The Sri Lanka Railway Department (more commonly known as Sri Lanka Railways (SLR)) (
Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා දුම්රිය සේවය ''Śrī Laṃkā Dumriya Sēvaya'';
Tamil: இலங்கை புகையிரத சேவை ''Ilankai Pugaiyiradha Sēvai'') is
Sri Lanka's railway owner and primary operator. As part of the Sri Lankan government, it is overseen by the
Ministry of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ...
. Founded in 1858 as the Ceylon Government Railway, it operates the nation's railways and links
Colombo (the capital) with other population centres and tourist destinations.
The Sri Lankan rail network is of
broad gauge
A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways.
Broad gauge of , commonly known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union (CIS ...
. Some of its routes are scenic, with the main line passing (or crossing) waterfalls, mountains,
tea estates
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and norther ...
, pine forests, bridges and peak stations.
History
Beginnings
The construction of a railway in
Ceylon
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
was first raised in 1842 by European coffee planters seeking a line be constructed between Kandy and Colombo as a quicker more efficient means to transport their product for export. After protracted negotiations the Ceylon Railway Company was established in 1845, under the chair of
Philip Anstruther,
Colonial Secretary of Ceylon
The Chief Secretary of Ceylon, was the Chairman and one of three officers of state of the Board of Ministers of the State Council of Ceylon from 1932 to 1947. The post succeeded that of ''Colonial Secretary'' which was one of six offices that hel ...
, to build the colony's first railway. In 1846 the company's engineer, Thomas Drane, undertook preliminary surveys for the new rail line. In December 1856 Captain
William Scarth Moorsom, Chief Engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was sent from England to assess the project for the
Secretary of State for the Colonies,
Henry Labouchere
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
*Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
. His report, issued May 1857, considered six alternative routes to Kandy and recommended the adoption of Route No.3 via the Parnepettia Pass, with a total length of , a ruling gradient of one in 60, with a short Tunnel at an estimated cost of £856,557. The initial sod turning was on 3 August 1858 (near the present
Maradana railway station
Maradana Railway Station ( si, මරදාන දුම්රිය ස්ථානය, ta, மருதானை ரயில் நிலையம்) is a major rail hub in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways, wi ...
) by
Governor Sir
Henry Ward. The Ceylon Railway Company's contractor, William Thomas Doyne, soon realised that it was impossible to complete the work on the estimate submitted. In 1861, the contract with the Ceylon Railway Company was terminated, the subscribed capital paid off, and the government took over the construction work, under the name Ceylon Government Railway (now Sri Lanka Railway). At the end of 1862 the Crown Agents for the Colonies accepted, on behalf of the Government of Ceylon, a tender from
William Frederick Faviell
William Frederick Faviell (1822 – 3 July 1902) was a British railway constructor. He constructed the first railway in India and later built railways in Ceylon and South Africa.
Biography
Faviell was born in 1822 in Yorkshire. Son of a builder ...
for the construction of of railway between Colombo and Kandy.
The service began with a main line connecting Colombo and
Ambepussa
Ambepussa is a town in the Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. History
The Ambepussa railway station, was the terminus station for the first rail passenger service, a ten-carriage train which departed Colombo Fort railway st ...
.
Guilford Lindsey Molesworth
Sir Guilford Lindsey Molesworth (1828–1925) was an English civil engineer.
Biography Early years
Molesworth was born in Millbrook, Hampshire and was the son of John Edward Nassau Molesworth, Vicar of Rochdale who was a great grandson of R ...
, the first chief engineer, became director general of the government railway. Many Ceylonese people referred to the trains as (
Sinhala:අගුරු කකා වතුර බිබී කොළඹ දුවන යකඩ යකා) ''Anguru Kaka Wathura Bibi Colaba Duwana Yakada Yaka''
("coal-eating, water-drinking, metal devils which are sprinting to Colombo").
Extensions were made to the main line in 1867, 1874, 1885, 1894 and 1924 to
Kandy,
Nawalapitiya
Nawalapitiya ( si, නාවලපිටිය, ta, நாவலப்பிட்டி, translit=Nāvalappiṭṭi) is a town in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. It is away from Kandy and from Colombo, at a hei ...
,
Nanu Oya
Nanu Oya is a long stream in the Central Province of Sri Lanka It originates from Pidurutalagala at an elevation of over and drains into the Kotmale Oya at an elevation of approximately . The Kotmale Oya is a tributary of the Mahaweli River, th ...
