Recent deals and tenders in the track machine market.
Switzerland — The narrow-gauge Rhaetian Railway (RhB) has ordered 8 multi-purpose MPV VentuS track maintenance vehicles from German Windhoff at a cost of CHF 57 mln (€61 mln). Each four-axle machine with a traction power at the wheel rim of 500 kW has a crane with attachments and can be optionally fitted with a snow blower or an excavator. The MPV is powered by two diesel generators with a traction battery planned to be installed in the future. The launch of the vehicles is scheduled for 2029.
India — BEML and the Indian division of Loram (USA) have signed a contract for the assembly of 15 rail grinding trains. The contract is valued at INR 1.57 bln (USD 17.4 mln, or USD 1.16 mln per vehicle). BEML acts as a subcontractor in grinding machinery manufacture, which has been localised since 2023 under the national programme Make in India. The two-car trainsets for grinding of rail switches will be deployed by Loram Rail Maintenance India for providing maintenance service of India’s railway infrastructure.
Rail grinding train Loram. Source: BEML
Egypt — MerMec will supply its diagnostic trains for Egyptian high-speed railways. The Italian manufacturer has secured a contract with a consortium between local companies Orascom and Arab Contractors and German Siemens Mobility. The consortium is building the first HSR network in Egypt, designed for a speed of 250 km/h and spanning 2,000 km. The cost of the contract and the size of the batch are not disclosed.
AGMu track machine for the Tashkent Metro. Source: TMCP
Uzbekistan — Tikhoretsk Machine Construction Plant, TMCP, has produced four AGMu track machines for Tashkent Metro. The customer has already received the fleet, and the first vehicle is prepared for transportation. In recent years, TMCP has also been delivering the MPT-6 motor locomotives to the Kazakh national operator Kazakhstan Temir Zholy.
Vulcano LGT 20M rail grinding train for the Metro de Medellín. Source: SRT
Colombia — The Vulcano LGT 20M rail grinding train, produced by SRT for the Metro de Medellín, has completed acceptance tests. The vehicle was tested at the manufacturer’s site in Fano in the presence of specialists of the city operator Metro de Medellín. Meanwhile, there are no further details on the contract with the Columbian customer.
