There's a not-very-technical description of the day at Around Yangon.
There are various operational problems in the Yangon area. At Yangon Central Station, long distance trains use platforms 1, 2, and 3 on the north side of the station whilst local trains usually use platforms 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the south side. To the west of the station, double track carries both Circle Line suburban trains and long-distance services to Pyay. To the east of the station, there are two non-passenger roads (Down Goods, Up Goods/Shunting Neck East) and four roads for passenger trains (arranged Down Local, Up Local, Down Main, Up Main) as far as Pazundaung. The whole station area is currently controlled from Yangon Central Power Signal Box by a Westinghouse Style 'L' miniature lever frame. Details of a visit I made on 25th April 2014 are here.
The platforms are long enough to accommodate lengthy long-distance trains but, since local services are more frequent and shorter, a scissors crossover is provided halfway along platforms 5 and 6 and a second scissors halfway along platform 7 and Through Road 8. At present, platforms 7 and 8 each operate as two separate platforms, West and East.
Yangon Central Power Signal Box: Simplified track diagram behind the supervisor's desk. Pazundaung is to the left and the double track west is on the right.
Click for larger version
At Pazundaung a complex ‘flat crossing’ junction switches trains to and from the Circle Lines across the Up and Down Bago and Mandalay main lines as they pass from or to the local lines. This arrangement is shown in the diagram below and there's a little more information about Pazundaung and Mahlwagon here.
Myanma Railways: Simplified line diagram Pazundaung-Mahlwagon
Click for larger version
I was at the station from 10 o'clock in the morning for about an hour. I may not have included all movements as I was somewhat pre-occupied watching repairs to brakes on two trains. The first brake problem seems to have been a broken 'horn' on an 'ABC hose' coupling.
Repairing the vacuum hose ('ABS Hose') between two coaches on Platform 7: the alloy fitting with a broken horn which was replaced.
I'm not sure about the second problem. Initially, there appeared to be problems coupling the locomotive to the stock but then a mechanic was working on the brake rigging on one coach. The train finally left with the vacuum hoses 'split' between two coaches, so that only the front portion of the train had a working brake.
The 'bags' are 'split', leaving the rear of the train unbraked.
The movements I monitored are listed in the table below. Click on 'Photo' ref to view the associated picture. Use 'back button' (not the 'Back to photostream' button) to return to this post.
| Time | Notes | Photo |
| 10:01 | Yangon Central Station, Monday 16-Oct-2017: DF.1240 on 6-coach train from the west having arrived in Platform 7 West. | 8671 |
| 10:04 | DF.1240 has moved ahead onto the Through Line (track 8). | 8673 |
| 10:07 | Having run-round its train in platform 7, DF.1240 on the left eases onto the stock. Note the approaching diesel railcar in the distance. | 8676 |
| 10:08 | Signal R56 is clear for DF.1240 to depart as RBE 3017 enters Platform 5. | 8680 |
| 10:13 | DF.1251 shut-down on train in Platform 6 West. | 8688 |
| 10:20 | Yangon Central Station, Monday 16-Oct-2017: DF.1240 finally sets off west. | 8698 |
| 10:22 | Stock in Platform 6 West (DF.1251) with DMU on 5 East. | 8701 |
| 10:25 | DF.1618 on arrival at Platform 7 East. | 8703 |
| 10:26 | DF.1618 runs forward onto Track 8. | 8704 |
| 10:30 | DF.1637 arriving in Platform 6 from West. | 8707 |
| 10:32 | Yangon Central Station, Monday 16-Oct-2017: East end of Platform 7. The signal is already cleared for the departure but there seems to be a problem 'hooking-on' DF.1618. Note the approaching train from the east on Track 8. | 8711 |
| 10:34 | Yangon Central Station, Monday 16-Oct-2017: A train formed from four single units including RBE 25119 leaves eastwards. | 8713 |
| 10:40 | The westbound train seen arriving at 10:32 departs from Platform 7 West. | 8721 |
| 10:40 | The delayed eastbound finally departs from Platform 7 East with DF.1618. | 8723 |
| 10:43 | DF.1243 arriving on Track 8 from the east. | 8725 |
| 10:44 | DF.1243 having arrived on Track 8 West (the Through Line) discharges passengers. | 8727 |
| 10:48 | DF.1243 on Platform 7 West, running round its train on 8 Through. Passengers boarded, but I left before the train departed eastwards. | 8729 |
Related Posts on this Website
My first log of Train movements at Yangon Central station is in the post here. There's a later log here.
There are a number of posts describing Myanma Railways and my previous visits to Yangon Central station. You can find them all here or there's an Index (with links) here.
My Pictures
Railway pictures taken on 16th October 2017 referred to above form the collection Yangon Central Station (3).
All my pictures of Myanma Railways, including the Circle Line, are here.
Photographs may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes.