,
Bandarawela
Bandarawela ( Sinhala : බණ්ඩාරවෙල, pronounced ; Tamil: பண்டாரவெல) is the second largest town in the Badulla District which is away from Badulla. Bandarawela is away from Colombo and about away from Kandy, ...
and
Badulla
Badulla ( si, බදුල්ල, ta, பதுளை) is the capital and the largest city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Geography
Badulla is ...
. Other lines were added to the rail system during its first century, including an 1880 line to
Matale; the 1895 Coast Railway Line; the 1905 Northern Line; the 1914 Mannar Line; the 1919 Kelani Valley Line; the 1926 Puttalam Line, and the 1928 line to
Batticaloa
Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the B ...
and
Trincomalee. For more than 80 years after that,
no major extensions were added to the Ceylonese rail network.
Golden age
The golden age of Ceylon Railways was from 1955 to 1970 under the management of
B. D. Rampala, chief mechanical engineer and general manager of the Ceylon Government Railway.
Emphasising punctuality and comfort, Rampala led upgrades to major stations outside Colombo and the rebuilding of track in the
Eastern Province to facilitate heavier, faster trains. He introduced express trains (many of which had iconic names), and ensured that Ceylon's rail system was up to date and offered comfort to its passengers.
Until 1953, Ceylon's railways used
steam locomotives. During its golden age, they changed to
diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ...
s under Rampala's leadership.
Decline
During the late 20th century, the railway began to decline; for three decades, it was neglected and poorly run.
The Sri Lankan economy had shifted its focus from plantation agriculture to industry, and its road network grew. With the increase in lorries and highways (a faster means of transporting goods), the amount of goods transported by rail declined and the railways experienced heavy losses.
SLR failed to adopt the technological innovations of foreign railways, and problems with travel time, reliability and comfort caused it to lose much of its passenger market share. By 2011, it had a seven-percent share of the market.
Rebirth
The government began a 10-year railway-development strategy to return the network to satisfactory condition in the early 2010s, ordering replacement
DMUs
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also ...
.
The southern line, which was damaged in the
2004 tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern S ...
, was upgraded from 2010 to 2012; its track was upgraded to handle train speeds of .
Sri Lanka Railways began partnering with
ExpoRail and
Rajadhani Express in 2011 for premium service on major routes.
Its
northern line, affected by almost three decades of war, is being rebuilt; in 2015, it was restored to
Jaffna and
Kankesanthurai
Kankesanthurai (, , lit. ''Port Kankesan''), colloquially known as KKS, is a port suburb, fishing division and resort hub of the Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Formerly an electoral district, Kankesanthurai is home to the Kankesan ...
at pre-war levels The maxiumum speed on this line is currently 120Km/h(74mph).. The
southern line is being extended from
Matara to
Kataragama
Kataragama ( si, කතරගම, translit=Kataragama , ta, கதிர்காமம், translit=Katirkrāmam) is a pilgrimage town sacred to Hindu, Buddhist and indigenous Vedda people of Sri Lanka. People from South India also go there ...
to serve the developing city of
Hambantota.
In 2015, track construction to Beliaththa was delayed.
Operators
The
state-owned Sri Lanka Railways operates nearly all of the country's rail services: passenger intercity and commuter rail, and freight transport. Private operators provide some services for the railways' equipment and infrastructure, including the ''
Viceroy Special'': a
heritage train with a steam locomotive.
[Viceroy Vintage Train Tours](_blank)
/ref>
On 6 October 2011, Expolanka
Expolanka Holdings PLC is a diversified conglomerate with interests in logistics, leisure and ventures with a global presence in 20 countries and over 50 cities.
History
Expolanka Limited was established in 1978 as the Sri Lankan economy was libe ...
introduced its ExpoRail service; the competing Rajadhani Express was introduced by Blue Line Express on the same day. Although ExpoRail is reportedly no longer in operation, the Blue Line Express is a premium section on Sri Lanka Railways trains.
Rolling stock
Locomotives
Sri Lanka Railways' locomotives are primarily diesel. Steam locomotives, in regular service until the late 1970s, are used on heritage trains such as the ''Viceroy Special''.
The first locomotives pulled trains during the 1860s on the original main line connecting Colombo and Ambepussa
Ambepussa is a town in the Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. History
The Ambepussa railway station, was the terminus station for the first rail passenger service, a ten-carriage train which departed Colombo Fort railway st ...
