The Golden Rock Railway Workshop here has bagged a fresh order to overhaul and renovate three metre-gauge (MG) diesel locomotives for export to Myanmar.
The Rail India Technical and Economic Services, a Government of India Enterprise under the aegis of the Railways, has entrusted the workshop with the task of refurbishing the three “in service” MG diesel locos for export to the Southeast Asian country.
Two “in service” engines from the Southern Railway and one from North Eastern Railway from the surplus stock have been acquired for this purpose.
The three locomotives taken up for overhaul and renovation are 30-35 years old. Older components in the engines had been replaced with new ones as part of the renovation work currently under way, with minor changes carried out in the loco pilot's cabin of the locomotives. In addition to providing cooling fans inside the cabin, light-emitting diode lights have been installed above the loco pilot's seat to provide better illumination to record the system readings of the engine. The exterior of the engines would be given a fresh coat of polyurethane painting.
Workshop authorities here said the renovation work had been taken up on a priority and the three refurbished locos would be despatched by the October-end. The cost involved in overhauling and renovation was more than Rs.3 crore.
The over 80-year-old workshop has exported more than 120 diesel locomotives to various countries such as Malaysia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Senegal, Mali and Benin. It had earned over Rs.30 crore as foreign exchange.
It had also converted a broad gauge locomotive into cape gauge with higher horsepower (from 1,800 to 2,400) and exported it to Mozambique after carrying out necessary modifications to suit the railway system of the African country.
In addition to carrying out periodic overhaul of diesel locomotives and manufacture of container and stainless steel wagons, the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001-certified workshop is engaged in the task of manufacturing four oil-fired steam engines for the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
