Locomotives of Bangladesh

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Locomotive 2934 of Bangladesh Railway

In the rail transport system of Bangladesh, diesel locomotives are used. Among diesel locos, there are diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locos. Besides diesel locos, steam locos were used in the past, but now they are no longer used. By gauge, there are narrow-gauge (762 mm), meter-gauge (1,000 mm) and broad-gauge (1,676 mm) locos in Bangladesh. Among them, as no narrow-gauge railroads are active, so the narrow-gauge locos are not used anymore.

In 1961, there were 415 steam locos (both broad-gauge and meter-gauge) in the then East Pakistan, out of which, 262 were more than 30 years old.[1] Also there were 51 meter-gauge diesel locos, among which, 40 were class 2000 and 11 were class 3000 locos.[1] As of 2020, total 476 meter-gauge and broad-gauge diesel locos (including the old 11 class 3000 locos) have been imported in Bangladesh. Most of them are diesel-electric, but 80 locos are diesel-hydraulic. Among the 476 locos, 349 are meter-gauge and 127 are broad-gauge.[2] All diesel-hydraulic locos were produced by Ganz-MÁVAG of Hungary. Various companies produced the diesel-electric locos, notable among them are GMD, ALCO, MLW, Hyundai Rotem. and DLW, Progress Rail.[3][4][5][6]

History[]

Rail network started in the then East Bengal of Indian Subcontinent on 15 November 1862.[7] During that time, steam locos were used to pull trains. They served the railway of Bangladesh for the next hundred years (approx.). Diesel locos first started operation in Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan) with the introduction of class 2000 EMD B12 diesel-electric locos in 1953.[8][9] Till then, the demand and usage of diesel locos increased rapidly. Side by side, the usage of steam locos decreased, and in 1980s, all steam locos were taken out from service. A small number of them are preserved.[10]

Diesel locomotives[]

Meter-gauge diesel locomotives[]

Class

series

Class

name

Builder Model Nos. Numbering First

introduced

Power

(hp)

Speed

(km/h)

Base Image
2000 MEG-11 GMD B12 40 2000–2039 1953 1125 100 CGPY BR 2021.jpg
GEU-14 GE 10 2101–2110 1964 1420 103 ? BR - 2101.jpg
2200 MEG-9 GMD GL8 41 2201–2241 1961 875 124 CGPY
Kamalapur
Pahartali
Parbatipur 		Train at the Battali Railwaystation in Chittagong 01.jpg
2300 MEM-14 MLW DL535A/RSD-30 24 2301–2324 1969 1400 96 Kamalapur
Parbatipur 		লাউয়াছড়া জাতীয় উদ্যান রেললাইন ০৩.jpg
2400 12 2401–2412 1978 BR - 2401.jpg
2500 MEH-14 Hitachi HFA13A 18 2501–2518 1982 1400 96 Kamalapur Bangladesh Railway Hitachi HFA13A '2513' (29211137386).jpg
2600 MEG-15 GMD 16 2601–2616 1988 1500 107 Pahartali BR 2605.jpg
2700 MEL-15 Henschel
Adtranz 		21 2701–2721 1994 1500 107 Pahartali Chittagong University Shuttle train (08).jpg
2800 MED-14 DLW DL535A/
RSD-30
(YDM 4BR) 		10 2801–2810 1996 1400 96 ? Jamuna Express.jpg
2900 MEI-15 Hyundai
Hyundai Rotem 		GT18LA-2 39 2901–2939 1999 1500 107 Kamalapur
Pahartali
Parbatipur 		Shonar Bangla Express.jpg
3000 ? ? ? 11 ? ? 335 ? ? Historical Locomotive of Bangladesh.jpg
MEI-20 Hyundai Rotem 10 3001–3010 2020 2200 107 Kamalapur
Pahartali 		Bangladesh Railway Locomotive No.3010 at Laksham.jpg
3100 MEE-5 English Electric EEU-6 26 3101–3126 1973 550 56 Pahartali Shunting Loco 3118.jpg
3200 MHZ-5 Ganz-MÁVAG DHM 10 22 3201–3222 1980 590 60 Dewanganj BR Loco 3212.png
3300 MHZ-8 Ganz-MÁVAG DHM 12 38 3301–3338 1983 800 72 Bonarpara Locomotive 3309.jpg

Broad-gauge diesel locomotives[]

Class

series

Class

name

Builder Model Nos. Numbering First

introduced

Power

(hp)

Speed

(km/h)

Base Image
BEA-20 Alco DL543/RSD-34 18 6000–6017 1965 2000 106 Ishwardi Alco in Jessore.jpg
6100 BEM-20 MLW DL543/RSD-34 16 6101–6116 1969 2000 106 Ishwardi
6200 BEH-24 Hitachi HFA24A 12 6201–6212 1980 2450 ? Ishwardi Rajshahi Railway Station.jpg
6300 BEB-22 Bombardier MX 624 12 6301–6312 1980 2200 105 Ishwardi
6400 BED-26 DLW
(WDM 2B) 		10 6401–6410 2001 2600 120 Ishwardi
DLW DL560C
(WDM 2CA) 		3 6411–6413 2004 2600 120 Ishwardi Maitri Express.jpg
6500 BED-30 DLW DL560C
(WDM 3A) 		26 6501–6526 2012 3100 120 Ishwardi
BED-33 DLW DL560C
(WDM 3D) 		10 6527–6536 2020 3300 160 Ishwardi
6600 BEP-32 Progress Rail 40 6601–6640 2021 3250 ? ?
Class 66 BD.jpg
7000 BHZ-5 Ganz-MÁVAG DHM 9 20 7001–7020 1980 500 60 ? Antique rail engine in khulna rail station.jpg

