Wabtec secures $405m Kazakhstan locomotive deal

S rail manufacturer Wabtec has finalised a $405m deal to supply Evolution Series ES44ACi locomotives to Kazakhstan’s national railway company, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

This agreement is said to be a major upgrade for KTZ’s aging fleet and set to meet the increasing rail transport demands in the region.

The Evolution Series locomotives feature a 12-cylinder, 4,500-horsepower engine, offering high horsepower with low life-cycle costs, thereby enhancing heavy-haul operations.

These locomotives are specifically engineered to withstand the harsh weather conditions and challenging mountainous terrain of Kazakhstan.

They are expected to run longer between maintenance overhauls compared to the older models currently in use by KTZ.

The manufacturing of the new locomotives will take place at Wabtec’s Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty facility in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.