it ky ina , ▁the ▁three ▁companies ▁were ▁combined ▁into ▁the ▁Bur ma ▁Railway ▁Company ▁as ▁a ▁state ▁owned ▁public ▁undert aking . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁the ▁railway ▁was ▁renamed ▁Bur ma ▁Rail ways ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁ren aming ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁it ▁became ▁My an ma ▁Rail ways . ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁invasion ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁caused ▁considerable ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁rail ▁network . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁country ▁had ▁ ▁( route - km ) ▁of ▁met re ▁gauge ▁track , ▁but ▁the ▁Japanese ▁removed ▁about ▁ ▁and , ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁only ▁ ▁( route - km ) ▁was ▁oper ational ▁in ▁four ▁isolated ▁sections . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁were ▁also ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Th ailand ▁- ▁Bur ma ▁Railway , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Death ▁Railway , ▁using ▁the ▁labour ▁of ▁Al lied ▁prisoners ▁of ▁war , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁attempt . ▁The ▁" De ath ▁Railway " ▁link ▁with ▁Th ailand ▁fell ▁into ▁dis use ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁and ▁the ▁section ▁of ▁this ▁line ▁in ▁Bur ma ▁was ▁perman ently ▁closed . ▁ ▁Att empt s ▁at ▁re building ▁the ▁network ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁following ▁Bur m ese ▁independence . ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁the ▁network ▁extended ▁to ▁, ▁and ▁then ▁remained ▁constant ▁until ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁a ▁ ▁line ▁from ▁Ky