Railway Carriage Building and Repair in Myanmar

My first visit to Myanmar was in 2008 and I became fascinated by this British-built but so different railway system which had struggled for survival during long years of the country's isolation under army control. In my post Passenger Rolling Stock in Burma, written back in 2013, I outlined the variety of liveries I'd seen on passenger coaches. On each of my subsequent visits, I've tried to learn a little more about Myanma Railways.

During the second of two trips I made to Myanmar in 2017 (you can find all the posts on that trip here), my friend arranged a visit to the Carriage and Wagon Workshops in Myitnge, near Mandalay. My pictures taken during the visit are here.

The British-designed Carriage and Wagon Workshops at Myitnge opened in 1905. New passenger carriage building started in 1947 and, when I visited in 2017, new carriages of well-established design were still under construction although the main activity of this area, now designated Shop No. 2, was heavy repairs.

In the past, travellers on Myanma Railways could experience some fairly uncomfortable riding at times, due to a combination of poor track maintenance and vehicle suspension and draftgear. Major works on permanent way improvement (including the introduction of Continuous Welded Rails) and the introduction of Chinese-built coaches with air bag suspension were put in hand.


Myitnge Carriage & Wagon Workshops with Shop No. 2 near the centre and Shop No. 3 (with blue roof) under construction just visible at the top (Image: Google Maps)
Click for larger image

Shop No. 2

The shop comprises a number of parallel bays, aligned more-or-less north-south, each provided with an overhead travelling crane and a number of inset sidings allowing complete coaches to be worked on.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: General view of Shop No. 2


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Shop No. 2 showing completed carriages (l), carriage sub-assembly jigs with welding in progress (r)


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Assembling new carriage side panel in Shop No. 2


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: 'Mini-Ostrich' gas profile cutting machine in No. 2 Shop


Kanto Yuatsu Power Press in No. 2 Shop


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Production plan for two types of new-build existing-design coach - 30 off BDTEZ and 10 off BDUEZ in 2017-2018

Outside the north end of Shop No. 2, an impressive electric traverser carried on six parallel rails is provided to transfer complete coaches between the various sidings.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Coach Traverser with Bogie Shop in background

To the north of the traverser the separate, more recently built, Bogie Shop produces various types of bogies used on Myanma Railways.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Assembly jig used during Bogie Frame construction in Bogie Shop


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Bogie sub-assembly fabrication


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: TKZ8 Bogie Frame assembly Plano Miller in Bogie Shop

I was impressed by the quality of workmanship and the results achieved by these generally rather elderly workshops. But an ambitious project to build a new facility for the production of the Chinese coach design in Myanmar was well underway and, during my 2017 visit, I was able to tour the construction site which lies to the north of the traverser mentioned above.

Shop No. 3 under construction

The impressive high-bay building was largely complete and fitting-out was in progress. It comprises multiple bays, aligned north-south, each provided with a number of Hena Sinoko Chinese-built overhead travelling cranes. In the unfinished storage area outside the building there was also a large Chinese portal crane.



Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Shop No. 3 for producing coaches with air-suspension.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Shop No. 3 under construction

Work was in progress to complete the massive concrete foundations for heavy machinery and lay the various sidings. The rest of the floor area was being prepared for the final finish of concrete. At least one excavator and a couple of roller/compactors were inside the building. A conventional diesel roller type 3Y12/15A (made by the China state-owned company XCMG) was parked but the LuiGong 'sheepsfoot' diesel compactor rumbled up and down throughout my visit, imprinting the soil with its characteristic pattern. A layer of crushed stone was being laid on top of the soil before being rolled ready to receive concrete. As is usual in Myanmar, most of the work carrying and laying stone was being carried out by women, using woven baskets to carry stone upon their head.





Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Gang laying stone foundation in Shop No. 3

The Chinese coaches

I saw one of the imported Chinese carriages, lifted off its bogies, during my visit to the works in 2017.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop: Modern Chinese coach bogie with air bag suspension units


Later in that trip, I saw a couple of trains that use these coaches on the Yangon - Mandalay services.


