The Indian Railways’ factory in Dahod, Gujarat, has dispatched the first of a planned series of 9000 horsepower (HP) electric freight locomotives, developed in collaboration with Siemens. The rollout follows the award of a contract to Siemens for the design, engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance of 1,200 such locomotives. The locomotive was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The project involves component manufacturing at Siemens facilities in Nashik, Aurangabad, and Mumbai, with final assembly, testing, and commissioning conducted at the Dahod plant. The Dahod factory, completed in under two years, includes facilities such as a virtual reality-based safety training module, a locomotive simulator, and loco-shunters. According to Siemens, approximately 90% of the technologies used in the locomotives are sourced from within India.
Each 9000 HP locomotive has a maximum speed of 120 km/h and a haulage capacity of 5,800 tons. Siemens will be responsible for the maintenance of the locomotives for a period of 35 years. The locomotives include predictive maintenance features via Siemens’ Railigent X platform and are equipped with digital tracking systems and the Kavach safety system.
“The introduction of these advanced locomotives is crucial to realizing the Government of India’s aspiration to elevate railway’s share in freight movement from 27% to around 45%,” said Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Limited.
Key components of the locomotive include an integrated traction converter that maintains power through neutral sections to reduce maintenance, a traction motor designed to reduce weight while delivering high horsepower, and a steel tank transformer that reduces both cost and weight compared to aluminum tank alternatives. The bogies used in the locomotives are developed and assembled locally and are designed to minimize wear on wheels and rail infrastructure.
Siemens Limited is a technology company engaged in electrification, automation, and digitalization. In India, it operates across sectors including industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare, with manufacturing facilities located in various parts of the country.