Efforts must be made for running of current trains at 100-kilometre speed per hour in minimum, said State Administration Council Chairman Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in inspecting the Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Factory of Myanma Railways under the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Amarapura of Mandalay Region yesterday morning.
Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San, Myanma Railways Managing Director U Ba Myint and General Manager U Tin Maung Than of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department reported on background history, duties and functions of Myanma Railways, the appointment of employees at factories and departments, running of trains and plans of running more trains, construction of new carriages and wagons and upgrade of rail tracks.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General said that the 140 years old Myanma Railways, which is the second long-lasting service organization in Southeast Asia after India, has much experience in rail transport. The Senior General stressed the need to prioritize the strengthening of rail tracks. Bad conditions of railways may cause damage to carriages and delay transport. As such, maintenance of the railways needs to meet the set standard for long term existence. The railway networks must be combined with a communication network. Local engineers should undertake maintenance and construction of locomotives and carriages and maintenance and extension of railways to improve technologies. Efforts must be made to construct locomotives, carriages and wagons to improve technologies, and a future plan must be drawn for building the electric trains. It is necessary to emphasize the right times of trains for departure and arrival for the convenience of passengers.
The Senior General and party viewed the construction of passenger carriages in the New Passenger Carriage Factory compound.
The Senior General and party took a special carriage of the train from Myitnge railway station in Amarapura Township of Mandalay Region to Ywahtaung railway station in Sagaing of Sagaing Region.
Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Factory was established in 1905, and it launched manufacturing of carriages in 1947. Currently, the factory carries out major repairs and servicingof locomotives, carriages and wagons. As of 2018, the new passenger carriage factory has been producing the airbag bogie carriages. —MNA