. Sri Lanka Railways converted to diesel locomotives in 1953, and several types were added to its fleet. Although Sri Lanka did not have commercially-operating electric locomotives or trainsets in 2011, electrification has been proposed to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Coaches
Most of the passenger coaches that are in service are either manufactured by the Romanian Astra Rail Industries
Astra Rail Industries is a Romanian rail vehicle manufacturing company. It was formed in 2002 as the ''International Railway Systems'', part of the Trinity Industries European assets, adding further manufacturing plants in Romania, and a part forg ...
or by ICF, Chennai. On most lines, service is being upgraded with long-haul diesel multiple units from CSR Corporation and India's RITES.
Network
The Sri Lankan railway network is 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways.
Broad gauge of , commonly known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union (CIS ...
. All service is diesel-powered. The network is divided into three operating regions based in Colombo, Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central P ...
and Nawalapitiya
Nawalapitiya ( si, නාවලපිටිය, ta, நாவலப்பிட்டி, translit=Nāvalappiṭṭi) is a town in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. It is away from Kandy and from Colombo, at a hei ...
. The railway is modernising and extending the Coastal Line for faster trains and improved efficiency.
Electrification
Although electrification was first proposed in 1928, the cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
did not approve the electrification of suburban railways until 2015. Electrification of the Panadura
Panadura ( si, පානදුර, translit=Pānadura; ta, பாணந்துறை, translit=Pāṇantuṟai) is a city in Kalutara District, Western Province in Sri Lanka. It is located approximately south of Colombo and is surrounded on ...
- Veyangoda line is proposed in phase one of the Western Region Megapolis
The Western Region Megapolis is an urban planning, zoning, and development area stretching from Negombo in the north to Beruwala in the south. It is designed to create a megapolis in Sri Lanka's Western Province by 2030.
The plan was created by ...
plan with a soft loan
A soft loan is a loan with a below-market rate of interest. This is also known as ''soft financing''. Sometimes soft loans provide other concessions to borrowers, such as long repayment periods or interest holidays. Soft loans are usually provi ...
from the Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field office ...
.
A contract was signed by Malaysia's Airport Express Air and Rail Company and the government of Sri Lanka
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා රජය, Śrī Lankā Rajaya; ta, இலங்கை அரசாங்கம்) is a parliamentary system determined by the Sri Lankan Constitution. It administers the is ...
for a new electric rail line between Negombo and Colombo, and the project was expected to be completed by 2018. Electrification of the busiest sections of the network was proposed several times to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. Around 1998, the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka
The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) is a multidisciplinary professional engineering institution in Sri Lanka.
History
It was the Director of Public Works at the time F A Cooper, who while attending a meeting while on circuit, who plan ...
(IESL) submitted recommendations for railway electrification. Although they were approved by the cabinet, they were not implemented. The IESL made new proposals for electrification in 2008 and 2010, but no work was done because the voltage systems were undefined. System electrification is favoured by the IESL to reduce pollution and travel time and increase passenger comfort.
Although Sri Lanka Railways is planning to electrify the Colombo commuter-rail system from Veyangoda to Maradana, Maradana to Kaluthara
Kalutara ( si, කළුතර, ta, களுத்துறை) or Kalutota is a major city in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is also the administrative capital of Kalutara District. It is located approximately south of ...
and Ragama
Ragama ( si, රාගම ta, ரா௧ம) is a suburb of Colombo, located in the Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by the Ja-Ela Pradeshiya Sabha.
History
In July 1874 a rail line, known as the Breakwater line, ...
to Negombo, their voltage systems are unknown. Fifteen electric multiple units will be imported for commuter service.
Signalling
Much of the network uses a lock-and-block signaling system. During the mid-twentieth century, the busiest sectors (around Colombo) were upgraded to electronic signalling connected to a CTC control panel at the Maradana railway station
Maradana Railway Station ( si, මරදාන දුම්රිය ස්ථානය, ta, மருதானை ரயில் நிலையம்) is a major rail hub in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways, wi ...
.
In 2011, a project to add electronic signalling to the northern lines began. Track between Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central P ...
, Kankesanturai
Kankesanthurai (, , lit. ''Port Kankesan''), colloquially known as KKS, is a port suburb, fishing division and resort hub of the Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Formerly an electoral district, Kankesanthurai is home to the Kankesan ...
