Main Line (Sri Lanka)

Main Line
An express train, the Udarata Menike (M6 locomotives), runs through the scenic Sri Lankan hill country
Overview
Other name(s)	Hill Country Line,Up Country Line
Status	Active
Owner	Sri Lanka Railways
Termini	Colombo Fort Badulla
Stations	105
Service
System	Sri Lanka Railways
Services	Udarata Menike Express Train Podi Menike Express Train Tikiri Menike Express Train Senkadagala Menike Express Train Colombo–Kandy Intercity Train Rajadhani Express Train Colombo–Badulla Night Mail Train Upcountry Commuter Trains
Operator(s)	Sri Lanka Railways
History
Opened	1864
Technical
Line length	290 km (180 mi)
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Electrification	No
Highest elevation	1,898.1 m (6,227 ft)
Route map Badulla Tunnel No. 43 Hali Ela Uduwara Demodara Loop Demodara & Tunnel No. 42 Tunnel No. 41 Nine Arch Bridge Tunnel No. 40 Ella Kithal Ella Heel Oya Kinigama Tunnel No. 39 Bandarawela Tunnel No. 38 Diyatalawa Tunnel No. 37 Haputale Glenonare Tangamale Sanctuary Tunnel No. 36 Idalgashinna Tunnel No. 22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34 & 35 Ohiya Tunnel No. 18 (Pattipola Tunnel),19,20 & 21 Summit 1898.1m above MSL Pattipola Ambewela Horton Plains National Park Parakramapura Closed Uda Pussellawa Railway Line Nanu Oya Tunnel No. 17 Radella Great Western Watagoda Upper Kotmale Reservoir Tunnel No. 16 Thalawakele Tunnel No. 15 St.Clair Kotagala Galkandawatta Tunnel No. 14 (Singha Malai Tunnel) Hatton Rozella Ihala Watawala Watawala Wewalthalawa Dekinda Galboda Tunnel No. 12 & 13 Penrose Inguruoya Hightenford Selam Mahaweli Ganga Nawalapitiya Warakawa Pallegama Ulapane Warakapitiya Thembiligala Wallahagoda Gampola Kahatapitiya Gangathilaka Botalepitiya Weligalla Polgaha Anga Gelioya Koshinna A sub river of Mahaweli Ganga Matale Line Peradeniya Junction KiribathKumbura Barammane Pilimatalawa Urapola Kotabagolla Kadugannawa Tunnel No. 10 (Moragalla Tunnel) & 11 Weralugolla Tunnel No. 9 Balana Tunnel No. 6, 7 & 8 Makehelwala Bambaragala Ihala Kotte Tunnel No. 5A (Meeyangalla Tunnel) Gangoda Tunnel No. 5 Yatiwaldeinya Kadigamuwa Tunnel No. 2, 3 & 4 Rambukkana Rambukkan Oya Yatagama Korossa Tismalpola Panaliya Northern Line Polgahawela Junction Walakumbura Alawwa Bujjomuwa Yattalgoda Maha Oya Ambepussa Botale Tunnel No. 1 Wilwatta Mirigama Wijaya Rajadahana  E04  Central Expressway Ganegoda Pallewela Keenawala Wadurawa Veyangoda Heendeniya Pattiyagoda Magalegoda  E04  Central Expressway Bemmulla Daraluwa Gampaha Attanagalu Oya Yagoda  E04  Central Expressway Ganemulla Bulugahagoda Batuwaththa Walpola Puttalam Line Ragama Junction Horape  E02  Outer Circular Expressway Ederamulla Hunupitiya Wanawasala Kelaniya Kelani River Dematagoda Kelani Valley Line Maradana Colombo Fort Coast Line

The Main Line is a major railway line in the rail network of Sri Lanka and considered by many to be one of the most scenic train journeys in all of Asia. The line begins at Colombo Fort and winds through the Sri Lankan hill country to reach Badulla.

Route definition

Badulla Railway station

The Main Line starts from Colombo and runs east and north past the rapidly developing centres of Ragama, Gampaha, Veyangoda, and Polgahawela.

At Rambukkana, the Main Line begins its steep climb into the hills of the upcountry. Between Balana and Kadugannawa, the track clings to the side of sheer cliffs, offering passengers views of Batalegala ('Bible' Rock).

From Peradeniya Junction, a branch line reaches Kandy and Matale.

The Main Line then continues its climb through tea country, connecting local market centres at Gampola, Nawalapitiya, and Hatton before reaching Nanu Oya. This is the connection to the former colonial resort of Nuwara Eliya, known for its temperate climate, classic hotels, and British-style gardens.

The Main Line continues its ascent to the summit at Pattipola, 1,898 m (6,227 ft) above sea level, before descending past Bandarawela to Badulla. In the upcountry, passengers can view the tea gardens, mountains and valleys, cascading torrents and waterfalls.

History

Early steam powered train on the Main line

The first segment of the Main line was opened in 1864, with the construction of the line from Colombo to Ambepussa, 54 km (34 mi) to the east. This was the first rail line in the country. The first train ran on 27 December 1864. The line was officially opened for traffic on 2 October 1865. The main reason for building a railway system in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) was to transport tea and coffee from the hill country to Colombo.

The Main Line was extended in stages with service to Kandy beginning in 1867, to Nawalapitiya in 1874, to Nanu Oya in 1885, to Bandarawela in 1894, and to Badulla in 1924.

Till 1953, the Main line operated with steam locomotives. In the 1950s, service was enhanced with diesel locomotives, under the leadership of B. D. Rampala. Various types of diesel locomotives were added to the service.

In 2011, ExpoRail and Rajadhani Express began operating a premium section on trains on the Main Line. These services were launched to improve rail transport's appeal to the public.

Sri Lanka Railways also began importing new diesel-multiple units to replace the aging rolling stock previously used on the line. The new S12 trainsets built by China's CSR Corporation Limited in 2012 are designed to work on the steep gradients of the hill country. The new S14 trainsets built by China's CRRC Qingdao Sifang in 2019-2020 are currently in use.

The commuter rail portion of the line, within the Colombo metropolitan area, is planned to be electrified, though no ground work has started.

Operators and service providers

Sri Lanka Railways operates most passenger services on the Main Line. Sri Lanka Railways' most notable services on the line includes the Udarata Menike (S14), Podi Menike (S14), Tikiri Menike (S12), Senkadagala Menike (S12) and Colombo–Kandy Intercity (S12 and M5).

ExpoRail and Rajadhani Express operate premium services on the Main Line. They run premium carriages attached to Sri Lanka Railways-operated trains.

Infrastructure

Railway track near Haputale

Older railway infrastructure on the Main line, including a gantry of semaphore signals at Kandy Station

The Main Line has a gauge of 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge.

The Main Line is not electrified. Regular services run on diesel power. However, there are plans to electrify the commuter rail network, within Colombo. This includes the Main-line segment between Colombo Fort and Veyangoda.

Most of the line currently operates on a lock-and-block signaling system. The commuter rail section was upgraded to electric signalling in the mid-twentieth century. The system is connected to a centralised traffic control panel at Maradana Railway Station.