Bangladesh Railway Class 2900

Bangladesh Railway Class 2900
Locomotive 2902 at Sylhet railway station
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
DesignerElectro Motive Division
BuilderHyundai Rotem
ModelEMD GT18LC-2
Build date1999-2013
Total produced39
Specifications
GaugeMetre gauge
WheelbaseA1A-A1A
Loco weight72 tons
Prime moverEMD 8-645E3C
Performance figures
Maximum speed107 km/h (66 mph)
Power output1500 hp
Career
Numbers2901-2939
Current ownerBangladesh Railway

The Bangladesh Railway Class 2900 is a class of meter-gauge diesel electric locomotive operated by the Bangladesh Railway.

History

2938 at Kamalapur railway station

Thirty-nine Class 2900 locomotives were built under licence to Electro Motive Division by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea between 1999 and 2013.[1][2]

Technical details

The Class 2900 is a 1500 hp locomotive built to Electro Motive Division's GT18LC-2 design. The wheel arrangement of this locomotive is A1A-A1A. This locomotive can speed up to 107 kilometres per hour (66 mph) with passenger trains. Class 2900 locomotives have a similar specification to the Class 2600 locomotives.

Usage

The Class 2900 locomotive operate both passenger services and freight services including the Subarna Express, Sonarbangla Express, Parabat Express and Lalmoni Express.

Accidents and incidents

Locomotive no. 2933 was one of the newest locomotives of Class 2900, which met a fatal accident in Noyapara upazila, Habiganj district, on 7 October 2016. The locomotive caught fire soon after it derailed with the Parabat Express near Noapara railway station. The driver's cab and electrical cabinet of the locomotive were completely destroyed in the fire. As of December 2019, this locomotive is awaiting heavy repair.[3]

Locomotive 2923 was hauling the Turna Nishita passenger train, which overran a red signal and collided head-on with the Udayan Express at Mondobhag railway station, Kasba, on 12 November 2019. Sixteen people were killed and over 100 were injured.[4] As of December 2019, Locomotive 2923 has been repaired and has rejoined the locomotive fleet in service.

References

  1. ↑ "Railway to procure nine locomotives". The Daily Star. 12 January 2010.
  2. ↑ New locos, new lines The Railway Magazine issue 1463 February 2023 page 95
  3. ↑ "Parabat Express engine catches fire". Daily Sun. 7 October 2016.
  4. ↑ Hartley-Parkinson, Richard (12 November 2019). "At least 16 dead after two packed trains are ripped apart after crash". Metro. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

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