Don't know if this is sarcasm but I have never liked them.

Sri Lanka's government has awarded India’s Ircon International Ltd. a contract for 91.3 million US dollars to modernise part of the northern railway line, the state information office said.

The Cabinet of ministers this week approved the award of the deal on a proposal by Transport and civil aviation minister Arjuna Ranatunga, a statement said.**

The contract is to rebuild a 128 kilometre long stretch of rail track from Mahawa to Omanthai using funds from an Indian government loan.*

The project is to rebuild the rail track to make it capable of carrying trains at speeds of 100 kmph and with heavier loads and to ensure efficient, safe and comfortable transport service for passengers and freight.

Second M11 was arrived in Colombo two weeks ago

Sri Lankan order may drive RITES

The stock of RITES may remain in focus, as it bagged a ₹200-crore order. “Under an ongoing contract, Sri Lanka Railways has given an additional export order aggregating to ₹200 crore (approx.) to RITES for supply of passenger coaches,” it said in a notice to the stock exchanges. This is in addition to the earlier order from Sri Lanka Railways for supply of six diesel Multiple Units, the company added. Shareholders will closely monitor further developments on this front.

Does anyone know when M11 (950) going to commence the public service?

Soon. Yesterday I went on it in its' maiden inspection trial run from Ratmalana to Aluthgama and then again back to Colombo. Today it performed a load trial (with Chinese coaches) from Maradana to Veyangoda. Will publish a Youtube video soon of the trial run to Aluthgama, this coming weekend.

More to come:
6 DEMU(powersets - 3 double sets) from India
9 DEMU(powersets - S14) from China
12 locomotives(engines) from USA
7 locomotives(engines) from India
3 locomotives(engines) from China (for Aruwakkalu project)
160 coaches from India
75 coaches from Indonesia
30 oil tankers and 20 container type wagons from India
20 flat beds from Indonesia

Another M11 locomotive - 951 arrived in April (3 received so far, 7 more to come)

Cab ride on Sri Lanka's second M11 locomotive's maiden trial run to Aluthgama from Ratmalana.

The 9 DEMU(powersets - S14) from China is to probably be used as night mail train i guess. it has been speculated that the Colombo badulla night mail train (no:1045/46) has had a long pending replacement. The locomotives used for this trains class M2/M6s are not performing up-to their mark (fair enough given their age) . The train is delayed almost every day due to faults and during the rainy days the journey time is ridiculously long. also the compartments used in the night mail trains are barely inhabitable for a long journey as these are infested with cockroaches and bed bugs. But it is sad to see the legendary M2/M6 and Romanian compartment combination be replaced by the boring obvious choice; chinese power sets.
And the order of 75 coaches from Indonesia is a real eye-brow raiser as i really don't know if Indonesia has the technical and industrial background to produce high quality railway equipment, but i may be wrong as well.
Also like i've said before the inevitable happened and that is that the Indian S-13 crashed, it was only a matter of time. it had met with an accident with a minibus and sustained damages to its fragile fiber glass body and hence it is out of service, while there are few more being delivered in the next few months. Its really pity that the GoSL is really filling the railway network with inferior products.
Nothing from india has performed well in sri lanka or anywhere else, starting from the rust-bucket M8, M10, awful S11, unwanted M11 and now the half-baked S13. it is an utter waste of the tax payers money and an addition to the misery of the daily commuter specially with the m11 derailing every now and then.

Has Sri Lanka Railways took delivery of all M11?

Haleef,

I heard that Sri Lanka Railways taking delivery of new train engines from America. M12. Is it true? Do you have more information?

Hi, no that is a fake picture that circulated all over Facebook. We have no expectations in ordering more locomotives as of yet.

According to below link, Sri Lanka Railways is going to purchase 70 passenger compartments from Indonesia. Is it true?

Hi Haleef,

I saw picture of white carriage in Sri Lanka. Is it new addition to Sri Lanka Railways? Where is it from?