Thursday, 19 February 2015
Welcome to KTM Train Gallery.
That is class 20.The class 20 is no longer in service in Malaysia. Some of them have been scrapped or displayed at the museum.
Class 20 in Sultan Shah Alam Museum
Class 21 was first introduced to Malaysia in 1965. It was suppose to be used for the East Coast line where 20 class couldn’t enter due to its weight and length. It was built by the now defunct Kisha Keiso Kasha Ltd, Japan. This is the only mainline diesel-hydraulic and wheel arrangement of BO-BO locomotive used by KTMB. Because of the light axle weight, the locomotive experiences wheel slip very often.
This class has been withdrawn from service. There is one class 21 locomotive numbered 211.11 displayed at a park in Malacca city. There was another loco rotting away at a siding in Seremban station in 2004 but has been scrapped. Unfortunately I’ve never see one run in real life before.
The diesel engine is made by Maybach Mercedes-Benz. The type of engine used is DB800 with idling speed of 600rpm and maximum speed at full load is 1500rpm. This locomotive produces 1060 horsepower. The tractive effort is 34,940. The turbo transmission used is made by Voith Germany.
The abandoned 21 class locomotive at Seremban station. Was coupled to this old timey coach. Has been scrapped.
Here is the class 22 locomotive. The loco started the service in 1971. Its service ended in 2008. KTMB sold them to EMRAIL. This is the sad locomotive ever I seen.
This are very sad photos taken at Gemas . This 22 class locos were being scrapped. Taken in 2nd August 2004.
- KTMB 23 class
Class 23 was built by Hitachi, Japan. It made it’s debut in Malaysia in 1983. It is still used. I heard there are a lot of reliability problem with this class. Class 23 are also quite hard to spot at Kuala Lumpur this days because isnt many which is still active. This is one of my favourite loco. It uses Pielstick engine. This loco produces 2160 horsepower. From what i experienced, this engines are quite underpowered and shouldn’t be used for passenger trains.
- KTMB 24 class Class 24 was built by Toshiba Electric Co, Japan. It was introduced to Malaysia in 1987. It is still in service. There are a lot of this class locomotives in service. It can be seen everywhere in the KTMB system. Just like class 23, this locomotive too uses Pielstick engine. This loco produces a whopping 2400 horsepower. The most powerful loco in KTMB until the 29 class locomotives arrived. The 29 class produces 3450 horsepower. Not sure if this is a rumour but a reliable source told me that his 24 class locos arrived in Malaysia with more than 3000HP but it had to be reduced because of overheating problem. Don’t you think it’s kinda funny that 24 class has got exactly 2400HP? There is something fishy about that coincidence. Anyway, class 24 locomotives has a top speed of 120KM/h.
Sorted by date.
- KTMB 25 class 25 class locomotives were originally meant for shunting. This were actually ordered by Egypt for their railways. Then they cancelled their order, which made GM look for a new buyer. KTMB agreed to buy them because they are facing shortage shunters. The first batch arrived in 1991. KTMB was surprised with their realiablity. They placed a second batch of order which arrived in 2002. 25 class engines are still the most reliable in KTMB’s fleet. The YDM proved to be more reliable but then again those engines are leased from Ircon.
- KTMB 26 Class – Blue Tiger Locomotives
The Blue Tiger locomotives are built by Bombardier with contract from GE. It is the longest locomotive ever in KTMB network and also the second most powerful after the 29 Class. The first batch of 5 were delivered on Oct 2 2003. Another 15 more was delivered by year end. This 3300 horsepower locos are the most powerful in KTMB’s stable.
Blue Tiger locomotives are considered very reliable compared to the 29 class locomotives. Due to its high horse power, it’s mostly used for freight but also used passenger service at times.
Below are some photos taken in Germany. Photos taken from the net.
This are just random shots taken over the years. I’ll keep adding to it.
KTMB 29 class – Dalian
The 29 class locomotive or also known as Dalian among railway staffs and enthusiasts, was introduced in late 2005. It’s made in China by Dalian Locomotive Works in exchange for palm oil. It was named 29 instead of 27 because previously rail cars were using that number. This locomotives are currently the most powerful in South East Asia. It has a MAN engine from Germany which produces 3450HP. Unfortunately, this locomotive is infamous for bad reliability. As soon as they were put to service, it was having major problems and many were sitting in workshops. I guess this is what happens when you buy locomotives from China.
The exterior design of the loco is somewhat….unique, i guess. I think the Chinese designers copied the Blue Tigers here and there.
The exterior design of the loco is somewhat….unique, i guess. I think the Chinese designers copied the Blue Tigers here and there.
KTMB YDM4
Total of 39 was sent to Malaysia but 19 was sent back to India by 1999. KTMB plans to send all of them back to Ircon in stages after 29 Class from China has arrived. Some of the engines has been spotted with Ircon logo instead of KTMB’s. However, as of 15 April 2014, YDM locos are still widely used on the network. For passenger service, it is mostly used for Mail Trains and Local Trains in the South and East Coast. Sometimes when there is a loco shortage, YDM4 engines can be seen pulling express services especially Express Wau and Express Langkawi. YDM4s are widely used in the northern sector too for freight. It does all from flat cars with containers to Bogie Tank Urea(BTU). This engines are well known among KTM staffs and railway fans for it’s reliability. Their reliability is 200,000km per failure! However, the drivers prefer other locos over YDM because it is under powered and also produces too much smoke which enters the cab at times. It will be very sad to see this heavy smokers leave Malaysia, if that happens.
