Alstom has secured a WAG-12B locomotive maintenance contract in India through its joint venture with Indian Railways, Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited (MELPL).

WAG-12B locomotive maintenance contract | Alstom at Sabarmati
Photo: Alstom

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Under the agreement, MELPL will provide Sabarmati locomotive depot maintenance for WAG-12B electric freight locomotives at Indian Railways’ facility. Valued at €62 million, the 5-year maintenance service agreement runs until February 2031, as set out in an Alstom press release.

Awarded by Indian Railways, the Indian Railways WAG-12B maintenance contract covers maintenance for the remaining 300 electric locomotives still to be delivered from the original 800-unit order awarded to Alstom in 2015. The work is structured around strict availability and reliability targets, combining scheduled servicing with unscheduled interventions when required.

Don’t miss…NJ TRANSIT parking lot fees set to change on Jan. 15, 2026

Scope of the WAG-12B locomotive maintenance contract

The maintenance package spans day-to-day servicing as well as repair work outside the planned schedule. It includes material supply, locomotive washing, logistics, and remote diagnostics to support fleet performance over the contract term.

Olivier Loison, Managing Director of Alstom India, said the award reflects Indian Railways’ continued confidence in MELPL and Alstom. He noted that the partners have worked collaboratively with the rail organisation over the last decade in support of its freight revolution vision, pointing to Alstom’s maintenance capabilities and its availability and reliability track record.

FlexCare Perform and Prompt Response Teams (PRT)

The programme will be delivered under FlexCare Perform WAG-12B maintenance, covering the locomotives and essential depot infrastructure. In addition, Prompt Response Teams (PRT) support will be stationed at strategic locations with specialised tools and critical spares, so they can provide fast, efficient assistance and minimise downtime; Alstom describes the approach as part of its FlexCare Perform maintenance offering.

The contract also includes continued skills development. Alstom said that, to date, more than 22,000 Indian Railways staff have been trained through its programmes, and this work will continue under the new agreement.

Depots supporting the WAG-12B fleet in India

The Sabarmati activities complement existing operations at Alstom-supported depots in Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). These ultramodern facilities currently maintain the first 500 locomotives using the latest technologies to ensure high availability.

The Prima T8 WAG-12B electric locomotives were built under a landmark 2015 contract worth €3.5 billion awarded to Alstom to supply 800 fully electric, 12,000 HP, double-section locomotives capable of hauling around 6,000 tonnes. For background on the MELPL programme and the underlying 2015 fleet order, see Railway Supply’s overview of MELPL and the WAG-12B project.

Alstom described the fleet as a key element of India’s Green and Digital mobility transition, significantly reducing carbon emissions compared to diesel counterparts while increasing freight capacity.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…Union Pacific Norfolk Southern merger faces CN disclosure push

Find the latest news of the railway industry in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and the rest of the world on our page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, read Railway Supply magazine online.

Place your ads on webportal and in Railway Supply magazine. Detailed information is in Railway Supply media kit