International Railroad Discussion > More from Myanmar

Now that we're back home and I've downloaded all the images from my camera (the pictures I posted whilst away were from my HTC phone) here are a few more from our adventure in Myanmar

1: Yangon Central station; one of the ubiquitous ex-JR east KiHa 40 series DMUs in service on Yangon's Circle LIne. I've subsequently learnt that the stuffed 4-6-4T is a product of Beyer Peacock.

2: Not all commuter trains are DMUs, these Alsthom B-Bs, identical to Spain's FEVE 1500 class, are also to be found. The cars are advertising an energy drink.

3: Myanmar Railways also has some former JR KiHa 38 railcars, this train is approaching Central Station from the direction of Pagoda Road, note the signals which are a WB&SCo product, much like those they supplied to London Underground.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 07:05 by 86235.

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Bago, some 50 miles from Yangon is a veritable treasure trove of semaphore signalling

4: The approach from Up no.31, the 08:00 Yangon to Nypyitaw, this gantry is cntrolled by the west signal box

5: No.31 pulls out of Bago...

6: ...passing the east signal box

 

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From Bago we drove south to Mawlamyine (Moulmein) for two nights

7: With 'the old Moulmein pagoda' in the background ex-Indian Railways Alco powered YDM4 on the approach to the four mile rail bridge and two mile road bridge over the Thanlwin River, connecting Mawlamyine with Mottama. Until 2005 trains did not cross the Thanlwin, passengers caught a ferry at Mottama and boarded another train in Mawlamyine for the onward journey to Ye. this is the 08:00 Mawlamyine to Yangon, one of two daily trains.

8: In the afternoon we went to Thanbyuzayat, some 40 miles south of Mawlamyine, and the point at which the Siam to Burma 'Death' Railway, which the Japanese had built by Allied PoW and local indentured labour, met the existing Mawlamyine to Ye line. There's a museum but more importantly (for Brits) is the War Cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for those who died in the course of the railway's construction. There are now 3,149 Commonwealth and 621 Dutch burials in the cemetery. Visiting it in the late afternoon as the sun set was a very moving experience. Whilst we were driving from the museum to the cemetery we were stopped by this local heading south to Ye.

9: No sooner has the train crossed the grade crossing than its been re-occupied by impatient road users.

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10: A few days later we were back in Yangon in preparation for our train ride to Mandalay, en-route we stopped at Bago once more where I found this operational 4-6-2 on shed

11: Back in Yangon Down no.32 the 08:00 from Naypyitaw (arr 17:00) pulls in, another Alco YDM4 (now DF13 class) is at its head

12: An ex JR railcar set pulls out of Yangon Central, the man with the bull horn is the train caller

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13: We were back at the station just over 12 hours later at 05:30 in order to catch the 06:00 Up no.11 to Mandalay. DF20 class 2077 would haul us the 400 odd miles to Mandalay

14: As 13:30 approached I wondered whether we would see Down no.12 which left Mandalay at 06:00 and would, if on time, be halfway through its journey, as would we. And what do you know, at 13:31 Down no.12 appeared, passing this operational three position power operated semaphore

15: Late afternoon we approached Naypyitaw, Myanmar's creepy Pyongyang-like capital city. It has this enormous station, completely at odds with the likely level of traffic, evidence of megalomania in the presiding 'genius' of Naypyitaw - General Than Shwe. Approaching the city you cross, on the level, arrow straight eight lane highways devoid of any traffic. It is a very strange place. Luckily our stop there was no longer than at other stations, a few minutes then we were on our way again.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 11:16 by 86235.

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And so to Mandalay. Now Kipling never came here, but if he had he would have found a relatively young town which today is a bustling metropolis

16: There's a local railway which terminates just to the north of the City Palace in Mandalay. Trains run three times a day in each direction, the mid morning arrival is the one to aim to go and see as it makes its way through the railway bazaar, running across the onions, garlic and herbs of the local traders. They move their umbrellas but not their produce. Good job there's no washroom facilities on this train. Diesel oil with your garlic, sir?

17: On the mainline out of Mandalay's main station, which is south of the City Palace, the 14:30 to Monwya on the Chindwin River

18: Down no.6 is probably Myanmar Railway's most prestigious train, leaving Mandalay at 15:00 and arriving in Yangon at 05:00. It's hauled by a DF20 and consists of new (2015-built) Chinese cars - Upper and Ordinary class. But no sleepers. For sleepers you need to catch the 17:00 Down no.4 (arrive 07:45)

We returned to Yangon a few days later after two nights in Bagan and arrived home in London yesterday, touching down at 06:15 and in doors in North London by 08:45. Great holiday, one of the best.

Here's a link to the 100+ pictures I took

https://nick86235.smugmug.com/Trains/2017/On-the-road-to-Mandalay-riding-trains-in-Myanmar/i-2mHXbgt



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 13:19 by 86235.

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The signals in picture #2 appear to be actuated by cables. Is that correct and who or how are the cables controlled?

Great show, Nick.  Thanks.  Gerry

Thanks for posting these pics of a place I will probably never be able to visit. 

tomstp Wrote:
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> The signals in picture #2 appear to be actuated by
> cables. Is that correct and who or how are the
> cables controlled?

Do you mean no.4? If so it's a mechanical signalling system, controlled from this signal box. Inside there's a lever frame below which there is a series of mechanical interlocks which prevent conflicting movements, wires connecting signals to the lever framed are tensioned and the tension can be changed to suit weather conditions. Signals and points are interlocked so that a signalman setting a route for a train will have to pull the levers in a set order. I suspect any signal engineer with experience of mechanical signalling will feel right at home at Bago.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 09:48 by 86235.

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jfrank39 Wrote:
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> Thanks for posting these pics of a place I will
> probably never be able to visit. 

GPutz Wrote:
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> Great show, Nick.  Thanks.  Gerry

Thanks - glad you like them



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 09:50 by 86235.

Fascinating area and great pictures!
Thanks for posting these.
Gary

The scene in the open market is fascinating.
More please.

Great images. Looks like a good trip. I loved everything about Burma the month I was there the railway was the icing in the cake.
Thanks even more for sharing the link to the other pictures you posted!  

Great work. Thanks for posting!

Cheers,
Jack

I'm ready to go!  Cool photos - thanks Nick!

GettingShort Wrote:
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> Great images. Looks like a good trip. I loved
> everything about Burma the month I was there

Thanks, we really loved the place too, mainly down to the people who are genuinely pleased that you made the effort to go. My niece is moving to Yangon in July to teach so I hope an invite may be forthcoming.

dwatry Wrote:
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> I'm ready to go!  Cool photos - thanks Nick!

I'd plan to go ASAP, Myanmar is still not plagued by western brands so it's not an identikit destination yet. The western brands that are apparent are football related - seeing Chelsea's captain John Terry on the side of a Yangon Bus Service bus is quite off putting :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/17 23:35 by 86235.

A great group of photos, thank you for posting. The operational steam locomotive that you showed, was it for regular service or is it for excursions? Also I was pleasently surprised by the lack of graffitti. I take it the military government probably takes a dim view of taggers and follows it up with some extreme inforcement.
Charlie

Excursion use, it was out and about for a Farrail Tour in January.

There is political graffiti about, not much admittedly and certainly not on the trains. Today's government is civilian, under the NLD, there's no overt military presence.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/17 13:41 by 86235.

Thank for the fascinating series of reports from Myanmar. The ex-JR equipment is interesting, especially the still-present JR emblem on Kiha 38 (shot #3).