Contracts and deals in the locomotive markets.
Türkiye — Stadler will supply 35 six-axle EURO4001 diesel locomotives to Türkiye. The contract with national operator TCDD also covers maintenance for three years. No official price has been disclosed, but Spanish and Turkish media report a figure of €270 mln. The locomotives will be built at the firm’s Valencia plant in Spain. These locomotives have previously been delivered to various European countries and Uruguay. It is also worth noting that Turkish firm Türasaş is currently developing its own range of six-axle locomotives with broadly comparable specifications.
SD70ACe-BB diesel locomotive for VLI. Source: Lucas MR/Trainspo
Brazil — Progress Rail has completed delivery of eight narrow-gauge diesel locomotives to Brazilian operator VLI. The eight-axle 3,240 kW SD70ACe-BB locomotives, ordered in 2024, were manufactured at the company’s Sete Lagoas plant. They cost VLI $38 mln, or $4.7 mln per unit. The operator has also signed a $96 mln 10-year maintenance contract with Progress Rail for previously supplied locomotives. VLI is also working with another US manufacturer, Wabtec, on ES43BBi locomotives with similar characteristics. According to Brazilian newspaper Valor, one of the nine locomotives ordered in 2023 has so far been delivered.
Uganda — National operator URC has revived its tender for 10 diesel locomotives. The government has secured a $298 mln loan from the African Development Bank as part of the Kampala–Malaaba narrow-gauge line upgrade. South Korean manufacturer Sung Shin RST and Chinese firm CRRC remain in the running. There are also bids from two Chinese firms with no locomotive manufacturing experience.
CKD8C4R diesel locomotive for SNCС. Source: SNCC
Democratic Republic of the Congo — CRRC has shipped five narrow-gauge CKD8C4R diesel locomotives to the country. The rolling stock was ordered in 2024 by national operator SNCC. CRRC previously delivered a batch of six CKD8C4 locomotives in 2023. In recent years, CRRC has supplied diesel locomotives to neighbouring Sudan and Gabon, as well as diesel multiple-units to Angola.