, and Talaimannar
Talaimannar ( ta, தலைமன்னார்; si, තලෙයිමන්නාරම) is a settlement in Sri Lanka located on the northwestern coast of Mannar Island.
Transport
Sri Lanka's northern railway line was destroyed, disrupted o ...
would have electronic signalling with centralised traffic control: an interlocking colour-light system with electrically-operated points
Point or points may refer to:
Places
* Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
* Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States
* Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
* Points ...
and a track-detection system. Level crossings would be connected to the signalling system, ensuring safety.
After the 2011 Alawwa rail accident
The 2011 Alawwa rail accident, occurred on the evening of Saturday 17 September 2011, when a passenger train, Sri Lanka Railways S11, drove into an observation car at the back of a stationary Intercity Express train near the Alawwa railway station ...
, SLR began installing a GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
-based train-protection system on its fleet. The system warns a train driver
A train driver, engine driver, engineman or locomotive driver, commonly known as an engineer or railroad engineer in the United States and Canada, and also as a locomotive handler, locomotive operator, train operator, or motorman, is a pers ...
of a possible collision in time to manually stop the train. The fleet can also be monitored by a central control room with the system. A trial run with ten trains was conducted in early November 2011.
Routes
Major population centres and tourist destinations are connected by rail. Service began in 1864 with the construction of the Main Line from Colombo to Ambepussa
Ambepussa is a town in the Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. History
The Ambepussa railway station, was the terminus station for the first rail passenger service, a ten-carriage train which departed Colombo Fort railway st ...
, east, and the first train ran on 27 December 1864. The line was officially opened to traffic on 2 October 1865. The Main Line was extended in stages, with service to Kandy in 1867, to Nawalapitiya
Nawalapitiya ( si, නාවලපිටිය, ta, நாவலப்பிட்டி, translit=Nāvalappiṭṭi) is a town in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. It is away from Kandy and from Colombo, at a hei ...
in 1874, to Nanu-Oya in 1885, to Bandarawela
Bandarawela ( Sinhala : බණ්ඩාරවෙල, pronounced ; Tamil: பண்டாரவெல) is the second largest town in the Badulla District which is away from Badulla. Bandarawela is away from Colombo and about away from Kandy, ...
in 1894, and to Badulla
Badulla ( si, බදුල්ල, ta, பதுளை) is the capital and the largest city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Geography
Badulla is ...
in 1924. Other lines were completed to link the country: the Matale Line in 1880, the Coast Line in 1895, the Northern Line in 1905, the Mannar Line in 1914, the 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 Colombo Maradana ...
in 1919, the Puttalam Line in 1926, and the Batticaloa and Trincomalee Lines in 1928.[http://www.infolanka.com/org/mrail/rroutes.html The Rail Routes of Sri Lanka]
Passenger service
Sri Lanka Railways has intercity service connecting major population centres, and commuter rail serving Colombo commuters. The railway also transports freight. Most intercity trains have several classes:["A beginner's guide to Train travel in Sri Lanka ..."](_blank)
/ref>
*''1st class sleeper'', with sleeping berths, is available on a few overnight trains.
*''1st class observation car'' is available on some day trains, primarily on the Main Line. Normally at the rear of the train, it is occasionally behind the locomotive.
*''1st class air-conditioned'' seats are available on some intercity express trains between Colombo and Vavunia and Colombo and Batticaloa. They are also available on the main-line ''Udarata Manike'' and ''Podi Manike'' trains.
*''2nd class'' seats, available on all intercity trains, are unreserved or reserved.
*''3rd class'', available on most trains, has basic facilities.
Commuter trains serve the busiest portions of Colombo and its suburbs. Most commuter trains are diesel multiple units and lack the three-class configuration of intercity service. Commuter trains, which alleviate rush-hour congestion on city roads, can be crowded. Electrification of the commuter-rail network has been proposed to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Train types
*''Intercity express'': Among the fastest trains, with few stops. Passengers get special tickets and pay a premium.
*''Night mail'': Night-time express trains with freight transport
*''Express'': Links Colombo and major transport hubs
*''Suburban'': Stops at each station on the route
Routes and trains
SLR divides its network into three operating regions, based in Maradana, Nawalapitya and Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central P ...
. The network consists of nine lines, and several services were named during the 1950s.
Links to India
A proposal to link the railways of Sri Lanka and India did not materialise, but a combined train-ferry-train service (known as Boat Mail
The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, previously known as Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train that connects Rameswaram with the state capital Chennai via Devakottai. During 1900's it was a combined train and steamer ferry se ...