The afternoon express from Mandalay to Yangon formed from modern, Chinese-built 'air-bag suspension' coaches passes Myo Haung Signal Cabin


Mahlwagon Main Line seen from the north end of the Up Yard showing Train Number 5 Up (the 15:00 hours Yangon-Mandalay, due to arrive 05:00 the following day) with a Chinese-built Bo-Bo-Bo on a rake of Chinese-built 'air-bag suspension' coaches.

Factory opening

I understand that Shop No. 3 started manufacture in 2018 with an initial build of 15 coaches of Chinese design in Shop No. 3. More recently, Shop No. 2 has been involved in the construction of a batch of 80 coaches of Korean design. However, the Covid-19 Pandemic has prevented visits in 2020 and 2021. Following elections at the end of 2020, on February 1st 2021 the election result was repudiated by the Myanmar army who seized power alleging voter corruption so the current situation is unclear.

Revised version

It's a large works and I had initially misunderstood the numbering of the three shops but, guided by my friend who organised the tour in 2017, I've tried to correct this.


Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Works showing older Shop 1 (lower view), Shop 2 and modern Shop 3 (upper view)
My pictures

MR: Myitnge Carriage and Wagon Workshop
Passenger Rolling Stock in Myanmar

[Shop numbering corrected: 11/05/2022]

A trip to Bago - Technical Notes

Doctor Hla Tun had arranged an official visit to view the signalling arrangements at Bago on 9th May 2018 and this post adds some technical comments to the post A trip to Bago which describes that visit.

Bago is an important station on the double-track route from Yangon via Naypyitaw to Mandalay. It is also the junction for the single line to the south of Myanmar. Originally, this single line line terminated at Mottama but, with the opening of the Thanlwin Bridge, there is now a continuous railway to Mawlamyine and beyond.

At Bago there are two fully-interlocked mechanical signal cabins, one at each end of the station (South Cabin at Yangon end, North Cabin at Mandalay end) and a number of parallel loops through the station. I had previously seen a similar arrangement in use at Kyee Myin Daing (see the report of my visit to Kyee Myin Daing on 10th May 2017 here.

The Doctor and I arrived at Bago station at 1.00 p.m. and were ushered into the spacious meeting room. After introductions to Yin Min Oo, the Assistant Divisional Manager, the Signal Officer and two others who would accompany us on our tour, one of whom was an English speaker, we set off on our tour.

On the platform, we passed a particularly battered specimen of an Arrivals and Departures board. This board helps passengers find their correct coach, by showing the make-up of major passenger trains. Each coach is represented by a disc with vehicle details inscribed. The appropriate discs are hung on a horizontal series of small hooks so that the composition of each train is readily visible. Three trains are shown - I assume the apparent gaps in the train formation indicated are because of broken or missing hooks.


A particularly battered Arrivals and Departures board at Bago

Station Master's Office

The office which directs and authorises traffic movements in the Bago area they referred to as the 'Station Master's Office'. I think Myanma Railways may also use the term 'Sub-Control' for the more important locations.


Bago track diagram in Stationmaster's Office
Click for larger image

The Sub-controller (as I will provisionally call him) updates the train register book and writes out and issues the paper 'Line Clear' forms authorising train movements. The Sub-controller also has a radio, which links him with the Control Office in Yangon, and an impressive array of desk telephones. There's a hand-cranked magneto telephone which I think communicates with the Bago Signal Cabins and five auto telephones whose function I didn't discover.


The 'Sub-controller' in the Station Master's Office at Bago

At the 'Sub-controller' desks at Bago, there are two elderly items of electrical signalling equipment similar to those I'd seen on an official visit to Kyee Myin Daing in 2017 (described here). I assumed that, as at Kyee Myin Daing, they are used to instruct the two local signal boxes regarding the route through the station area to be taken by trains. There's also a third, similar instrument which I think is not in use.


Route Indicating Signalling Equipment, Bago (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

Each instrument is housed in a substantial, cast housing rather similar to some designs of electric token instrument, with the cast cover secured with a padlock. All indications and controls are on the front face. There are two 2-position galvanometers towards the top; one a lower-quadrant semaphore stop signal indicator, the other displaying text in a slot (ON/OFF, as far as I can determine). Below this is a window showing part of a rotating disc revealing different numbers, according to the angular position of the disc which is controlled by turning a commutator knob below the window. I've found displays of 'N', '1' and '3' so I assume this is how the desired road is selected. Near the bottom of the front is a substantial pull-out slide (rather similar to that on certain electric tablet machines). To the left of the slide, is a push-button (possibly to reset for the next route).

