PITTSBURGH — Wabtec today announced its largest-ever locomotive agreement, a $4.2 billion deal to deliver Evolution Series locomotives and provide long-term service support to the national railway of Kazakhstan.
The new locomotives, part of National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’s (KTZ) expansion and fleet renewal, are designed to operate in the demanding weather conditions and mountainous terrain of Kazakhstan, Wabtec said.
The next generation of Evolution Series locomotives will improve fuel efficiency and operate for longer periods between maintenance overhauls, the company said. The order also includes maintenance services agreements to support the new locomotives and KTZ’s existing railroad fleet.
“For over two decades, our partnership with KTZ has been critical in transforming Kazakhstan’s rail industry,” Wabtec CEO Rafael Santana said in a statement. “This historic agreement embodies KTZ’s visionary approach for the country’s rail network as the primary link between Europe and Asia. By delivering advanced locomotives and long-term service solutions, Wabtec is a proud partner in Kazakhstan’s progress, helping to unlock the region’s enormous potential and developing the engineering competencies in the country’s railway industry.”
KTZ CEO Talgat Aldybergenov said the nation plays a key role in realizing the railroad potential of Eurasia. “This new agreement confirms our commitment to advanced technologies in the transport sector and will also make a significant contribution to the development of industry and railway engineering in Kazakhstan,” he said in a statement.
II believe Kazakhstan is part of the China to Europe route that’s being pieced together to avoid Russia?
Hello James Shoemaker, I’ve been following the Trans-Asia RR Silk Road possibilities with great interest. Apparently, there are scheduled international freight trains now, that connect standard 4′ 8 1/2″ / 1435mm gauge China to standard gauge Europe, but via transloading due to break-of-gauge with Russian compliant broad gauge RRs, as you implied.
I’ve been viewing various Asian (RR) maps with great interest and it appears the shortest possible future, all standard gauge “Silk Route” possibility could rely greatly on (northern) Afghanistan that could connect directly to standard gauge China on the east through the narrow Wokhan Corridor, and west to and through standard gauge Iran and subsequently Turkey and the rest of standard gauge Europe, thus avoiding Russia et al with it’s 5′ / 1520 mm broad gauge.
Afghanistan has recently legislated and mandated the future construction of standard gauge RRs, that do not currently exist here, but with an exception of a brief connection with Iran. This all sounds interesting for a possible all standard gauge Silk Route RR from China to EU.
I should add, according to various maps, that Khazakhstan would have many geographical international, former Soviet “stans”, Russian gauge country hurdles, (including eastern Ukraine), to overcome for a continuous China to EU standard gauge RR, but not impossible, as that could tap more potential international trade markets.
How many locomotives? Where will they be built? Over what period of time?