page_title: Locomotives of Sri Lanka Railways
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Locomotives of Sri Lanka Railways / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Loolecondera railway, Sri Lanka
context_page_description: Locomotives and trainsets of Sri Lanka Railways consist mostly of diesel locomotives and multiple units. Steam locomotives are no longer used, except on heritage trains, such as the Viceroy Special.
  The first locomotives pulled trains on the original segment of the Main Line, on 54 kilometres connecting Colombo and Ambepussa. In 1953, Sri Lanka Railways enhanced its service to more power with diesel locomotives. Since then, various types of diesel locomotives were added to the service.
context_section_description: Sri Lanka's first railway locomotive was Leopold, in 1864. It was one of seven 4-4-0 locomotives built that year for the Ceylon Government Railway by Robert Stephenson and Company (nos. 1–5) and Beyer, Peacock and Company (nos. 6 and 7).   Many more steam locomotives were added to the system, through to the 1950s.  All the steam locomotives bar three were manufactured in the United Kingdom; the exceptions were three 4-4-0s built at the railway's Maradana Works near Colombo in 1900 and 1905.  In 1938, locomotives were reclassified, based on wheel arrangement and gauge.  Sub-classification was based on weight, modifications, heating type, boiler capacity, or other features.
  Throughout its history, Ceylon Government Railway had 410 steam locomotives.
  The Railways upgraded its service to diesel locomotives, under the leadership of B. D. Rampala in the mid 1950s.  In 1953, the first locomotives from British builder Brush Bagnall were imported.  Since then, the Railways have imported locomotives from Canada, Japan, West Germany, India, France, and China
  In the 1990s, Sri Lanka Railways converted the narrow gauge (2 ft 6 in (762 mm)) Kelani Valley line into broad gauge (5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)).  This was the last narrow gauge line left in Sri Lanka, and its conversion to broad gauge put the fleet of narrow gauge locomotives out of use.  All operational locomotives in the country today are broad gauge.
  As of August 2011, Sri Lanka does not have commercially operational electric locomotives or train sets.  Electrification has been proposed, to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
caption: Early steam powered train on the hill-country railway line
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