MARHOWRA, India — Wabtec Corp. and Rio Tinto SimFer on Monday (May 26) unveiled the first locomotive in an order for TransGuinéen Railway, part of an order to serve Africa’s Simandou iron ore project.
The Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive is part of a $277 million order placed in 2024 by SimFer, a joint venture of the government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holding. It also represents the first and largest export order of heavy-haul locomotives from Wabtec’s plant in Mahrowra. The dual-cab locomotive is equipped with a 4,500-hp Evolution Series diesel engine designed and manufactured in the United States.
The Simandou project, in the southeast of Guinea, is Africa’s largest mining and infrastructure development project, seeking to tap into a reserve of high-grade iron ore estimated at 1.5 billion metric tons. That infrastructure includes construction of 600 kilometers (373 miles) of rail line, as well as development of a port.
“This locomotive symbolizes a major step in our strategy to connect the Simandou project to the world, while bringing opportunities to the people of Guinea,” Charles Zimmermann, global head of projects for Rio Tinto, said in a press release. “We are proud to see the first SimFer locomotive roll off the production line and begin to make its way towards Guinea. This locomotive and the entire TransGuinéen Railway are critical for transporting the high-grade iron from the mine to the global market. We are grateful for Wabtec’s contribution and the role it is playing in this unique project.”
Said Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec’s regional vice president of Sub-Saharan Africa, “This unveiling is a tribute to a global team that designed and built a locomotive specifically tailored for the Simandou project. These locomotives will efficiently facilitate the export of the mine’s critical minerals, while contributing to economic development in Guinea and providing access to services across the infrastructure corridor.”
Once again, it would have been nice if the article mentioned the track gauge of a foreign country, like they did NOT do in the last Brazilian locomotive order article
Interestingly, as it turns out, the African country of Guinea is standard gauge 4′ 8 1/2″ / 1435mm, interesting in a continent known for mainly odd track gauges. Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt appear to be the only other standard gauge railroads on the African continent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transguinean_Railways
http://chartsbin.com/view/38573
Does this unit have any pollution control equipment especially DEF or is it just a straight diesel? If straight would like a comparison of its SFC per HP.