These instruments are connected electrically to the appropriate signal cabin, where the required route is visually indicated.


These 'GIVE CONTROL FOR' filamentary indicators in the signal cabin show the required route (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018).

Time didn't allow me to get to the bottom of this tantalising puzzle, so I'm afraid I still have only a hazy understanding of the set-up as our hosts were anxious to move on to the signal cabin at the Mandalay end of the station, Bago North.

I was keen to see the mechanical signalling at Bago at close quarters as it's to be abolished and all the delightful semaphore signals removed as part of the railway modernisation. My interest had been whetted travelling through Bago by train on 8th September 2012 during an uncomfortable journey from Yangon to Kyaikto, described in two posts here and here. Three days later, I returned to Yangon by road, stopping at Bago to add more photographs of the railway.

As we walked across the multiple tracks from the main platform to reach Bago North Signal Cabin, I kept stopping to take pictures of items of signalling equipment, including an example of one of the rather elegant ground disc signals.


One of the rather simple yet elegant ground disc signals at Bago (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

Bago North Signal Cabin

We entered the mechanical signal cabin of Bago North where, on the operating floor, two signalmen were on duty.


Bago North Cabin, overall view (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)


Track Diagram, Bago North Cabin (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)
Click for larger version

I photographed everything in sight for later study and the young signalman set up a route to demonstrate the operation of the levers (but I didn't ask to try myself). I asked to see the locking room and, again, took a number of photographs.


Bago North Signal Cabin: General view of locking room (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)


Bago North Signal Cabin: Locking room, showing drive from levers to inclined locking tray (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)




Bago North Signal Cabin: Locking room, showing detail of inclined locking tray (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

For more information on the control of trains in Myanmar, see the post here Alternately, there's an index of all my Myanma Railways posts (which may not always be up-to-date) here.

Bago Locomotive Depot

On 6th May 2015, I'd made a visit to Insein Locomotive Works in Yangon (described here) and was excited to find them restoring a couple of steam locomotives with the intention of using them to operate tourist trains. That didn't happen but the German travel firm FarRail Tours stepped in to support the costs and use the locomotives for photographic charters. I took a few pictures of the restoration work in progress which you can find here.

I knew from following the interesting FarRail Trip Reports that the three serviceable steam locomotives were normally kept in the shed at Bago. During the 2018 Bago visit being described, our hosts offered a visit to the locomotive shed so, of course, I quickly agreed. Any loco depot is full of interest and I quickly took a few pictures showing the office block with the sign for the Loco Ispector's Office (in English and Myanmar languages), a couple of Japanese 'RBE' diesel railcars, a single-ended Very Lightweight Diesel Railcar carrying the running number LRBE66, locomotive DF1205 (a 1200 h.p. Bo-Bo-Bo diesel electric but with single cab and very worn paint finish). There was a 'graveyard' of dismantled steam locomotives including a number of main frames with cylinders attached, a bogie, coupled wheelsets in two sizes and I don't know what else was hidden in the undergrowth.


Japanese diesel railcar and 'graveyard' of dismantled steam locomotives (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

The original massive water tower survives. There are also three modern elevated, rectangular tanks. I think the left one is water - the others may be diesel fuel which I didn't confirm but they are ajjacent to three 3,500 gallon cylindrical fuel tanks, silver-painted and mounted horizontally. Nearby are two of the original inspection pits and a water column supplied by J. Blakeborough and Sons, Brighouse in 1904.


DF1205, original water tower, storage tanks, inspection pits and water column (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

I'd previously tracked down various non-operational examples of steam in Burma at various locations (there's a post here) but this was my first sighting of engines still steamable so I clambered onto the footplate of each of the three locomotives in turn, grabbing as many pictures as I could before our hosts became too restless.

The three locomotives are from two classes produced after World War II to allow Burma Railways to recover from severe war damage (at different stages during the war, Burma was bombed by both the the U.K. and Japan). Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows was involved in the building of these classes. There's a splendid website chronicling the history of Vulcan Foundry here.

One 'YB' class 4-6-2 for passenger service is preserved and two 'YD' class 2-8-2 mixed traffic locomotives. All three are oil-fired although, when withdrawn, some examples of these classes remained coal-fired.

