I left Yangon for Mandalay on board No 5 Up-Express Train on 19 November 2007. After passing through Toegyaunggalay Station, the express ran at higher speed. Taking the train, I recalled an event in which I dealt with Myanma Railways.
Up to the time when I was in the first standard, I had never seen a train. In the summer holidays, Mother took me to Yangon. When we arrived at Mottama Station, I was amazed to see the red mail-train approaching the station blowing the horn. It was already dark when the train arrived at Bago Station. The train was running at high speed after leaving Bago. I was in the train gazing at the shinning moon through the window. Whatever station the train arrived, the moon was seen. So, I told my mother, “Mom, there the moon running after the train” to the accompaniment of a laughter from the other passengers. When we arrived at Yangon Central Railway Station, I got off and I looked back the train and said, “Mom, when we go back, we will take this train”.
In 1980, I started to run a saltern at Palaingki village by Ye-Dawei Railroad. At the time, local people could not go to Mawlamyine from Ye by car. So, local people of Ye and Dawei had to rely on train service to get to Mawlamyine and Yangon. The rails used in the Mawlamyine-Ye railroad section were 50- lb ones. There was a word “1870” embodied on every rail. So, the age of the rails at the time was more than 100 years. And the locomotives were K class steam engines used before the World War II or C class steam engines Japanese troops brought into the nation in the war. The steam engines were driven with the use of firewood from the trees growing by the railroad. It took about 12 hours for the train to get to Mawlamyine from Ye. The distance between the two towns was about 90 miles. So, the speed of the train was just over seven miles per hour. In other words, its speed was the same, that of a trishaw. I respected and thanked the employees of the Myanma Railways for conveying me from Ye to Mawlamyine using the rails produced when King Mindon was still alive and steam engines produced before the World War II.
However, insurgents attacked the trains and destroyed the railroads of the Myanma Railways with the use of various kinds of mines, heavy weapons and small arms. The Myanma Railways had to repair the damaged railroads and bridges due to the attacks of the insurgents. It also had to pull the locomotives and coaches that had gone off the tracks. It had to repair these locomotives and railroads and use them again.

However much the insurgents tried to disrupt the rail transportation sector, the Myanma Railways did not fail to serve the interests of the people.
When the train left Bago, I was gazing at the thriving paddy fields through the window. Seeing ticket inspectors, I took my ticket out of my pocket. After I had my ticket inspected, one of the ticket collectors held my hand with pleasure and greeted me. He was Aung Tin Ko Ko, son of U Ngwe Kyi who had worked as a railway train guard in the 1980s. At that time, Aung Tin Ko Ko was at the age of a primary school student. He said, “I’ll be back here after my work”. After about an hour, he came back and sat side by side. I said, “Ko Ko, while taking this train I happened to recall the difficulties your father and I faced in the Ye-Dawei railroad section when you were young”. He said, “You’re right. The situations of the railroad were very bad in my youth. But, now we can make a one-day round trip between Ye and Mawlamyine. In the Ye-Mawlamyine railroad, old rails and sleepers are being replaced with 75-lb rails and concrete sleepers. The Japan-made RBE railway bus is driving one-day round run between Ye and Mawlamyine”. I said, “Yes, I have heard about it. Since the RBE railway bus was launched, I have never been to Ye. I think I will take the RBE railway bus for pleasure”. “Aw, you are Ngar Min Swe who is writing articles for newspapers, aren’t you?”, said Aung Tin Ko Ko. I said, “I am Hsar (salt) Min Swe who is running a salt farm in Palaingki. You are taking me for Ngar Min Swe”. “Don’t make a joke. Your articles feature Ye, Palaingki and Kyaikkhami. I think your articles are designed to help build national reconciliation. However, some people do not show positive attitude towards the government however much the government is exerting constructive efforts. Now, Mawlamyine Bridge has been built over the Thanlwin River. I have never dreamt about such a bridge. Now, people can get across the river in a short time”. “You’re right, Ko Ko. Some people still have negative views to the government. Such disagreement can harm somewhat the interests of the nation and the people. If these people realize the truth and national unity has been built, our country will develop soon”. He asked when I made a trip to Mandalay by train the last time. I said, “It has been for four years. Why?” “In the past, Yangon-Mandalay Railroad had two tracks, and the dual railroad went as far as Kyitaungkan near Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana”, he said. I said, “I have already known it”. He said, “Now, the dual railroad has been constructed between Kyitaungkan and Mandalay. And it has been opened”. “Is that so, Ko Ko? It has not been a long time since I first heard about the project. Now, it has been completed. We can enjoy smooth transport, then. In the past, there was only railroad between Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana and Mandalay. So, we had to wait when the train from the opposite direction was coming. Now, the dual railroad has been built, so we don’t need to do so”.

