Wabtec Corporation, a manufacturer of railroad equipment, has unveiled the first Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive to Rio Tinto SimFer for use in the TransGuinéen Railway. The locomotive was assembled at Wabtec’s facility in Marhowrah, Bihar, India, and features a 4,500-horsepower Evolution Series diesel engine manufactured in the United States.

According to the company, this marks the first export order of heavy-haul locomotives produced at the Indian plant. The locomotive is part of a 2024 order intended to support rail operations at the Simandou high-grade iron ore project in southeastern Guinea. The Simandou project includes a 600-kilometre multi-use railway linking the mine to a coastal port in the Forécariah prefecture.

SimFer is a joint venture involving the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH). The Simandou mine is estimated by Rio Tinto to contain approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of high-grade iron ore.

“The locomotive and the entire TransGuinéen Railway are critical for transporting the high-grade iron from the mine to the global market. We are proud to see the first SimFer locomotive roll off the production line and begin to make its way towards Guinea. We are grateful for Wabtec’s contribution and the role it is playing in this unique project,” said Charles Zimmermann, Global Head of Projects for Rio Tinto.

“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,” said Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec’s Regional Vice President of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Rio Tinto’s senior leadership team visited the Marhowrah facility last month to review progress on the locomotive order. Sandeep Selot, Managing Director & Vice President, South Asia & South East Asia, Wabtec Corporation, described the visit as a reflection of the ongoing partnership and an opportunity to demonstrate progress on the execution of the export order. The company noted that the team’s input on the scale and impact of the project was valuable for driving manufacturing standards.

A ceremony marking the handover was attended by representatives from the Governments of Guinea, India, and the United States, along with officials from Rio Tinto SimFer, Indian Railways, and Wabtec. The locomotive bears the blue and turquoise livery of La Compagnie de TransGuinéen, which will operate the railway.

Wabtec Corporation supplies equipment, systems, digital solutions, and services for the freight and transit rail sectors, as well as for the mining, marine, and industrial markets. The company operates globally and has a history of over 150 years in the rail industry.