This locomotive was built by Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, India. YDM 6000 series locomotives are leased from Indian Railways. It is still in service. This loco produces only 1300 horsepower. It has a top speed of 120KM/h. This loco is called YDM because of the Indian Railways locomotive classification system. For this locomotive it is in the form of gauge, power and load. So Y from YDM represents metre gauge, D represents diesel, and M represents mixed loads.
Total of 39 was sent to Malaysia but 19 was sent back to India by 1999. KTMB plans to send all of them back to Ircon in stages after 29 Class from China has arrived. Some of the engines has been spotted with Ircon logo instead of KTMB’s. However, as of 15 April 2014, YDM locos are still widely used on the network. For passenger service, it is mostly used for Mail Trains and Local Trains in the South and East Coast. Sometimes when there is a loco shortage, YDM4 engines can be seen pulling express services especially Express Wau and Express Langkawi. YDM4s are widely used in the northern sector too for freight. It does all from flat cars with containers to Bogie Tank Urea(BTU). This engines are well known among KTM staffs and railway fans for it’s reliability. Their reliability is 200,000km per failure! However, the drivers prefer other locos over YDM because it is under powered and also produces too much smoke which enters the cab at times. It will be very sad to see this heavy smokers leave Malaysia, if that happens.
KTMB DLW6800
The BRE-L (British Rail Engineering-Leyland) consortium tried to promote the concept for export, and built a number of demonstrator vehicles for trials in various countries, including a metre gauge 2-car unit that was initially sent to Thailand. A year later it was operating in Malaysia. Its subsequent history is unknown, although it was reported to be rotting in a Malaysian siding some years later, so presumably it didn't cover itself in glory.
The unit is seen at Butterworth in 1985, photographed by Malcolm Wilton-Jones. Source: http://searail.mymalaya.com/KTM.htm
Another Malcolm Wilton-Jones picture provides an interesting comparison with a Hungarian unit, c 1985. http://searail.mymalaya.com/KTM.htm
At first, this locomotive was very mysterious. Not much information was available on this loco. Even KTM staffs themself were not sure of the existance of this engine. Our first glimpse was when a photo was posted at IRFCA. It was photographed in India and had the number 26107. This gave everyone the idea that KTMB has already bought it from Ircon. When it finally was here, it was renamed to 6800, most probably it’s railroad number in India. The only reason i can think of was because KTMB haven’t bought the locomotive. I was told that total of 5 has arrived but no one spotted the other 4. Only later i found out that only 1 was sent to Malaysia. Infact, it was the only one they made. It was a Demonstrator unit for KTMB. KTMB decided not to purchase this locos, instead went on to order Chinese locos from Dalian. 6800 did alot of freight work and some passenger services, usually rescue service when an engine breaks down. My train, Ekpress Senandung Langkawi, was pulled from Butterworth to KL after the 24 class broke down. I have to say that it had alot of power but was very jerky. In 2006, very sadly, KTMB sent it back. I was at Old KL Station at 10PM on 5th of April 2006 when i saw this locomotive heading south. It was decorated with banana trees, which is used for Indian ceremonies. The Ircon staffs must have had a Send-Off ceremony. What baffles me is why it was renumbered to 27107 before being sent off? If they revert to the old number, shouldn’t it be 26107?
This was the flag off ceremony held by KTMB on 20th March 2003. If you browse through, you will notice there was alot of smoke but the loco isn’t moving. I was confused at that time too, thought the load was too heavy. Later i found that the KTMB staffs forgot to release the brake for the wagons.
BRE-Leyland Demonstrator Railcar
In the 1980s, British Rail was looking for an affordable replacement for its first generation of diesel railcars, which were then around 30 years old. One option that found favour (with BR, if not with passengers) was a 4-wheel railbus based on a Leyland bus body mounted on a high speed freight wagon chassis. The new units were successful in as much as they were cheap to produce and operate, even if passengers hated them. 30 years later they are still at work in Britain.The BRE-L (British Rail Engineering-Leyland) consortium tried to promote the concept for export, and built a number of demonstrator vehicles for trials in various countries, including a metre gauge 2-car unit that was initially sent to Thailand. A year later it was operating in Malaysia. Its subsequent history is unknown, although it was reported to be rotting in a Malaysian siding some years later, so presumably it didn't cover itself in glory.
Type | : | Diesel Railcar |
KTM Class | : | n/a |
KTM Number range | : | n/a |
Introduced | : | 1984 |
Extinct | : | |
Builder | : | British Rail Engineering/Leyland, England |
Horsepower | : |
The unit is seen at Butterworth in 1985, photographed by Malcolm Wilton-Jones. Source: http://searail.mymalaya.com/KTM.htm
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