The solitary 'Pacific' type, 'YB629' was standing outside the north end of the shed, coupled head-to-head onto 2-8-2 'YD964' which was the engine I'd identified under heavy repair at Insein back in 2015. At Bago, 'YD964' was standing over the Wheel Drop with the motion partly taken-down, presumably in need of running repairs. The second 2-8-2 was standing outside the south end of the shed. My pictures of these three survivors are in the album here, and I apologise for the poor quality of some of them in my haste to record as much as possible.


'YB629' 4-6-2 outside Bago Shed (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)


YD 964': View of driver's side showing partly-dismantled motion. Wood between the slidebars prevents the crosshead from moving. The locomotive is standing over the Wheel Drop (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)


'YD967' 2-8-2 at Bago: For once, Jan looks quite happy (The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018)

Bago to Yangon by Train

When our hosts managed to prise me away from the steam locomotives, I was all set for a visit to Bago South cabin but they said there was not enough time, so we made our way back to the station, this time using a public footbridge. However, they did suggest that I might like to return to Yangon by train, a suggestion I readily accepted. Train 32 from Naypyitaw (from where it departed at 08:00) was due to arrive, they said, at 15:00. They also suggested that my photographic opportunities might be better in an Ordinary Class coach, where all the windows were sure to be fully open, rather than an Upper Class coach. I agreed with their reasoning and a ticket was issued. Then they said the train was 15 minutes late and it actually arrived about 15:20. According to the rail travel website 'The Man in Seat 61' here, the train was not due in until 15:20 and was due to depart at 15:23, arriving Yangon at 17:00. Well, we left about 15:23 and cracked along at what, for a Burmese train, was a a very good speed. We made just one stop and arrived at Yangon Central Station at 17:00. The journey is described in some detail in the post Bago - Yangon by train.

Related posts on this website

This is one of a series of posts describing Myanma Railways.
Selecting label 'Myanma-Railways' or clicking here displays all the posts with this label in reverse date-of-posting order.
Alternately, there is an Index here (but it may not be always quite up-to-date).

My pictures

Where necessary, clicking on an image above will display an 'uncropped' view or, alternately, pictures may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes, from the albums below:-

Bago Station (earlier pictures).
The Railway at Bago, 9th May 2018.
Bago to Yangon by Train, 9th May 2018.
All my Myanma Railways pictures.

Power Signal Box, Togyaunggalay

Events on Sunday 5th May 2019, Yangon area 

In the post Return to Burma, I mentioned a visit to Togyaunggalay (Romanisation of Myanmar words can be a bit variable and there are various English spellings of the placename). My friend Doctor Hla Tun had arranged a visit to the elderly power signal box at Togyaunggalay station on the day I arrived in Myanmar. Earlier that day we'd visited the recently-commissioned Railway Operation Control Center in Yangon (described in a post here) after which the Doctor drove us through Yangon's heavy traffic to the junction station at Togyaunggalay.

The railway network around Yangon is shown below. Togyaunggalay station is situated on the double track main line from Yangon through Bago to Mandalay. A junction just north of the station connects the single line serving Dagon University. A junction south of the station leads to the single line to Thilawa.

Railways around Yangon (displayed on Togyaunggalay station)

In 2018, after visiting the railway at Bago, I'd travelled through Togyaunggalay by train (there's a description of that trip here) so I was pleased to have the opportunity to confirm the signalling arrangements. 

On our arrival in 2019, we reported to the Station Master and were conducted along the main platform to the concrete signal box and climbed the steps to the operating floor. The loud noise emanating from the ground floor equipment room indicated that the incoming overhead 3-phase electricity supply was absent and that the system was being run by the standby generator. The first floor equipment room was locked, so I couldn't study the relay interlocking equipment but continued to the second floor where we were welcomed by the signalman.

 Togyaunggalay signal box on 9th May 2018: Note radio antenna on left and incoming overhead 3-phase electricity supply terminated on frame on the right (Bago - Yangon by train).

