Local engineers operate dysfunctional DEMU trains

Bangladesh Railway engineers have successfully completed the final trial run of a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train on Sunday using local technology.

The load and speed of the train proved alright in the trial run from Parbatipur to Panchagarh.

The DEMU train will now run as usual on the track and it is ready to join the railway fleet any time under the direction of the higher authorities, according to the railway officials and engineers.

Railway sources said the government procured 20 sets of DEMU trains in 2013 from China to make commuters’ movement in short distances easier and faster. The latest model, international standard and computerised trains were operated with special software.

China’s Tangshan Railway Vehicle Co Ltd and Daniel Technical Research Institute manufactured the trains, but they did not transfer the operational technology while handing over to Bangladesh.  The railway authorities had to depend on the Chinese engineers to resolve any technical glitch of the trains and it was very costly. All the trains became dysfunctional within 5-6 years, though there was a warranty of 20 years.

Sadequr Rhaman, divisional superintendent of Saidpur Railway Workshop, said, “The DEMU trains became the first choice among the commuters for short-distance journey. Passengers at Lalmonirhat, Teesta, Kawnia, Rangpur, Parbatipur, Dinajpur, and Thakurgaon stations used Demu trains to make their journey safer and smoother. The trains went out of operation gradually due to technical glitches.

According to the railway sources,  a team of railway engineers, led by Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission former official engineer Mohammad Asaduzzaman, carried out a research on Demu trains for about one and half years. Later, the team worked to resolve the technical problems of a dysfunctional Demu train.   After 72 days of hectic effort at Parbatipur Central Locomotive Workshop, they succeeded developing a new local technology replacing the Chinese technology, which simplified the control and communication systems of the engine to operate the train.

Mohammad Asaduzzaman said, “We have successfully operated a set of DEMU train using local technology. The train has completed trial run successfully several times and is ready to join the operational fleet of Bangladesh Railway.”

He also said the government would have to spend about Tk 600 crore to make the 20 sets of DEMU trains functional using the Chinese technology while it will cost only Tk 100 crore with the local technology.  We hope to make all the DEMU trains functional within a very short time.

Demu train Locomaster Mashiur Rhaman said, “We did not face any problem operating the train in the trial run using local technology. The speed of the train was 72 km per hour which is alright.”

Parbatipur Central Locomotive Workshop Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said, “There were two sets of DEMU trains at the Parbatipur loco-yard shed. The other sets of the train are lying idle in different parts of the country including Dhaka and Chattogram.”

He said the DEMU trains were operated with a special type of module. The engineers have simplified the control and communication system of the engine using an easier local technology. It is possible to run the rest of the trains following the same process.

He termed it a great achievement for Bangladesh Railway to operate the defunct DEMU train through local technology which would save huge foreign currencies.