal and communication system of railways has been further extended at a cost of Rs. 3 billion, Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma said yesterday.
“On the coast line, colour light signals have been installed up to Matara and are controlled by the main centralized control panel at Maradana. Colour light facility is available up [...]
Sri Lanka Railways is set to install modern Colour Signal Systems on the Kadugannawa, Kandy and Gampola triangular area. The new system when installed will remove the major bottleneck that currently exists on the Main & Upcountry Lines. The Colour Signals will replace the aging 130-year-old Tyers’ Train Tablet Apparatus that are presently is use.
Currently [...]
The Kelani Valley rail line, which approximately 30,000 train commuters use daily, will be enhanced and developed into a double-track, said Ceylon Govt.Railway sources.
Preliminary groundwork such as clearing shanties and shrubs and other encroachments of govt. land, preparing and levelling adjacent land, noticing individuals to remove unauthorised structures and conducting relevant feasibility studies will shortly [...]
Sri Lanka Railway possesses many different kinds of locomotives. The age of which varies from 5 to 52 years. General Motors and Alco are more popular models due to their reliability; other engines used are Paxman Valenta, Caterpillar and Ruston.
The H.P. of running line locos vary from 1000 H.P.-2400 H.P. MTU 1200 H.P. engines are [...]
