Steam locomotives were in service when rail network started in the then East Bengal of Indian Subcontinent on 15 November 1862. They were the dominant type of locomotive of that time and even with the introduction of diesel powered locomotives in 1953, they served the railway of Bangladesh till the '80s. Currently no steam locomotives are in operation. Most of them has been scrapped. A small number of them are preserved in Bangladesh. Here are some steam locomotive classes that were operated by EBR/PER/BR:
Narrow-gauge (762 mm)
The gauge locomotives are from the Rupsa-Bagerhat railway which was the only gauge line inEast Pakistan when colonial India was partitioned in 1947. It was re-gauged to gauge in 1970.
Class CB
These locomotives were manufactured by The Vulcan Foundry Ltd., England. They were withdrawn in 1970. Two units are preserved, CB7 at Paksay Railway HQ, Iswardi, Pabna with an attached coach behind and CB8 at Pahartoli Workshop, Chittagong. Specifications: Power type: Steam Whyte Notation: 2-4-0 Gauge: 746 mm Class: CB Locale: Khulna-Bagerhat Section Withdrawn: 1970 Preserved: 2 Disposition: Withdrawn
Class CS
These locomotives were manufactured by W. G. Bagnall Ltd., Stafford, England. The whyte notation is 2-4-0T. Locomotive no. 15 was withdrawn in 1969 and preserved at Saidpur Works, Nilphamari. Specifications: Power type: Steam Builder: W. G. Bagnall, England Build date: 1936 Whyte Notation: 2-4-0T Gauge: 746 mm Length: 5.689 m Width: 2.286 m Height: 3.2 m Loco weight: 11.76 Tonnes Tractive effort: 2.05 Tonnes Class: CS Locale: Khulna-Bagerhat Section Withdrawn: 1969 Preserved: 1 Disposition: Withdrawn
Meter-gauge (1,000 mm)
Class YD
25 Class YD locomotives were manufactured for East Pakistan by Nippon Sharyo Ltd., Nagoya, Japan and delivered in 1952. The whyte notation is 2-8-2. Among them, locomotive no. 718 is preserved at Rail Bhaban, Dhaka which was withdrawn in 1983. Specifications: Power type: Steam Builder: Nippon Sharyo Ltd., Nagoya, Japan Build date: 1952 Total produced: 25 Whyte Notation: 2-8-2 Gauge: meter-gauge Couplers: Norwegian coupling Class: YD Withdrawn: 1983 Preserved: 1 Disposition: Withdrawn
Broad-gauge (1,676 mm)
Class SGC-Z
These locomotives were manufactured by The Vulcan Foundry Ltd., England. The whyte notation is 0-6-0. They used to serve the Paksay Division of EBR. In 1936, Locomotive no. 240 was converted to oil and used by Saidpur Workshop for shunting purpose. This locomotive was withdrawn in 1983 and preserved at Rail Bhaban, Dhaka. Specifications: Power type: Steam Builder: The Vulcan Foundry Ltd., England Build date: 1921 Whyte Notation: 0-6-0 Gauge: 1,676 mm Width: 2.731 m Height: 4.017 m Class: SCG-Z Locale: Paksay Division Syedpur Workshop Withdrawn: 1983 Preserved: 1 Disposition: Withdrawn
Class HPS
These locomotives were manufactured by The Vulcan Foundry Ltd., England. The whyte notation is 4-6-0. They used to serve the Paksay Division of EBR. Specifications: Power type: Steam Builder: The Vulcan Foundry Ltd., England Build date: 1947 Whyte Notation: 4-6-0 Gauge: 1,676 mm Length: 62 ft. 3.25 inch Width: 10 ft. 6 inch Height: 13 ft. 6 inch Loco weight : Engine-76.9 tons; Tender-52 tons Loco weight : Engine-71.3 tons; Tender-23.96 tons Class: HPS Withdrawn: 1984 Preserved: 1 Disposition: Withdrawn
Diesel locomotives first started operation in Bangladesh with the introduction of Class 2000 EMD B12 diesel-electric locomotives in 1953. Till now, 445 diesel locomotives have been imported over times in Bangladesh, including 80 diesel-hydraulic locomotives. Among them, 317 are meter-gauge and 117 are broad-gauge locomotives. There may also exist some narrow-gauge diesel locomotives in Bangladesh but there is no adequate information regarding them. Among the 445 locomotives, 273 locomotives are currently active, including 179 meter-gauge locomotives and 94 broad-gauge locomotives. Among them, 140 meter-gauge locomotives and 55 broad-gauge locomotives have reached expiry within times. Only three diesel-hydraulic locomotives are active and the rest are all diesel-electric.
