Battery electric trains will be run in the future with preparations to locally build locomotives and carriages through technological research findings.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing stressed the need to prioritize the transformation of EMU into BEMU system as well as diesel locomotives into battery electric locomotives BELs at first to save the cost of fuel for diesel locomotives.
Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing delivered a speech at the ceremony to launch the operation of the new Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) along the Yangon Circular Railway, at Yangon Railway Station in Mingala Taungnyunt Township of Yangon Region yesterday morning.
As electric trains will be run in the country in the future, preparations must be made to build locomotives and carriages locally through technological research findings.
The Yangon circular railway is being improved with the running of DEMU trains successfully.
Electric trains will be run in the future with preparations to locally build locomotives and carriages through technological research findings. Union Minister for Transport and Communications General Mya Tun Oo reported on the progress of the Yangon Circular Railway and arrangements for running new DEMU trains along the circular railway.
The SAC member Union Minister presented a gift to mark the launching of the new DEMU trains to the Senior General.
Salient points from the speeches delivered by the Senior General in launching the DEMU train on the Yangon Circular Railway
1. As battery electric trains will be run in the country in the future, preparations must be made to build locomotives and carriages locally through technological research.
2. Transformation of EMU into BEMU system must be prioritized as well as diesel locomotives into BELs to save the cost of fuel for diesel locomotives.
3. It is necessary to calculate traffic safety in using BELs facilitated with signal apparatuses which are speedier than diesel locomotives.
The Senior General, Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, council member Union Minister General Mya Tun Oo, Council Member General Maung Maung Aye and Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein sprinkled scented water on the locomotive.
The Senior General cordially conversed with passenger people when the train started its trip. He took the new train and presented gifts to the passenger people.
Preliminary engineering tasks were undertaken for improvement projects of the Yangon Circular railway from 2015 to 2016. The construction period was set in 2017. The project uses air-conditioned DEMU carriages imported from Spain to provide better services to the people along the Yangon circular railway. The modern rail transport service is facilitated by automatic lighting and signal systems. So, trains can be operated with the speed from 40 kilometres per hour to 60 kilometres per hour. Myanma Railways will operate 20 RBE trains and 15 DEMU trains along the route to give speedy transport services to the people on a daily basis.
At Locomotive Factory (Insein) of MR, SAC member Union Minister General Mya Tun Oo reported to the Senior General on plans to run electric trains along the Yangon circular railway, and supply of electricity, civil engineering works, signal and communication process, arrangements for availability of Electric Multiple Unit carriages, the transformation of Rail Bus Engine-RBEs into Battery Electric Multiple Unit (BEMU), improvement of EMU system to BEMU system, import of EMU and electric locomotives for running electric trains along Yangon-Mandalay section, and preparations to transform diesel locomotives into battery electric locomotives.
In his response, the Senior General stressed the need to make preparations to run electric trains in railway sections without fail.
In building batter electric train networks, the Senior General underlined transforming RBE carriages into Battery Electric Multiple Units to be used in the city’s circular railway and diesel locomotives into battery electric locomotives (BELs) for long trips.
He noted that thanks to the advancement of technologies, the electric train network can be built into the existing train system at affordable costs in a short time.
As such, he stressed the need to prioritize the transformation of EMU into BEMU system as well as diesel locomotives into BELs at first in order to save the cost of fuel for diesel locomotives.
The Senior General highlighted that it is necessary to calculate traffic safety in using BELs facilitated with signal apparatuses which are speedier than diesel locomotives.
Railways must be fenced with proper drainage systems for prevention of possible traffic problems while carriages, rail tracts and overpasses must be upgraded, he added.
The Senior General had lunch together with the staff of the Locomotive Factory (Insein).
The government is conducting a series of research to run electric trains to ensure smooth transport of commodities and passengers. In the past, MR used RBE locomotives on short trips and diesel locomotives on long trips. Electric lines must be installed for running electric trains along the railways. It needs to take a long time to prepare for the projects with a large sum of costs. As battery technology improves, BEMU locomotives and BELs can be used in the future as part of reducing environmental impacts and saving natural resources. Hence, BEMUs and BELs can soon be seen on the railways for providing rail transport to the people.
Currently, more than 3,800 miles of railways have been built in total together with 962 railway stations across the nation.
MNA/TTA
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