The railway signalling console was of the 'NX' pattern (there's a very brief explanation of this type of control in the section 'NX' pushbuttons of the post here) and used 'Mosaic' construction.The signalling console looked rather small, situated near one corner of the room. A desk just to the right was furnished with red and green flags, a number of telephones, two VHF radiotelephones for train control and a power amplifier and microphone for making announcements to waiting passengers. The windows overlooking the tracks behind the signalling console had been largely blocked by a large blackboard covered in what appeared to be useful telephone numbers. Above the blackboard was the usual framed drawing of the track layout and a clock. To the left, on a small shelf, was the customary Buddhist shrine.

Togyaunggalay: The operating floor of the signal
cabin, showing the Korean 'NX' signalling panel

A Mosaic Diagram, as the name implies, assembles a series of small 'tiles' into a frame. Each 'tile' has part of the signalling diagram on its face, together with the associated control switches and lamp indications. Each 'tile' can be individually removed for maintenance.

Mosaic Diagram Togyaunggalay - centre (Myanma Railways 2019)

I assumed that the siting of the blackboard was at least partly so that the lamp indications on the console were easier to see in bright sunlight, but nonetheless, I found some of them hard to interpret (or missing). They explained that spares, particularly the filament lamps used for indications, had become hard or impossible to source. They'd been forced to modify the circuits (in places using two lamps in series) but admitted that the result was not altogether satisfactory. Despite this, the signalman was carrying out his crucial tasks with the usual studied calm typical of signalmen everywhere.

Mosaic Diagram Togyaunggalay - detail (Myanma Railways 2019)

The flat desk area in front of the inclined control panel held two train register books and two books of paper Line Clear forms. 

Togyaunggalay Power Signal Box: Signalman completing Paper Line Clear Form

The Train Register Books serve a similar function to those used in the United Kingdom (described in a post here) although in Myanmar movements are separated into two books, one for 'Up' trains, one for 'Down'. Because of the importance of these logbooks, pages are individually numbered.

Train Register Book (Down Trains) Togyaunggalay

The British introduced railways into Burma (as Myanmar was then called) so signalling originally followed British practice, with reliance on telegraphy, telephony and special signalling equipment (like electric tablet systems for single lines). This relied on an open wire system using telegraph poles supporting cross-arms carrying porcelain insulators to which copper wires were attached. Remnants of this system can be seen throughout the country (invariably using an old length of rail as the 'pole') but, as far as I can determine, they have all fallen into disuse. Voice communication across the railway now uses VHF radiotelephones, allowing signalmen or stationmasters to authorise train movements from one 'block station' to the next. The permission is given to drivers in the form of a 'Paper Line Clear Form', shown in the picture below. Because of the vital nature of these forms, they are individually numbered, completed with some care and authorised with a rubber stamp.

Book of paper Line Clear forms: Togyaunggalay (MyanmaRailways 2019)

Click for larger image

The pictures below show a local train from Yangon to Dagon University. In the first picture, the train has just arrived. The freight train seen waiting on the left was unusual in having a number of men travelling in open bogie wagons type SMBV, perched on piles of rock. The Doctor explained that the 'rock' was extremely valuable jade and the men were security.

The second picture shows the signalman's assistant or 'runner' delivering the Paper Line Clear Form to the driver of the passenger train, authorising travel on the branch to Dagon University.

A freight waits for the signal (L) as a local Yangon-Dagon University arrives (R)

The signal box 'runner' delivers the paper Line Clear form to the driver

At the end of a fascinating tour, I made sure I checked out the throbbing standby generator on the ground floor - a substantial Daewoo packaged diesel alternator. Its claim to being 'sound proof' was a little undermined by the need to leave all the access doors open to prevent overheating (the outside air temperature was around 40 degrees Celsius that day).

Standby Generator Togyaunggalay (Myanma Railways 2019)

They explained that, even with the access doors open, the water-cooled diesel engine required periodic replenishment of water. Illustrating this point, as we left, a railwayman had just pushed a small platelayer's trolley along the platform line outside to the signal box, loaded with a plastic dustbin and a large plastic tub, both filled with water!

Cooling water for the Standby Generator at Togyaunggalay (MyanmaRailways 2019)

A most interesting day. I'd visited both the Railway Operation Control Center in Yangon and Togyaunggalay power signal box on the day I'd arrived in Myanmar and, later in the trip, I was to tour 'Mandalay Tower', the power signal box controlling Mandalay area.

