BANGLADESH: A batch of 26 new inter-city coaches for Bangladesh Railways’ metre-gauge main lines was expected to arrive at Chittagong Port by the end of July, having been shipped from the Indonesian port of Tanjung Perak, in Surabaya, on July 19.
Being supplied by PT Inka under a US$101m contract for 250 vehicles backed by Indonesia Eximbank, the 200 metre-gauge coaches follow on from 50 coaches for BR’s 1 676 mm gauge routes, of which deliveries began in January.
The first batch of metre-gauge stock to be shipped comprised examples of all five vehicle types being supplied under the contract. There were two Type WJC air-conditioned sleeping cars with 18 berths, five Type WJCC air-conditioned day coaches with 55 seats, and 16 Type WEC non-AC coaches with 60 seats, together with two Type WECDR non-AC dining cars and a single Type WPC generator car.
PT Inka President Budi Noviantoro told local media on July 23 that the company expected to dispatch the remaining 174 metre-gauge coaches before the end of 2019.
