The management of crises-ridden Pakistan Railways seems less interested to pay even due heed to department liquidity crisis along with other issues including failing of locomotives, shortage of diesel, corruption in high-ranks, incompetent skilled workers, dull and lackluster labourers and last but not the least dishonest and deceitful contractors. It is to be noted that out of 550 PR locomotives, only 136 are fit to drag mail or express trains, rest are exhausted before 100 km run in a stretch. The amazing fact is that any locomotive either manufactured by Japan, America, China or Korea as soon as reach Pakistan needs overhauling within a shortest time or develops immense faults. PR Prem Union SVP Sheikh Mohammad Anwar revealed that recently PR complained General Electric company of US that its fleet of 30 locomotives, commissioned between 1998-2002, have developed over 13 problems that need to be addressed immediately. The company haphazardly sent a delegation of engineers who thoroughly scrutinised all GE locomotives and submitted a report that is, in fact, an eye-opener not only for high-ups of PR but also for common people. He said that a preliminary investigation was done after visiting Lahore shed and CDL workshop. Unfortunately American engineers could not see many parts to analyse in CDL shop. However, whatever data was available or was provided by PR, these engineers noted the following stunning observations: (1) Two engines 6011 and 6025 met the failure of the bearing in an engine assembled from the factory. (2) All other failures happened, once the locomotives went to back shop of PR for overhaul. (3) At least there were three failures where engineers found that engines were running with a lube oil pressure on the lower side and couple of them with higher side. Later on, PR declared them as invalid data and typo error. (4) The upper and lower con rods were being mixed up from different supplier; one of them has not been approved by GE. (5) The con rods bearing were not being replaced in the shape of sets. New and old are mixed up. (6) There is serious flaw in even installation of the bearing. The old bearing being removed from the cap was not being returned to same cap. Even if it was done, the record did not support it. (7) Lube oil filters were not changed regularly. Engineers saw some instances where the engine oil was changed but the filter was not replaced, rather it was reused. Locally manufactured filters were being used after warranty period. (8) Air filters were also being reused by just blowing with air. (9) Piston rings were hardly replaced during overhaul or if it was replaced, figures did not match with the number of overhauls done by PR. (10) Same was the story for other parts of the power assembly which had direct link with this mode of failure like con rod bearings, pistons and cylinder assembly. (11) The engine rebuilding record was maintained in scattered manner and was not really organised to get information in one file for one engine. (12) The con rod upper bearings were shown excessive wear in all positions. (13) The failures were scattered and all over places. (14) A list of con rods, where the distortions found, were provided to engineers that showed the difference in average life. (15) Con rod sizes were found good when the first overhaul was done in 2004. (16) Engineers reported that they are still checking same batch engines globally but never found any issue with the con rod bearings. Sheikh Anwar said that American engineers analysed the faults as: (1) 6011 was investigated at that time of failure. It failed due to heating and was an isolated case. 6025 was failed due to rubber bonded coupling failure. It is always best practice to change the upper and lower bearings in a set. (3) Mixing of bearings from different suppliers is against rules. Bearings from unapproved suppliers are not recommended at all. Con rod needs to be qualified during major overhaul and if bore distorted, it needs machining to new specification. Frequent con rod distortion could be the result of the blow by or firing pressure issue or improper seating of bearings due to improper torquing. If bearing does not seat properly, it would result poor heat transfer. Sheikh Anwar claimed that few PR officials confessed that this is primarily the result of incompetency and rampant corruption. Non-availability of spares due to lack of funds is quoted as the chief problem. But this is another hard fact that purchases in Mechanical Department are supplier-driven. Only those items are being purchased which, in fact, suppliers want to sell Railways with the benign help of relevant Railways officers. In this way, not only Railways funds are being plundered but also money needed for the repair of locomotives remain 'not available, he added. He said that once Railways administration tried to enter in a maintenance contract with the manufacturing companies to get rid of such corrupt practises and save from the damages of incompetency. Unfortunately, the powerful 'mafias in Railways made it sure to fail this effort and maintenance contract could not be matured as Railways has no system of accountability. Traction motors failed within months after installation but no one was ever held responsible for that blunder. The corrupt officials have, as usual, buried this report too and real culprits are still scot-free enjoying the life while PR has been ruined. Sheikh Mohammad Anwar along his accomplices Secretary General Khair Mohammad and Deputy Secretary General Saghir Ahmad Cheema claimed that department neither has sufficient proper locomotives nor diesel to run them. On the other hand Pakistan Railways payable amount to PSO has risen up to Rs936 million and department has no cash to pay salaries to its labour class even, he added. Lahore Locomotive Drivers Union President MM Din while commenting on the issue on phone confessed that there was no doubt that crack shafts of over 18 GE locomotives have been broken on the back of using contaminated fuel. He further said that due to improper maintenance of locomotives, drivers lives were already at risk as they never know when a running locomotive develops a fault and stops in the mid of a jungle along with over 2000 passengers. He said that mechanical department is not paying heeds towards their jobs of overhauling locomotives at international standard. Contrary to this, AGM Behzad while absolutely denying the report said that PR never ask GE management to send engineers in Pakistan to check their locomotives. Conversely, he said the GE management conveyed PR that their engineers would charge $1,500 per person per day and as PR hadnt cash and its engineers were well-equipped with modern technology and could remove each and every fault of all locomotives, so they never allow American engineers to visit Pakistan. The pity is that in a bid to keep hide all irregularities being conducted in the department, most of PR high-ups like AGM Behzad do not want to talk on rotten issues with open minds and want to keep govt and public in dark rather to take steps to discuss on issues and concerns that are making Pakistan Railways a worthless department. syed_tahir@hotmail.com