My pictures

All my railway pictures around Yangon during my visit to Myanmar in 2019 are in the album below. Pictures may be viewed in various sizes or downloaded for non-commercial use.

Myanma Railways 2019

Railway Operation Control Center, Yangon

Until 2018, Yangon Central Station in Myanmar had been controlled by an elderly Westinghouse 'Style L' miniature lever frame. Back in 2014, through the kind offices of my friend Doctor Hla Tun, I visited the installation and that visit is described here.

In 2014, ambitious plans were emerging for the modernisation of the main line from Yangon to Mandalay and the important Circle Line around Yangon in a major scheme with the Japanese Government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

During my visit to Myanmar in October 2017, signs of the modernisation work were apparent. Some point installations had been equipped with new Kyosan a.c. electric point machines but the earlier colour light signals and the Westinghouse miniature lever frame remained in use. Examples of the work in progress are shown in the pictures below.


Reinstated surface after installing new cables and signal post on platform 9 at Yangon (Yangon - Mahlwagon c/w)


New track circuit installation at Yangon Central Station (Yangon - Mahlwagon c/w)


New Kyosan point machine at Yangon. Note elevated mounting (Mahlwagon - Yangon Central Station c/w)


New Location Case Y10C (Yangon Central Station Movements 1-Oct-2017)


New Kyosan a.c. point machine at Yangon. Note cable termination box right foreground, still wrapped in green plastic (Yangon Central Station Movements 1-Oct-2017)

In May 2018, following a visit to Bago by car, I returned by train to Yangon. Near my destination, I could see the progress of the modernisation work. More point installations had been equipped with Kyosan a.c. electric point machines and the new signal posts had been fitted with colour light signal heads, although not yet brought into use, as shown in the pictures below.


Bago - Yangon by train 9th May 2018: Approaching Yangon Central on Down Main showing L: Replacement signal P7, not yet commissioned (3-aspect colour light with 'box' of 3x3 lights above), R: Existing signal P7 (Siemens).


Bago - Yangon by train 9th May 2018: Approaching Yangon Central on Down Main showing Down Local signals L: R141/R139, R: Replacement R141/R139 colour light with both theatre-type and 'box' of 3x3 lights above, subsidiary aspect below, not yet commissioned.


Bago - Yangon by train 9th May 2018: Approaching Yangon Central on Down Main showing L: Existing signal R140, R: Replacement signal R140 not yet commissioned (colour light with 'box' of 3x3 lights above)

Since all the new signal posts seemed to be near the old signals and carried the same numbers, it appeared that most of the modernisation work involved a renewal of equipment, rather than a fundamental re-think.

Before my next trip to Myanmar in May 2019, I had learnt that the replacement signalling equipment at Yangon Central Station had been commissioned, controlled from a new 'Operation Control Center' (yes, 'American' spelling) in another part of the station buildings. Doctor Hla Tun arranged an official visit on the day I arrived in Yangon, Sunday 5th May 2019. We first met the Yangon Station Master in his offices on platform 1, then one of his staff conducted us to the road approach side of the station buildings and an existing entrance to offices on the upper floors. The white-painted stucco of the post-war station building had become rather stained as is common in the humid climate but the walls in the immediate area of the Operation Control Center entrance had been nicely repainted.


The entrance to the Operation Control Center in Yangon (Myanma Railways 2019)

We climbed the steep stairs to the first floor and it was clear that part of the area had been recently partitioned off to form the Operation Control Center. Access was through double-doors with glazed panels and a security lock. Immediately inside the doors there was a deep step up onto computer sub-flooring. The Operation Control Center was windowless, artificially-lit and air-conditioned. In one corner, three men were working at a group of desks.


Operation Control Center, Yangon: Administrative section. Double access doors on right. Note deep step up to computer flooring (Myanma Railways 2019)

The actual control was being carried out in an adjacent corner of the room by two men seated at a row of desks with two computer monitors, each provided with a computer 'mouse', together with numerous telephones and two V.H.F. radio-telephones.


Yangon Operation Control Center (Myanma Railways 2019)

The signalman actually controlling trains that day on the the large computer monitor remembered my visit to the 'old' installation in 2014. A second signalman, with a smaller 'mimic' monitor, managed the frequent radio traffic. Studying the large colour computer monitor confirmed that the whole of Yangon Central Station had been transferred to the new control system, retaining the original signal numbers (prefixed 'R', presumably from a time when Yangon was known as 'Rangoon'. However, to the east, the vital junctions at Pazundaung, formerly a separate scheme provided by Siemens, were now controlled from Yangon with signals retaining their original numbers (prefixed 'P').