) connected Colombo with Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Tamil Nadu, the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and territories of India, Indian state. The largest city ...
for much of the twentieth century.[http://infolanka.asia/sri-lanka/transport/the-indo-lanka-land-bridge-reviving-the-proposal The Indo-Lanka Land bridge: Reviving the Proposal] A bridge linking the countries was proposed in 1894 by the consultant engineer for railways in Madras (Chennai); a blueprint
A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets. Introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842, the process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited numbe ...
and cost analysis were made. The Mannar line was built by 1914 to connect Talaimannar
Talaimannar ( ta, தலைமன்னார்; si, තලෙයිමන්නාරම) is a settlement in Sri Lanka located on the northwestern coast of Mannar Island.
Transport
Sri Lanka's northern railway line was destroyed, disrupted o ...
on Mannar Island
Mannar Island ( ; ta, மன்னார் தீவு, Maṉṉār tīvu; si, මන්නාරම් දූපත, Mannāram dūpata), formerly spelt Manar Island, which lies off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka, is part of Mannar D ...
to the Sri Lankan mainland, and the Indian rail network was extended to Dhanushkodi
Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island of the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is south-east of Pamban and is about west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The town was destroyed during the 1964 Rameswaram cyc ...
; however, the bridge linking them was not built.
Ferry service connecting the railheads at Talaimannar and Dhanushkodi lasted until the 1960s, when a cyclone destroyed the pier and rail line in Dhanushkodi. Ferry service resumed from the Indian terminus at Rameshwaram
Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilo ...
until the Sri Lankan Civil War. A rail bridge (or tunnel) was proposed again during the 2000s, highlighting the benefits of connecting the ports of Colombo and Trincomalee with Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Tamil Nadu, the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and territories of India, Indian state. The largest city ...
.
Urban rail
Suburban rail
Commuter rail service connects Colombo to its suburbs, helping alleviate rush-hour congestion on city roads. Local commuter trains and intercity lines use the same tracks. Colombo's commuter-rail network is of track from Panadura
Panadura ( si, පානදුර, translit=Pānadura; ta, பாணந்துறை, translit=Pāṇantuṟai) is a city in Kalutara District, Western Province in Sri Lanka. It is located approximately south of Colombo and is surrounded on ...
to Polgahawela
Polgahawela is a town located in north western Sri Lanka. It is most notable for being a major railway junction.
Polgahawela is situated in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, and is located approximately north-east from the capital city ...
via the Fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
and Maradana stations. The route is multi-tracked to provide rush-hour service.[http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/Publications/TIS_pubs/tarsc_fulltext_1980.pdf Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Development of the Trans-Asian Railway: Trans-Asian Railway in the Southern Corridor of Asia-Europe Routes. 1999.] Electrification of the commuter-rail network has been proposed to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Metro
A standard-gauge metro system was proposed during the 2010s to give Colombo commuters a clean, environmentally-friendly transit option. The metro would reduce the load on the commuter-rail system and alleviate congestion on major roads. A consortium
A consortium (plural: consortia) is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources fo ...
of three companies is conducting feasibility studies on the project.
Light rail
Colombo Light Rail has received $1.25 billion in funding.
Railbus
In areas with little demand for commuter trains, such as the Eastern Province, railbuses connect towns and cities. Railbus service from Batticaloa and Trincomalee allows passengers to travel between the cities with fewer delays.
Former tram
A tram system operated in Colombo from 1899 to 1960, operated by Colombo Electric Tramways and Lighting Company before being transferred to the Colombo Municipal Council
The Colombo Municipal Council is the municipal governing body of Colombo, the largest city and financial centre in Sri Lanka. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of Colombo, current elect is Rosy Senanayake, and 119 elected 119 mun ...
on 31 August 1944.
Planned high-speed rail
High Speed Railway Corporation (HSRC) plans to introduce a maglev system to the island with a line connecting Negombo and Colombo 3.
Issues
Discrimination
In February 2017, Sri Lanka's ''Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'' criticized SLR for segregated washroom facilities at stations. Foreigners can use clean washrooms, but Sri Lankans are forced to use poorly-maintained, often-unsanitary washrooms; signs distinguish "foreigners' toilets" from other facilities. According to the ''Sunday Times'' article, foreigners' washrooms were at the Colombo Fort, Mount Lavinia, Badulla, Hikkaduwa and Panadura stations. Transport Ministry secretary Nihal Somaweera said that foreign-tourist toilets were upgraded with funds from the Ministry of Tourism, and the article described the SLR leadership as echoing the colonial era.
