Wabtec has reached an agreement, valued at approximately $405 million, with Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) to supply Evolutions Series ES44ACi locomotives. The introduction of this new fleet will facilitate the modernization of KTZ’s existing locomotives and address the growing demand for rail transportation in the region..
“KTZ serves as a critical link for the transportation of freight between China and the West. These Evolution Series locomotives will provide the efficiency, reliability, and operational savings to effectively support the growing demand on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route,” commented Gokhan Bayhan, Wabtec’s Regional Senior Vice President, Operations for CIS, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
The newly developed locomotives will be constructed at Wabtec’s Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty facility, located in Astana. The locomotive is equipped with a 12-cylinder, 4,500-horsepower Evolution Series engine, which offers a high horsepower and low life-cycle costs, thereby enhancing performance in heavy-haul operations. The locomotive has been designed to operate in the challenging extreme weather conditions and mountainous terrain of Kazakhstan. It is capable of performing for extended periods without requiring maintenance, exceeding the lifespan expectancy of the existing KTZ fleet.
Wabtec is scheduled to begin delivery of the first units from the order in the following year, with the new additions joining the existing fleet of approximately 451 Evolution Series freight locomotives operated by KTZ.