| Background: |
|
| Sri Lanka Railways S8 | |
| Stocktype: | Diesel Multiple Unit |
| Service: | 1991-present |
| Manufacturer: | Hitachi |
| Yearconstruction: | 1991 |
| Yearservice: | 1991 |
| Numberbuilt: | 20 |
| Numberservice: | 20 |
| Formation: | DPC + 4 TC + DTC |
| Fleetnumbers: | 821-840 |
| Operator: | Sri Lanka Railways |
| Lines: | Main Line Kelani Valley Line Puttalam Line Coastal Line |
| Carlength: | 652NaN2 |
| Maxspeed: | 88km/h |
| Weight: | 70t |
| Engine: | MTU 12V396TCI13 |
| Enginetype: | V12 diesel |
| Poweroutput: | 1430HP |
| Transmission: | Voith L 520 R U2 |
| Brakes: | Air |
| Coupling: | Automatic (dual) |
| Multipleworking: | Yes |
Sri Lanka Railways S8 is a class of Diesel multiple unit (DMU) train set made by Hitachi and Hyundai operated by Sri Lanka Railways. They were imported to Sri Lanka in 1991 and primarily runs on the Kelani Valley Line.[1]
This class was introduced 12 years after the previous S7 DMU was imported. 20 train sets were ordered in order to strengthen the DMU fleet of Sri Lanka Railways.[2]
The Class S8 has four passenger compartments, including a dummy control unit. There are no vestibules between the compartments, giving the DMU a better ability to run through sharp curves such as those on the Kelani Valley Line.
The complete S8 DMU has a total axle load of 17500kg (38,600lb).
Owing to the high power of the engine, this DMU has a higher acceleration rate and also can be used for multiple unit working. The Class S8 only has third class accommodations as it is primarily used for commuter services.
| DPC + 4 TC + DTC | 6 |
|
Multiple S8 units are used in peak hours. These are mostly used for short distance commuter services. The lines operated using the Class S8 are as follows:
| Main Line | Colombo Fort | Polgahawela | Rambukkana | |
| Kelani Valley Line | Colombo Fort | Avissawella | ||
| Puttalam Line | Colombo Fort | Puttalam | ||
| Coastal Line | Colombo Fort | Aluthgama |