SLR to equip fleet with modern safety devices MONDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 2011 20:04 The entire fleet of trains of the Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) is to be equipped with modern safety  devices including Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to ensure the safety of passengers and crew and  minimise accidents, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said. He said 10 trains have already been installed with GPS in a pilot project and tests have been  carried out on the main line. The software components of the device include an alarm system that alerts the engine driver about  an approaching train on the same track, at a safe distance. It also gives an alarm signal to the  driver if he approaches a train stopped on the railway platform on the same track. Another new  facility will be the opportunity to exchange information between engine drivers over the phone  Minister Welgama said. The GPS system will enable the operators in the control room to know the exact location of a moving  train at any given time, its speed and the gap between two trains on the same track. With this  device an engine driver will have the facility to know the whereabouts of all trains within a 10km  radius. This would greatly help towards preventing accidents, the minister added. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)