Operation Control Center, Yangon: Main signalling display at 09:53 (Myanma Railways 2019)

Yangon is a busy station and the position had changed after 8 minutes when I took the picture below.


Computer Monitor Display at 10:01, Operation Control Center, Yangon (Myanma Railways 2019)
Click for larger view.

Studying the above picture 'Computer Monitor Display at 10:01' allows a fair understanding of the design:-

Tracks: Tracks are represented on the screen by a thick line: white if the track is unoccupied, red if a train is present, yellow if a route has been set. Perpendicular lines indicate the ends of the track circuit and the track circuit number appears in the form 'R[number]T' (Yangon area), 'P[number]T' (Pazundaung area) or 'A[number]T' (Automatic area), plus some 'funnies' like 'ART', 'RT', suffix 'AT' (for approach track) and 'R65T' divided into two sections. In many cases, the same references as the earlier Westinghouse system are retained.

Points(turnouts): The current position of points is indicated by a continuous thick track line. A break in the track line shows the route is not set. A set of three inclined thin lines indicates the 'NORMAL' position and the adjacent reference in the form '108' is the reference number. For crossover points, a suffix letter 'A' or 'B' identifies the two ends. The same references as the earlier system are retained.

Running (main) Signals: Graphical symbols represent different signal types, including 2-aspect, 3-aspect and searchlight (R65,R66,R73,R74 shown as 1-aspect) running signals. Where a subsidiary aspect is provided, this is represented by adding to the symbol an empty 'right-angled triangle with one curved side'. When the subsidiary is 'off', a diagonal line is added to the symbol. If the signal leads to more than one route, a route indicator is normally provided, represented by adding a separate square to the symbol. The running signal number appears in the form 'R[number]' (Yangon area), 'P[number]' (Pazundaung area) or 'A[number]' (Automatic area). The same references as the earlier system are retained.

Ground (shunting) Signals: Represented by a 'right-angled triangle with one curved side' symbol, with an additional horizontal line which is replaced by a diagonal line when the signal is 'off'. The ground signal number appears in the form 'R[number]' (Yangon area). The same references as the earlier system are retained.

Limit of Shunt: This symbol, representing a physical Limit of Shunt board, is a square enclosing a disc and appears, unnumbered and inactive, on the Up Main and Up Local, in the rear of signals P3 and P5. Because of the long-distance trains starting and finishing at Yangon, a station pilot locomotive is kept quite busy transferring coaching stock between the carriage sidings and various platforms. I presume this type of shunting movement, authorised by a subsidiary signal, must not continue beyond the Limit of Shunt board.

'NX' pushbuttons: In traditional, mechanical lever frames, each lever is generally associated with a single set of points or a single signal. Earlier power frames retained this approach, but later approaches adopted 'route-setting' where a simple action by the signalman automatically set the whole route from one signal to the next (if safe to do so) before clearing the signal. One method introduced by Westinghouse was 'One Control Switch' (OCS) where each signal was associated with a panel of turn switches, with one switch for each route beyond the signal (there's a very brief description of 'OCS' in the section 'Sandbach' of the post here). An alternative development, called 'NX' ('eNtrance-eXit') placed push buttons or turn switches on a track diagram of the controlled area. To set a route from one signal to the next, the signalman simply activated the switch at the first signal (the entrance) and a similar switch at the desired next signal (the exit). Because of the operational simplicity, 'NX' became widespread. The picture below shows the arrangement of a typical conventional 'NX' panel at Insein signal cabin.


Insein Signal Cabin showing 'NX' control Panel

In modern systems controlled from computer monitors, there's no physical control panel required. The track layout, with 'virtual switches', is digitally generated on the monitor screen, as shown in the picture 'Computer Monitor Display at 10:01' above. The 'virtual switches' are the white circles with an alphanumeric reference centred on the thick lines representing tracks. I assume the desired button is operated by 'point and click' with the computer 'mouse'. Normally, a button would serve as the exit button for the route in the rear and the entrance button for the route in advance but there are a few routes without an obvious entrance button so I'm not certain.

