The International Steam Pages


Steam in Myanmar 2000/1

Things are looking pretty bleak for working steam in Myanmar. The first report is from Manfred Schoeler. Click here for Heinrich Hubbert's New Year post script with slightly better news (expanded 9th February 2001).

Bago (22.12.2000):

YB 533, YC 629 and YD 967, 973, 974 are stored in the shed. DD 915 is responsible for the Nyaungkashe Mixed. According to the foreman the standstill of steam is due to an oil crisis and the resulting high costs of diesel fuel. He expects the crisis going on till the end of January - at least in January / February they will run several steam specials for foreign parties.

Mottama (12.12.2000):

YB 534, YD 969, 970 are stored in the shed. Mixed 85 / 86 is powered by DF 1203, 1228 and 1255. On 12.12.2000 DF 1228 was standby engine in the shed, the other two engines were engaged in hauling trains 85 / 86.

Pyuntaza:

The Madauk Branch is the last survivor of Myanmar Railways Steam Operation. It has priority in fuel supply. YB 536, YC 627 (green) and YD 964 are on duty. All locos are facing to the south. There is still the possibility to turn a loco on the triangle, but this will be done on official order from the HQ only. The locos will be chanced every 10 days. YD 964 should be on duty till 26.12.2000, then it is turn to YB 536 and then YC 627 ...... During our visit there was some problem to set the new light signals at Nyaunglebin Jn. in action, so that all the traffic was regulated by flagmen. This caused heavy delays which saw the 14:00 train running at night on several days !! Accommodation in Nyaunglebin nowadays can be a real problem as the hotels often do not accept foreign guests. All depends on your local guide if he is able to get a special arrangement or not. But do not expect the same relation between price and comfort you will get in a tourist place.

Outlook

Even the foremen claim the steam cancellation as an temporary phenomenon, but there are some facts which are very sad to our black beauties: Myanma Raiways did purchase 10 YDM4 class diesels from India which are now in regular service on the Yangon - Mandalay mainline. This locos are numbered DF 1268 - 77 and are booked on trains 1up / 2dn and 9up / 10dn. They were also seen on freight and mixed trains during our visit. This means that there is a surplus of traction power at this moment and no real need for steam. If this surplus of power will be compensated by the introduction of new trains or the demand of diesels on new lines or not is unknown. At least 2 steam locos (YC 626 and YD 972) are under heavy repair in Insein Works.

Special Trains

Tourists Trains and steam specials for foreign enthusiasts might be the remaining duties for the steamfleet.
The bookings for 2001 at Mottama are:
15.01.- 26.01.2001 Bago - Mottama - Bago
29.01.- 09.02.2001 Bago - Mottama
31.01.- 04.02.2001 Bago - Thaton, Thaton - Mottama This is the information the shed stuff got from HQ.


Heinrich Hubbert has emailed me his report which concludes with a slight improvement.

I planned a Burma-trip for 4 weeks (from 13th Dec 2000), and I extended it to 5 weeks and 2 days on the spot. When my millenium ended with a slow cultural programme after Christmas I would not believe that all steam returned to the same level in 2001 as it was on my last visit in late 1999! The Nyaungkashe-mixed plus the 85/86 were steam-hauled (the latter in change with a Diesel every other day) again from 5th January after a break of over 3 month.

Start up with Madauk

The first week, I was together with 3 friends. As on earlier visits, we booked a car from the Myananda-Hotel, Bago. We went to Nyaunglebin and stayed in the Rose-Garden, which is now the only place were foreigners are allowed to stay. There was apparently an incident with a foreign group last year in the San Htay and due to this, they lost their licence. The very spartanic Rose-Garden Hotel charged incredible 2000 Kyat from each of us - but it is the only place here now. The most delightful place in town is probably the Snow-Garden Restaurant. This time it had tables outside and a chilled jar of draught Myanmar is about 1 US$. We had excellent clear weather with the only working steam-loco in the country (at that time). The mountains in the background of Madauk were coming out and so we enjoyed very much the afternoon departures from there. All engines in Pyntaza where chimney-southwards.

Still potty...