Classification and numbering of locomotives
In Bangladesh Railway, the present 'classification' or 'specification' of locomotives has three letters with two digit number: First letter: Denotes the track gauge the locomotive is operated. Second letter: Denotes type of diesel traction. Third letter: Denotes first or last letter of the name of manufacturer. Two digit number: Denotes the approximate power * 100 of the locomotive in hp. For example: MEG-11, Here M = Meter-gauge, E = Diesel-electric, G = General Motors and 11 = 11×100 hp = 1,100 hp. In case of numbering of a locomotive, a four digit number is used. First two digits denotes the 'series' or 'class' of the locomotive and the rest two digit denotes the number of the locomotive of the respective series. For example: locomotive number 2025 means it is the 22nd locomotive of class 2000. Meter-gauge locomotives start with 2000 and ends in 3400 as of 2020. On the other hand, broad gauge locomotives start with 6000 and ends in 7000.
List of Diesel locomotives
The main source for this list is Bangladesh Railway Fans Forum.
Meter gauge (1,000 mm)
Class 2000
Class 2000 were the very first diesel-electric locomotives of the them Eastern Bengal Railway. They started service from 1953. Total 40 units were imported from General Motors. They used to haul long-distant passenger trains. Still 7 units are currently in service as of 2020.
Class 2100
These are the first and only General Electric locomotive in Bangladesh. Total 10 of them were manufactured as model UM13C. Currently none of them are active.
Class 2200
Total 41 EMD GL8 marked as Class 2200 were made by General Motors. They were basically used for passenger trains but now only use for shunting due to age.
Class 2300
They are the first ALCo based locomotives of Bangladesh for meter-gauge network. Total 24 were made by MLW in 1969. Currently 22 are active.
Class 2400
Total 12 units marked as class 2400 were manufactured by MLW in 1972. They have similar specifications with Class 2300. 11 units are currently active.
Class 2500
Total 18 locomotives of this class started service in 1982. 17 are currently active.
Total 16 EMD GT18L-2 marked as Class 2600 started operation since 1988. Being a very successful class, all of them are still operational.
Class 2700
They are the first dual-cab locomotives of Bangladesh and have similar specifications with Class 2600. Total 21 locomotives were bult by ABB Henscell and Adtranz under GM-EMD license.
Class 2800
They are a dual-cab modified version of Class YDM-4 locomotive in India. Only 10 were made.
Class 2900
They are similar to Class 2600 locomotives, built by Hyndai Rotem in 1999. Total 39 locomotives were made and all are successfully operating various trains around Bangladesh.
There existed some shunting locomotives in marked as Class 3000 in Bangladesh around 1980s. None of them are currently in service.
Class 3100
Total 26 locomotives were manufactured by English Electric for shunting purpose. Currently none are active.
Class 3200
These are diesel-hydraulic locomotive manufactured by Ganz-Mavag. They are rated as 500 hp. Only 2 are active as of 2020.
Class 3300
These are a more powerful version of Class 3200 locomotives with 800 hp. Only one of them are active.
Class 3400
Class 3400 are upcoming diesel-electric locomotives. Total 70 units will be manufactured by Hyndai Rotem.
List of Meter gauge locomotives
Broad gauge (1,676 mm)
Class 6000
They are the oldest type of broad-gauge locomotive and also the only pure ALCo locomotives in Bangladesh. They were introduced in 1965. Total 18 units were made.
Class 6100
They are similar to Class 6000 locomotives made by MLW in 1969. Total 16 units were made.
Class 6200
They are the broad-gauge version of class 2500 locomotives. They are rated as 2,400 hp. Currently few of them are in service.
Class 6300
12 units of class 6300 were made by Bombadier in 1980. All are active as of 2020.
Class 6400
These are Indian locomotive class WDM-2 and WDM-2CA locomotives imported in 2001 and 2004 respectively. They are rated as 2600 hp. Currently they are mostly used in freight trains with some still used in passenger trains. All are active in service.
Class 6500
In 2012, Bangladesh Railway ordered 16 WDM-3A broad gauge locomotives of 3100 hp from Diesel Locomotive Works, India. They are marked as class 6500. They have a power of 3,100 hp. They are the second most powerful locomotive of Bangladesh after the upcoming class 6600. A total of 26 locomotives were imported. They are used in both passenger and freight trains. All are active in service.
Class 6600
In 2019, 40 EMD GT42ACLs were ordered from Progress Rail Services. They are supposed to be used exclusively for freight trains.
Class 7000
These are the broad-gauge version of class 3200 locomotives. Total 20 were manufactured in 1980 and all are withdrawn as of 2020.
