CGR goes for 20 new Indian power sets

by Gamini Warushamana
 

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The Ceylon Government Railway (CGR) will purchase another 20 new power sets from India, Transport Ministry sources said. The new power sets will be used for long distance travel and this is the first time the CGR purchased power sets for long distance travel.

The new power sets will be purchased under the Indian Credit Line facility. The Indian Credit facility will also be used to renovate the Fort railway station, Southern rail track and the signal system of the Southern railway, the sources said.

The CGR had already purchased 15 new power sets from China and they will arrive in the country by August.

A team of railway engineers are now in China to see whether the power sets are in keeping with CGR specifications. The Government will continue investing in the railway to develop the train service which is the backbone of the public transport service in the country.

In addition, the CGR has called for tenders to purchase 15 railway locomotives.

The tender will be open till May 15. Initially the tender has been restricted to locomotives with double cabs. Hence, the most reputed locomotives in Sri Lanka could not be purchased because General Motors (GM) could not bid as the company does not produce this model. Considering the track record of the locomotives supplied by GM and advice of the experts, this condition was later withdrawn.

Technical experts in the CGR said that GM engines have proved their durability in Sri Lanka. The CGR purchased 14 Canadian M-2 engines from GM in 1954 and of them 13 engines are still in running condition. One engine damaged by the tsunami is now undergoing repairs.

In the recent past technical experts on several occasions have recommended GM locomotives, however, the authorities went for other options. During 1968-69, the CGR purchased 16 W class engines and today only five of them are running.

In 1979, 16 Hitachi engines were purchased but today none of them is running. In 1998, four were re-engined but they ran only for nine years. In 2000 CGR purchased 10 Alstom engines from France without considering technical advice.

In 1996, the then Transport Minister Srimani Athulathmudali advised the CGR to purchase GM engines having considered a technical committee recommendation. The deal took place in 2000 and today, after eight years only seven engines are running.

Experts said that when purchasing locomotives their durability should be seriously considered.