SimFer, a joint venture between the Guinean government, mining company Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH), has awarded Wabtec a contract for the supply of Evolution Series ES43ACmi diesel freight locomotives valued at $277 million, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Wabtec to Supply Innovative Locomotives
Photo: flickr.com/photos/railboy_ayush/

The exact number of locomotives in the contract has not been specified.

The ES43ACmi locomotives are equipped with a twin-cab diesel-electric engine featuring a 12-cylinder Evolution series engine with a power output of 3.36 MW. They are capable of speeds up to 100 km/h.

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These locomotives are intended for the Trans-Guinean Railway, a 670 km line being constructed for iron ore transport.

The line is expected to handle up to 120 million tons of iron ore annually.

It will connect the largest undeveloped iron ore deposit in the Simandou Mountains with a deep-water port under construction in Moribaya.

By July 2024, Wabtec had produced 501 ES43ACmi locomotives.

These locomotives are in operation in India, where they have successfully passed performance and fuel efficiency tests under high-temperature conditions.

Under a contract with Indian Railways, Wabtec is set to deliver 700 such locomotives.

Locomotive production is localized in India at the joint venture between Indian Railways and General Electric in Marhowra, Bihar.

Thus, Wabtec’s ES43ACmi locomotives continue to prove their reliability and efficiency in various operating conditions, including high temperatures and heavy loads.

This contract with SimFer highlights the increasing demand for these locomotives in the international market.

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