COIMBATORE: The first ever High-Speed Diesel (HSD) oil-fired steam locomotive manufactured in the country will be operated on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) in the coming days on a trial-run basis. It was manufactured by the Golden Rock railway workshop in Ponmalai.
According to the official release, The locomotive (Metre Gauge), ‘X-37401’, arrived at Mettupalayam on Saturday and the new engine is 10.38 metres long and weighs 50.3 tonnes. The engine has two oil tanks- the main tank with a 1600 litres capacity and the rear tank that can hold 725 litres.
This engine has been fitted with rack and pinion arrangements to chug in the hilly terrain of the Nilgiri Mountains. This locomotive was flagged off by B.G. Mallya, General Manager of Southern Railway at Tiruchchirappalli on September 27. The locomotive was dispatched to Mettupalayam on October 5. Upon reaching Mettupalayam on October 7, the new locomotive was placed on track on Saturday.