Burma, Saing Yane Forest Tramways
Burma, Saing Yane Forest Tramways
The 'Saing Yane Teak Forest' in the 'North Toungoo Division' was leased by the 'Burma Forest Department' to companies under concession agreements:-
The following have been identified as using Tramways:-
MacGregor & Co laid a 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG) tramway, 3 miles(5km) long in c.1907 as an experiment with haulage by rail rather than using an elephant. By 1912 the tramway was 12 miles(19km) and ran alongside the Yane River. The line was still in use in 1937-38 [1].
Crisp & Company were operating a 3 mile(5km) 2ft/610mm narrow gauge(NG). This line was in use in 1913-14. The lease including the tramway was taken over by 'Steel Brothers & Co Ltd' (see below) in 1921 [2].
Steel Brothers & Co Ltd took over the lease from 'Crisp & Company' (see above) in 1921. During 1921-22 a new Sawmill was erected at Swa and some of the tramway was converted to metre gauge(MG). By 1924-25 the system had 10 miles(19km) of MG line and 7 miles(11km) of 2ft/610mm narrow gauge NG line in use. The timber was transported 175 miles(280km) by the Burma Railway to Rangoon. Due to sparse stands of timber and high freight costs the operation was uneconomical and in 1931 the site was closed and all equipment sold for scrap [3].
References
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry BO02 page ....
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry BO01 page ....
- ↑ “Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry BO03 page ....