New carriages’ first journey from next week

RAJMI MANATUNGA

The new railway carriages purchased for the Sri Lanka Railways from China will make their first journey next week from Colombo to Matara.

According to the Railways Department, 10 out of the 25 Chinese railway carriages which arrived in the country last month will be attached to the Ruhunu Kumari express train operating from Colombo to Matara from next week. It is after a lapse of 15 years that the new carriages will be added to Sri Lanka’s train service.

“We have taken steps to modify the locomotive of Ruhunu Kumari to suit the air-break system found in the newly-purchased carriages. Accordingly, the carriages could be operated with the engine without any trouble,” a Department spokesman said.

The 25 new carriages, first fleet of the 100 carriages ordered from China, have been purchased at a cost of Rs. 22 million each.The second fleet of carriages already shipped from China is expected to arrive here before the end of this month.