The Sri Lankan Railways M9 locomotive is a mainline 6 axle Co'Co' diesel electric locomotive built by

Alstom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional ...

(manufacturers code AD 32C) and imported in 2000 for the

Sri Lanka Railways The Sri Lanka Railway Department (more commonly known as Sri Lanka Railways (SLR)) (Sinhala language, Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා දුම්රිය සේවය ''Śrī Laṃkā Dumriya Sēvaya''; Sri Lankan Tamil dialects, Tamil: ...

. The locomotives initially had both electrical and mechanical problems, and several were out of service for several years. In 2010 the process of returning the fleet to service began.

History

Ten units were ordered in 1997 and delivered in 2000, costing 190 million

Sri Lankan rupee The Sri Lankan rupee (, ; Currency symbol, symbol: ₨ in English, රු in Sinhala, ௹ in Tamil; ISO 4217, ISO code: LKR), known until 1972 as the Ceylon rupee, is the currency of Sri Lanka. It is subdivided into 100 cent (currency), cents (, ...

s each. By 2010 only 3 were in operation due to technical problems, Various problems were described including engine malfunction, and problems with the engine control units, as well as the machines requiring modifications for use on curving track. The delay in returning the locomotives to service was ascribed to an unaffordability of spare parts, and prohibitive cost of work by foreign firms. The first of the 7 inoperative locomotives, number 869, was returned to service after 6 years in September 2010, following work by the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT) and the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI).

Operation

M9s were not allowed on line above

Nawalapitiya Nawalapitiya (, ) is a town in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. It is from Kandy and from Colombo, at a height of above sea level. It is located on the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga. The area was developed during t ...

Kelani Valley Line The Kelani Valley railway line in Sri Lanka, covering the breadth of Colombo District. The line is owned, maintained, and operated by Sri Lanka Railways. Route definition and overview The Kelani Valley line runs southeast from Maradana Railway ...

and Matale line.

References

M09 Alstom Prima diesel locomotives 5 ft 6 in gauge locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 2000 {{SriLanka-transport-stub

History

Operation

See also

References