Bangladesh Railway Class 6000

Bangladesh Railway Class 6000 is a class of broad-gauge (5 ft 6 in) diesel-electric locomotives of Bangladesh operated by Bangladesh Railway. Total 18 locos of this class were manufactured by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) at Schenectady plant, USA.[1] They entered the fleet of the then Pakistan Eastern Railway of East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) in 1965.[2] The model of class 6000 locos is Alco DL543/RSD-34.[3][4]

Bangladesh Railway Class 6000
Locomotive 6016 in Jessore
Type and origin Power type Diesel–electric Designer American Locomotive Company (Alco) Builder American Locomotive Company (Alco) Serial number S-3424-01 – 18 Model DL543/RSD-34 Build date 1965 Total produced 18
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co′Co′ Gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Wheel diameter 40 in (1.016 m) Length 58 ft 8 in (17.88 m) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover Alco 12-251C Engine type Four-stroke Traction motors GE761 Gear ratio 94:17 Loco brake Vacuum Couplers Buffers and chain
Performance figures Maximum speed 106 km/h (66 mph) Power output 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 66,822 lbf (297.24 kN)  • Continuous 47,000 lbf (209.07 kN)
Career Operators Pakistan Eastern Railway (1961–1971) Bangladesh Railway (1971–present) Class BEA-20 Numbers 6000–6017 Current owner Bangladesh Railway Disposition 17 active

Technical details

Class 6000 locos are the first broad-gauge diesel locos and also the first and only pure Alco based locos of Bangladesh. These locos use the Alco 12-251C as prime mover. Their power is 2,000 hp and can achieve speed up to 106 km/h. The wheel arrangement is Co-Co. These locos are considered one of the most successful loco class of Bangladesh. As of 2020 (55 years later), 17 locos of this class are active. 6011 is no longer in service. It is thought that this loco went to India during the liberation war of Bangladesh and never came back.

Besides class 6000, 16 class 6100 locos were produced by Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). Those locos have much similar specifications with class 6000 locos.[1] There are some minor differences like, the design of the driver's cab.

Classification and numbering

The number-series/class of these locos is 6000 and are numbered from 6000 to 6017. Their class-name/specification is "BEA–20".[5][6] Here, B = Broad-gauge, E = Diesel–electric, A = Alco and 20 = 20 × 100 = 2,000 hp. Previously, the class-name was ALU-20.[7]

Usage

Class 6000 locos are used in both passenger and freight trains. Among the passenger trains, they are mostly used on local and mail/express trains. Some inter-city trains with older vacuum-braked coaches, like Madhumati Express are hauled by these locos.

Liveries

1. Red with white stripes (no longer used)
2. Blue-yellow
3. Green-yellow

Maintenance

Class 6000 locos are based at Ishwardi railway division, Ishwardi, Pabna. They are maintained at Central Locomotive Workshop and Pahartali Diesel Shop at Parbatipur, Dinajpur.

Gallery

• 
  6005
• 
  6009
• 
  6016

References

• Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. p. 83. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

1. "DSC03921". IRFCA. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
2. "List of locomotives built by Alco and its licencees, ordere" (PDF). sce3c0752b973ab3f.jimcontent.com.
3. "Analysis of Problems" (PDF). Bangladesh Railway.
4. "RSD-34 (1676) — Trainspo". trainspo.com. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
5. "Status of Railway Tracks and Rolling Stocks in Bangladesh" (PDF).
6. "Final Report on Rolling Stock Maintenance" (PDF). Asian Development Bank.
7. "Locomotive database - 1435mm.net". www.1435mm.net. Retrieved 2020-09-26.

External links

Media related to Bangladesh Railway Class 6000 at Wikimedia Commons