After getting the good news about the inauguration of Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana-Mandalay dual railroad, I could not wait to get to Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana. However, the train had just passed Nyaunglebin. After the train left Nyaunglebin, I saw farmers harvesting paddy and growing beans and pulses.
In the time of the Tatmadaw government, farmers are growing double or triple crops. They can sell their produce freely. Thus the standard of living of farmers becomes high with good houses, cars and motorcycles of their own.
The train I took arrived at Toungoo Station at 11.20 am. I noticed since the train left Yangon that all the sleepers were concrete ones. So, passengers could take the train with comfort unlike in the past. I also noticed that the train was running at a speed of 36 miles per hour.
When the train left Yedashe Station, I saw thriving paddy fields. I guessed the per acre yield of the paddy fields might be nearly 100 baskets. This year, paddy is bountiful, and the rice price falls remarkably.
The train arrived at Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana at 1.30 pm. At mile post No 232/22, I noticed new Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana Station was under construction. Soon after leaving Nay Pyi Taw Pyinmana, it arrived Kyitaungkan station. In the past, the dual railroad ended there. Then, the dual railroad with concrete sleepers went as far as Mandalay. I guessed it was about 150 miles between Kyitaungkan and Mandalay. So, I praised the employees of the Myanma Railways for their performances to complete such a fine transport facility along with many bridges in about three years. To complete that project, the government had to import a lot of machinery, steel beams and rails, so it had to spend foreign exchange a lot.
At Pyawbwe station, I saw a signboard reading “Warmly welcome the opening of Myanma Railways’ dual railroad”. Many railroads from various regions link with Yangon-Mandalay Railroad. So, surely, not only local people of Pyawbwe but also the entire people are pleased with the project. The train approached Mandalay Station at 8.50 pm. Any train does not need to wait for some time for any other train passing by it.
While in Mandalay on 25 November, I phoned a friend of mine who was my high school classmate and who was serving in the Ministry of Rail Transportation in Nay Pyi Taw. He was one standard senior as well as the warden of our hostel and he explained us the lessons I did not understand well. On the phone, I said, “I am now in Mandalay. I come here by train. I saw the dual railroad between Yangon and Mandalay. I want to know about the railroad that was opened on 24 November”. He said, “I think you are going to write an article about the railroad. It is just right. Yangon- Mandalay dual railroad project was launched in the time of the British government, but it was not completed. During Japanese occupation of Myanmar, rails about 150 miles long of the railroad were taken to be used in building a railroad between Thanbyuzayat and Thailand. After Myanmar regained independence, the construction of the dual railroad continued, and the dual railroad reached Kyitaungkan near Pyinmana in 1973. The 157-mile section to Mandalay was left to be completed. The Tatmadaw government managed to complete the project in three years. It was opened yesterday”.
I asked, “How does the railroad benefit the nation and the people?” He said, “Hey, Min Swe. Yangon- Mandalay Railroad is the main railroad of our country. Many railroads linking with this main railroad go to Mon State, Taninthayi Division, Shan State, Kayah State, Sagaing Division, Kachin State, and the regions on the eastern bank of the Ayeyawady River and on the western bank of the Chindwin River. The main railroad needs to make progress for these branch railroads to make progress. Due to the completion of Yangon-Mandalay dual railroad, the number of the up-trains and down-trains plying between Yangon and Mandalay will increase to 36 from 28. And more cargo trains will run. The trains do not need to wait when they meet, so the passengers can get to the designations in a shorter period”.
When asked if the Myanma Railways gained any cash profits from the completion of that facility, he said, “Min Swe, the government has constructed 1172 miles of railroads. It is now constructing a 322 miles long railroad between Kyangin and Pakokku, and a 95 miles long railroad between Katha and Bhamo. It is very costly and it needs to spend foreign exchange to build a railroad. Constructing new railroads provides convenience for the people in earning their living. The State is spending a lot of funds to construct new railroads in the public interests. Yangon-Mandalay dual railroad is the facility the government has constructed with goodwill towards the people. So, it can be called goodwill railroad”.
Now, the dual railroad between Yangon and Mandalay has been built. I believe if peace road or the road of reciprocation can be built between the government and the people, between the government and anti-government elements, and between the government and remnant armed insurgent groups, there will be peace, development and democracy that we, people, aspire for in the near future.