Crank Handles, Yangon: Top left of the monitor are three crank handle releases. During failures or maintenance motor points can be operated locally by inserting a large special key, called a 'Crank Handle' and 'cranking' the mechanism by hand. The key is normally released electrically from the supervising signalling control when required and, until the key is returned, the signalling control will be unable to set routes remotely. At a station like Yangon, it's possible to divide the system into 'East' and 'West', so that releasing a crank handle for one end of the station does not prevent normal route setting from continuing at the other end. Under normal operation, the crank handle 'IN' virtual indication is displayed. When remote release of the key is authorised, the virtual indication crank handle 'PERMIT' is displayed. Once the key is removed crank handle 'OUT' is shown until the crank handle has been replaced. I'm afraid I didn't discover the scope of the 'Yangon Maintenance' crank handle.

Crank Handles, Pazundaung: Top right of the monitor are two more crank handle releases. I presume the 'Pazundaung' release allows points in the area to be locally operated by cranking but I'm not sure about the 'Pazundaung Maintenance' release. Since the screen display still shows a signal box symbol at Pazundaung (a rectangle enclosing a line representing a traditional lever frame with a 'dot' representing the signalman), it's possible there's some form of local control panel at Pazundaung for use under abnormal conditions.

KYI APPROACH ACK: Bottom left of the monitor is a 'virtual switch and lamp' which also generates an audible alarm when a train approaches on the Automatic Section from Khyee Myin Daing direction under Track Circuit Block rules.

KCR & KM APPROACH ACK: Bottom right of the monitor are two 'virtual switch and lamp' activated when a train approaches on the Automatic Section from Mahlwagon direction under Track Circuit Block rules on either the Circle Line or the Main Line from Mandalay.

Communication area: Across the bottom of the screen are reserved areas for messages issued by the system, plus a group of 'soft keys'.

Interpreting the 'Computer Monitor Display' picture above

From left to right and top to bottom:-

1. A westbound train from platform 6 West is occupying track circuit R1T, placing automatic signal A1 at 'danger'.
2. Track circuit R23T (platform 1) is occupied by a train.
3. Track circuit R24T (platform 2) is occupied by a train.
4. Track circuit R40T (track 9) is occupied by a train.
5. Track circuit R42T (track 10) is occupied by a train.
6. Track circuit R54T (track 8) is occupied by a train but adjacent track circuits R60T and R61T are indicating 'route set', suggesting a shunting move in progress.
7. Points 95A, 95B and 96 are shown 'REVERSE' in yellow, suggesting that they've been 'called' to that position. 8. Track circuit R68T2 (down local) is occupied by a train.
9. Track circuit P2AT (down goods Pazundaung) is occupied by a train.

We watched movements for a while as I took more pictures showing the whole computer monitor or an area of the screen. Some of the pictures aren't very good I'm afraid but you can find them here. I was only able to look at the new equipment room through the glazed panel of the door to the room so I couldn't learn much.


New Signalling Equipment Room at Yangon's Railway Operation Control Center (MyanmaRailways 2019)

At the invitation of the Station Master's staff, the Doctor and I had a closer look at some of the 'outside equipment' (signals, point machines, location equipment cabinets) to complete our fascinating visit.


New outside signalling equipment, Yangon Central Station (Myanma Railways 2019)


3-aspect colour light R87 with subsidiary aspect R103 at Yangon Central Station (MyanmaRailways 2019)


Two Kyosan a.c. electric point machines type NS-CM at Yangon Central Station, with a third machine and position light shunting signal in background (MyanmaRailways 2019)


Location Case Y12C at Yangon Central Station, described as a 'Signalling Box' and made by Daido Signal Co, Ltd. Appears to mount the Track Feeds and Track Relays for local track circuits (MyanmaRailways 2019)

Related posts on this website

Final day in Yangon and the Circle Line (visit in 2017)
Bago - Yangon by train (trip in 2018)
Return to Burma

Myanma Railways (Index)

My pictures

Myanma Railways 2019
The Circle Line (Yangon - Mahlwagon c/w in 2017)
The Circle Line (Mahlwagon - Yangon Central Station c/w in 2017)
Bago to Yangon by Train (trip in 2018)