Infrastructure boost! Indian Railways set to get modern ‘Make in India’ locomotives.
Indian Railways is all set to get a new set of diesel locomotives that will replace an ageing fleet of engines. One such set of locomotives is being made by GE Transportation under the Modi government's 'Make in India' initiative. Most of these locomotives will be manufactured at GE factory in Bihar. GE recently unveiled the first of the 1000 Evolution Series diesel locomotives that will be supplied to the Indian Railways.
We take a look at some interesting facts...
more... about the locomotives that will help in enhancing traffic movement on the Railway network.
According to GE, the 1,000 locomotives will be delivered to Indian Railways over the next 10 years at the rate of 100 locomotives a year. Initially, 40 of the twin-cab 1,676 mm gauge locomotives will be exported from the US.
GE Transportation will supply 700 locomotives of 4,500 HP and 300 of 6,000 HP. The project is part of a $2.6 billion contract that the Ministry of Railways had awarded in November 2015. The locomotives will start arriving in India at the end of this year GE has subjected them to rigorous testing.
Meanwhile, GE is building its locomotive factory in Marhowra, Bihar. This factory will be used to manufacture the rest of the locomotives from the third quarter of 2018.
GE claims that the new set of locomotives will "significantly modernise India's rail infrastructure". GE is also building maintenance sheds at Roza in UP and Gandhidham in Gujarat.
The 4,500 HP locomotive will have dual cabs. On the other hand, the 6,000 HP locomotive will be equipped with a single cab. The locomotives will have amenities such as air-conditioning. The locomotives will be able to attain a maximum speed of 100 km/hr.