Diesel Locomotives of Sri Lanka

Images submitted by Asela Kulathunga

Railway bridge over Mahaweli tributary (argra oya) at Talawakele Class M5 Hitachi seen at Colombo Fort station Demodara station seen from the middle of helix. Note height difference. Asela and friends at the Gotuwela tunnel. This is close to the nine arch viaduct Class M5 Hitachi seen at Colombo Fort Asela and partner in crime up on a semaphore! Class M2 GM EMD G12 #591 at Anuradapura on Wesak eve 4/05/04

Locally built Ashok Leyland rail bus at Anuradapura station Asela posing with Class M4 Alco Bombardier MX620 at Kurunagala Station Class M6 Henschel Thyssen DE Class W3 Henschel Thyssen DH supporting its Senior partner Class M6 between watagoda and Talawakele Class M9 Alstom DE hauling the Senkadagala menike near Rambukkana Class M2 GM EMD G12 DE #595 `Newfoundland` hauling the Col-Kdy ICE near Randle hill train halt near Kandy Class M6 Henschel Thyssen DE waiting for helper (earlier pics) at Talawakele station

Watagoda Station Class M2 GM EMD G12 DE #629 at Hingurakgoda station Class M4 Alco Bombardier at Anuradapura turntable Kadigamuwa station on the mainline. Class M8 Varanasi at Mihirigama station Gotuwela nine arch viaduct Asela and batchmate Aruna at the Gotuwela nine arch viaduct

Note steep siding on the end of the platform running towards the left of the image. This is to trap any runaway wagons/trains coming down the hill with failed brakes.

Glossary

Mahaweli

Longest River in Sri Lanka (300 km). It commences in the central highlands and discharges to the Indian ocean from Trincomalee in the east of Sri Lanka.

Demodara Helix

Known and referred by Sri Lankans as 'Demodara Loop', which is totally incorrect. Definition for a loop in railway terminology is as follows;

Railway definition for Loop - 'A stretch of rail track that provides a place for a train to halt temporarily while other trains pass on an adjacent main line'.
Railway definition for Helix - 'A spiral section of track through which the train either ascends or descends'.

Demodara is situated 275 km from Colombo. The track skirts around a hill to lose elevation and proceeds through a tunnel directly underneath the station.

Wesak

The commemoration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana, celebrated on the day of the full moon of the sixth lunar month in Southeast Asian cultures.

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Railway bridge over Mahaweli tributary (argra oya) at Talawakele	Class M5 Hitachi seen at Colombo Fort station	Demodara station seen from the middle of helix. Note height difference.	Asela and friends at the Gotuwela tunnel. This is close to the nine arch viaduct	Class M5 Hitachi seen at Colombo Fort	Asela and partner in crime up on a semaphore!	Class M2 GM EMD G12 #591 at Anuradapura on Wesak eve 4/05/04

Locally built Ashok Leyland rail bus at Anuradapura station	Asela posing with Class M4 Alco Bombardier MX620 at Kurunagala Station	Class M6 Henschel Thyssen DE	Class W3 Henschel Thyssen DH supporting its Senior partner Class M6 between watagoda and Talawakele	Class M9 Alstom DE hauling the Senkadagala menike near Rambukkana	Class M2 GM EMD G12 DE #595 `Newfoundland` hauling the Col-Kdy ICE near Randle hill train halt near Kandy	Class M6 Henschel Thyssen DE waiting for helper (earlier pics) at Talawakele station

Watagoda Station	Class M2 GM EMD G12 DE #629 at Hingurakgoda station	Class M4 Alco Bombardier at Anuradapura turntable	Kadigamuwa station on the mainline.	Class M8 Varanasi at Mihirigama station	Gotuwela nine arch viaduct	Asela and batchmate Aruna at the Gotuwela nine arch viaduct
			Note steep siding on the end of the platform running towards the left of the image. This is to trap any runaway wagons/trains coming down the hill with failed brakes.