Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has 'flagged off' the first of the 1,200 Siemens Mobility D9-9000 HP electric locomotives manufactured at the Indian Railways factory in Dahod, Gujarat.
According to an Indian Express report, the D9 is the “second most powerful” locomotive of the Indian Railways following the 12,000 horsepower WAG-12B.
In January 2023, Siemens Mobility was awarded a €3bn ($3.40bn) order from Indian Railways for 1,200 electric freight locomotives.
The contract included the design, engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance of a total of 1,200 locomotives of this type.
Key components for the project are produced at Siemens’ facilities in Nashik, Aurangabad, and Mumbai, with the final assembly taking place in Dahod.
The Dahod factory, which Siemens Mobility boasted was built in less than two years, features a virtual reality-based safety training, a locomotive simulator, and loco-shunters to enhance operational efficiency.
The project entailed an investment of Rs6.45bn ($75.5m) for building the manufacturing workshop and an estimated Rs207.6bn ($2.43bn) for producing the 1,200 high-horsepower electric freight locomotives over the next 11 years, resulting in a total project cost of Rs214.05bn ($2.50bn).
The locomotives can reach speeds of up to 120km/h with a haulage capacity of 5,800t.
Siemens Mobility will oversee maintenance for the locomotives over the operational lifespan of 35 years.
The locomotives are integrated with Siemens’ Railigent X platform, which facilitates predictive maintenance, ensuring optimal performance and availability.
Additionally, these are equipped with advanced digital tracking systems, the Kavach safety system, and environmentally friendly propulsion technology.
Siemens Mobility CEO Michael Peter said: “Prime Minister Modi’s visit marks a proud milestone in our journey to deliver 1,200 high-performance electric locomotives for India.
“After two years of intense planning, engineering, and international collaboration, we are now entering full production mode - with our teams in Nashik, Aurangabad, Mumbai, and Dahod making this vision a reality.”
Recently, Siemens established a long-term framework for rail infrastructure and maintenance with Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), continuing its century-long presence in Ireland.
