Global transport major Wabtec to begin export of 140 diesel locos from its Bihar unit

Global transportation solutions major, Wabtec Corporation, a leading provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value - added services for the freight and transit rail industries

globally, will soon begin exports of locomotives manufactured in its Bihar unit to the Republic of Guinea (Africa).

The unit will export 140 Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive for TransGuinéen Railway, manufactured in the Marhowra facility in Bihar, in a deal valued at about half a billion dollars.

Wabtec Corporation and Rio Tinto SimFer, a joint venture among the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH), unveiled the first locomotive for TransGuinéen Railway

on May 26 at the facility. It is part of SimFer’s 2024 locomotive order to support the rail operations for the Simandou high-grade iron ore project, located in the Southeast of Guinea and is

Africa’s largest mining and infrastructure development project.

“It is an honor to celebrate this milestone with our partners as we supply the advanced locomotives needed to meet the demands of the world’s largest untapped high-grade iron mine,” said

Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec’s Regional Vice President of Sub-Saharan Africa.

“These locomotives will efficiently facilitate the export of the mine’s critical minerals, while contributing to economic development in Guinea and providing access to services across the

infrastructure corridor,” Dlamini added.  

On the choice of Wabtec’s locos, Charles Zimmermann, Global Head of Projects for Rio Tinto said we always look for a couple of things. “Competitive pricing is the key and we rely on

competent contractors for our projects world-wide. This locomotive and the entire TransGuinéen Railway are critical for transporting the high-grade iron from the mine to the global market.

We are grateful for Wabtec’s contribution and the role it is playing in this unique project, said Zimmermann.

“The Simandou mountain range subsoils contain world-class ore reserves of high-grade iron ore, estimated by Rio Tinto at around 1.5 billion tonnes. The project includes the development of a

600-km multi-use railway connecting the mine to the port located on the coast of the Forécariah prefecture in Guinea,” Wabtec said in a release.  

“A total of 140 locomotives will be supplied. The first locomotive will be exported in June and the entire order will be delivered by the end of FY27,” said Sujatha Narayan, senior vice

president and region leader (India), Wabtec Corporation.

The company is supplying high-power fuel-efficient diesel engines to the Indian railways too. Wabtec Corp inked a pact with the Indian government for supply of one thousand diesel

locomotives in 2015.

Indian Railways ordered 1000 fuel efficient locomotives (4500 HP and 6000 HP) in November 2015, spread over eleven years. As part of the project, Wabtec has built a diesel locomotive factory

in the Marhowra district in India’s state of Bihar, as well as maintenance sheds at Roza in Uttar Pradesh and Gandhidham in Gujarat. The Indian Railways has an equity investment of ₹100

crore in the joint venture, while Wabtec’s equity component is ₹300 crore.

As of now the JV has supplied 700 locomotive units to the Indian Railways. being asked about the future of the factory once the contractual supply to the Indian railways is over, Narayan

said, the future of the factory is bright. We intend to run it like we have done so far. We are looking at exports, we are looking at component manufacturing, etc,” said Narayan.

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