After my friends had to leave around Christmas, I went for some culture: Pyay, Bagan and Mandalay, all by rail on from Pyay. I went back to Nyaunglebin for new-years-day and saw the first sunlight when sitting on the train leaving from Nyaunglebin. In Madauk, 2 empty flatcars which carried construction-material for the new Sittong-bridge were added to the train.

Steam-revival in 2001

In the new year, I thought, it would be worth to visit the Railway headquarter, to ask about the future of steam. So in Rangoon on the 3rd Jan., just when I thought, „The end is near", I heard that steam will recommence from 5th January as it it was some months before. On my last visit in 1999 I spent much time with the 86 and that was very nice. But I always had in my mind the possibilities with train 85 and the engine in the right direction.

I took the chance to get - with very appreciated help from the staff in the Myananda, Bago - the steam-locos right for 85-train, means, facing chimney southwards to Mottama. As the first duties were hauled by Bagos YC 629 and YC 973 it took some time (almost a week) to get things work as I wanted. So I got the YC 629 when it arrived already 5 hours late with the train in Mokpalin to see it turned on the turntable there in the old loco-shed! Finally I had 4 full days with the 85 with three different YDs on the front and except one cloudy day the BEST steam-photography I ever got in this part of Asia. Only on the hazy day of the 15th Jan., the 85 made it beyond Thaton in daylight. The other days it did not made it so far due to heavy delays. Two days ended with against-sunset-shots(!) around Theinzeik and Nyaungkalar. The 17th was my best day since all of my visits with 18 well selected positions (there was even time to find some new ones) and excellent light on this beautiful line.

Leaving Waw

Mokpalin Cutting

Under the Trees

Sunset

Bago at night

Turning Mottamas locos

With approval from the headquarter, it took many telephone-calls to Moulmeine and Mottama, to explain the matter to the staff there. After one busy week, I learned, that there is actually an order already since May 2000 from the HQ, to run the engine over the triangle in Mottama, take the train 86 chimney forward („engine-phom-phom" in burmese) and turn the engine in Mokpalin on the table during the stop (the table in Bago is still "unsafe")! The line up to Bago, the loco is „tender-phom-phom" and finally „engine-phom-phom" hauling the 85 on the following day all the way back to Mottama. However, the crew never followed it due to the many delays. I think they never used the turned table in Mokpalin-shed since decades - until I appeared. On the th 6th Jan. it took 2 attempts to turn YC 629 (Bago-loco) here. First the staff realized, that they could not move it with the tender empty! After watering the beast in a siding, there was enough balance. But then, there was a bamboo-fence in the way of the coupler-hook! I must again recommend the Myananda Hotel (Main Road, Bago). They are very helpful. Rooms (all A.C.) are very clean and cost 4 FEC per person. Doubles have fridge, TV and separate bathroom. Cars with drivers experienced on the Mon-road can be arranged here on a good rate. I have to thank very much Ms Kyi Kyi Myint, licensed tour guide. Without her assistance, I would not have been able to manage the loco-turning.

Mokpalin Shed

Mokpalin Shed

The Future

I heard from a party, that visited Pyinmana, that there was one steam train per night (!) and the two engines were changed daily to get them in good condition for steam-specials. When I passed the place by train on 31st Dec., I noticed two cane-trains with Diesel. There is now doubt, that MR can do it without, if the fuel-ration for the year from the state-owned oil-economy is consumed. Visitors to the country should suggest to simply save fuel for the winter season. I had two meetings with the Assistant General Manager of Myanmar Railways, Mr. U Win Thein, who is responsible for tourism. He is a very helpful man and has sympathy for the the steam-locos. I gave him some photographs and declared him, that there are several individuals with the same subject around the world who travel selforganised, that the 85/86 is the most fascinating train in Asia and why December is the best time for us to make visit. No predictions for next winter so far, but it depends very much on the limited amount of fuel and the occasional steam-specials. On the 16th Jan, the Nyaungkashe-passenger was again DD914, because YB 533 was booked for a special.

Locos

YC 622 was dumped in Mokpalin (marked 13.5.2000), along with the known wrecks here.

Hints

FEC breakdown - The last week of 2000, the value of the FEC increased dramatically from 420 Kyats to below 300 Kyats. So it was possible to buy FEC on the market for train-tickets, admission-fees or hotels. Was not it like that in pre-94 China?


Rob Dickinson

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