BANGLADESH Railways diesel 2410 was rolled-out of the company’s Central Locomotive Works at Parbatipur on June 2, marking a milestone in a loco maintenance programme being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. BR Director-General M A Manaf and Canadian High Commissioner Nicholas Etheridge participated in the ceremony to mark completion of the first loco overhauled under the new regime.Canadian consultants Beauchemin Beaton Lapointe and Transconsult have been developing a maintenance strategy for BR’s 270-strong locomotive fleet, which includes 15 different classes. A six-year maintenance cycle for all locos has been put in place, using component unit exchange to cut overhauls to around seven weeks. A computerised inventory control system has been installed, allowing work to be done in various workshops on the broad and metre-gauge networks, with components drawn from stores. Replaced modules will then be repaired at the modernised Parbatipur works before being returned to the stores. BR has negotiated a loan of 1·4bn taka from South Korea to fund the purchase of 19 new metre-gauge diesel locos. o read more