KAZAKHSTAN Railways (KTZ) has signed a contract worth $US 4.2bn with Wabtec for the supply of 300 TE33AT six-axle diesel locomotives. The deal also includes a 15-year service agreement for the new locomotives as well as KTZ’s existing fleets and is described as the largest single locomotive order in the history of Wabtec.
Manufacturing of the locomotives will take place at Wabtec’s Kurastyru Zauyty plant in Astana, Kazakhstan, and KTZ says the new fleet will reduce its overall locomotive fleet depreciation rate from around 49% to 32% by 2030.
Wabtec says the new locomotives are design to operate in Kazakhstan’s demanding climatic conditions as well as its mountainous terrain. The next generation of Evolution Series locomotives on which the TE33AT is based will also offer improved fuel efficiency and operate for longer periods between maintenance overhauls, it says.
The latest order follows the signing of a contract worth $US 405m for the supply of 70 Evolution Series ES44ACi diesel locomotives in October 2024. Wabtec has already supplied more than 450 locomotives to KTZ under a relationship that dates back to the mid-2000s.
“Kazakhstan plays a key role in realising the transit potential of the Eurasian continent," says Talgat Aldybergenov, KTZ CEO. “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.”
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