Accidents
* 18 March 1964 - A train derailed at high speed, killing over 60 people near Mirigama
Mirigama (also spelled Meerigama) ( si, මීරිගම; ta, மீரிகம) is a town in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. It is located from Colombo, and from Negombo.
Mirigama is the hometown of Sri Lanka's first Prime Minister, D. S. Se ...
.
* 19 January 1985 - the LTTE bombed the ''Yal Devi
''Yal Devi'' ( ta, யாழ் தேவி; si, යාල් දේවී) is a major express train in Sri Lanka. Operated by Sri Lanka Railways, the Yal Devi connects Colombo, the nation's commercial hub, with the northern cities of Jaffna ...
'', killing 11 civilians.
* 24 July 1996 - The LTTE bombed a train, resulting in 70 civilian deaths at Dehiwala.
* 19 August 2001 - A train derailed between Alawwa
Alawwa is a town and divisional secretariat of the Kurunegala District in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. The town is considered part of the Coconut Triangle, where most of the country's coconut exports come from. The population was ...
and Rambukkana due to high speed and overcrowding, killing 46.
* 13 June 2002 – A train derailed entering the Alawwa railway station
Alawwa Railway Station is a railway station in the town of Alawwa, which is located in the Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka. The station is owned by Sri Lanka Railways, the state-owned railway operator, the station is part of the Main line wh ...
, killing 14.
* 26 December 2004 – 2004 tsunami rail disaster – Over 1,700 people died in the world's largest rail disaster (by death toll) when a train was overwhelmed by the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami at Peraliya
Peraliya is a small coastal village situated in Hikkaduwa, Galle District in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
The village could be reached from Colombo in three hours; it is located around Temple Road off the 95 km mark of Galle Road. ...
.
* 26 April 2005 Polgahawela level crossing accident
Polgahawela level crossing accident was a collision between a bus travelling from Galkiriyagama to Colombo and a train at a level crossing in Yangalmodara, near Polgahawela in Kurunegala district on 27 April 2005 at 8.30 local time, which resulted ...
– A bus trying to pass another bus at a level crossing in Yangalmodara (near Polgahawela
Polgahawela is a town located in north western Sri Lanka. It is most notable for being a major railway junction.
Polgahawela is situated in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka, and is located approximately north-east from the capital city ...
) was struck by a train; 37 bus passengers died.
* 17 September 2011 – An S11 passenger train struck Struck is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Adolf Struck (1877–1911), German author
*Hermann Struck (1876–1944), German artist
*Karin Struck (1947–2006), German author
*Paul Struck (1776-1820), German composer
*Peter Stru ...
the stopped Colombo-Kandy ''Udarata Manike'' at the Alawwa railway station
Alawwa Railway Station is a railway station in the town of Alawwa, which is located in the Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka. The station is owned by Sri Lanka Railways, the state-owned railway operator, the station is part of the Main line wh ...
. Five people were killed and over 30 were injured.
* 17 May 2012 - After a train struck a stopped train, two trains collided between the Wandurawa and Keenawala stations in Veyangoda.[ ]
* 30 April 2014 - A northbound intercity express collided with the Colombo-bound ''Rajarata Rajina'' at Pothuhera, injuring 68 passengers.
* 1 February 2022 - Four of same family dead as three-wheeler fatally collides with ''Rajarata Rajina'' at Rillamba Junction in Boossa.
A number of other accidents have occurred, including collisions with elephants in the north-central region. Other accidents involving road traffic occur at unsecured level crossings. Of Sri Lanka's 1,684 crossings, only 527 are secure. To prevent collisions, SLR has begun installing a GPS-based train-protection system which will warn drivers of a possible collision in time to avoid it.
See also
* List of railway stations in Sri Lanka
List of railway stations in Sri Lanka, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
A
* Abanpola, North Western Province
* Agbopura, Eastern Province
* Ahangama, Southern Province
* Ahungalle, Southern Province
* Akurala, Southern Prov ...
* Ceylon Railway Engineer Corps
* National railway museum, Kadugannawa
References
Further reading
* illustrated description of the railways of Ceylon in the 1930s
External links
Sri Lanka Railways Official Site
Ministry of Transport
{{authority control
*
Railway
Transport companies of Sri Lanka
Government-owned railway companies