List of preserved Diesel locomotives[]

Class Loco no. Location Builder Build no. Transmission Engine type Gauge
MEG-11 2000 Diesel Workshop, Pahartali, Chittagong General Motors Diesel A443 Diesel-electric Two-stroke Metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
MHZ-8 3309 Central Locomotive Workshop, Parbatipur, Dinajpur Ganz Mavag, Budapest, Hungary Diesel-hydraulic Metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
MHZ-8 3332 Saidpur Works, Nilphamari Ganz Mavag, Budapest, Hungary Diesel-hydraulic Metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

Diesel multiple units[]

DEMU of BR

A few routes have DMU service. Depending on their transmission system, they are classified as DEMU (diesel-electric transmission) Chinese manufactured (CNR Tangshan) meter-gauge DEMU was introduced in Bangladesh from May 25, 2013. DEMU is the country's first-ever commuter train service starting its journey on the Chittagong–Fouzdarhat line. These DEMUs also operate on the Chittagong Circular Railway and on several Bangladesh Railway's service.[11] 20 sets of DEMU were imported then. Each set contains 3 coaches which can carry 300 passengers at a time. The power of each set is 1800 hp and can go at a speed of 80 km/h maximum. These DEMUs didn't turned out to be successful for Bangladesh Railway.

Steam locomotives[]

Gauge

(mm)

Class Builder Build

date

Total

made

Whyte

notation

Length

(m)

Width

(m)

Height

(m)

Weight Tractive

effort (tonne)

Locale
762 CB Vulcan Foundry ? ? 2-4-0T ? ? ? ? ? Khulna-Bagerhat Railway
CS W. G. Bagnall 1936 ? 2-4-0T 5.689 2.286 3.2 11.76 Tonnes 2.05
1000 F Neilson & Co, Glasgo 1995 ? 0-6-0 ? ? ? ? ? Previously Assam Bengal Railway
Saidpur workshop (till 1983;
For shunting purpose)
MAWD Alco ? 86[12] ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
PM ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
PS ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
RC ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
RS Hunslet Engineering 1920 ? 4-6-0 ? ? ? ? ? EBR
WD ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
YB ? ? ? 4-6-2 ? ? ? ? ? ?
YD Nippon Saryo 1952 25
(for
PER) 		2-8-2 ? ? ? ? ? ?
1676 APC ? ? ? 4-4-2 ? ? ? ? ? ?
BTC ? ? ? 2-6-4T ? ? ? ? ? ?
CWD Canada ? ? 2-8-2 ? ? ? ? ? ?
HPS Vulcan Foundry 1947 ? 4-6-0 18.98 3.2 4.11 Loaded:
Loco-76.9 tons;
Tender-52 tons
Empty:
Loco-71.3 tons;
Tender-23.96 tons 		? ?
SGC-Z Vulcan Foundry 1921 ? 0-6-0 16.4216 2.731 4.017 98.48 Ton 11.76 (1921–36)
Saidpur workshop (1936;
For shunting purpose)
SGS Vulcan Foundry ? ? 0-6-0 ? ? ? ? ? ?
SPS Vulcan Foundry ? ? 4-4-0 ? ? ? ? ? ?
XB Vulcan Foundry 1936 ? 4-6-2 ? ? ? 90.2 long tons 12.14 ?

Preserved steam locomotives[]

A small number of steam locomotives are preserved in Bangladesh.[13]

Location Class Builder Wheel
arrangement 		Gauge Image
Dhaka Railway HQ YD 718 Nippon 2-8-2 Metre gauge
Saidpur Works CS 15 W. G. Bagnall, England 2-4-0T Narrow Gauge 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Saidpur Works SGC-Z 240 Volcan Foundry, England 0-6-0 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Paksay Railway HQ CB 8 Volcan Foundry, England 2-4-0T Narrow Gauge 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Pahartoli Works CB 7 Volcan Foundry, England 2-4-0T Narrow Gauge 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Rajshahi Railway HQ HPS 30 Volcan Foundry, England 4-6-0 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
National Scout Training Center, Mouchak, Gazipur RC 233 Metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)

The 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge locomotives are from the Rupsa-Bagerhat railway which was the only 2 ft 6 in gauge line in East Pakistan when colonial India was partitioned in 1947. It was re-gauged to 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge in 1970.

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Transportation Survey of East Pakistan, 1961: Detailed report". www.books.google.com. 1961. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  2. ^ মেয়াদোত্তীর্ণ ইঞ্জিনে চলছে ট্রেন | বাংলাদেশ প্রতিদিন. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  3. ^ "ANALYSIS OF PROBLEMS" (PDF). Bangladesh Railway. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  4. ^ admin (28 August 2012). "DLW bags order for 16 locomotives from Bangladesh Railways". Global Rail News. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh Railway orders Progress Rail locomotives". International Railway Journal. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Bangladesh taps Progress Rail for GT Series power". Railway Age. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Railway - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  8. ^ Strack, Don. "GENERAL MOTORS DIESEL". utahrails.net. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Old Time Trains". www.trainweb.org. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Preserved Steam Locomotives in Bangladesh". Internationalsteam.co.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  11. ^ "DEMU trains begin debut run in Ctg". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Transportation Survey of East Pakistan, 1961: Detailed report". www.books.google.com. 1961. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Preserved Steam Locomotives in Bangladesh". Internationalsteam.co.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
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