Siemens in Australia and New Zealand has been awarded a A$170 million contract by Queensland Rail (QR) to supply 25 Class 3800 heavy haul electric locomotives.
The contract comes as an extension to an existing order placed last year for 20 new locomotives. It is also in addition to the contract with QR to upgrade 63 Class 3700 locomotives.
The additional 25 Class 3800 heavy haul electric locomotives will be delivered over a period of 12 months commencing at the end of 2009.
The upgraded Class 3700 locomotives have commenced revenue operation in Queensland, delivering improved productivity with more coal being hauled by fewer locomotives.
The first 20 locomotives already on order are now under construction in Siemens main locomotive factory in Munich and are due to be delivered and placed into service in Queensland during 2008.
Siemens Transportation Systems Executive General Manager, Paul Bennett, says the new locomotives will expand QR’s locomotive fleet in the Goonyella Coal Systems and provide increased haulage capacity.
“The new, state of the art Siemens Class 3800 electric locomotives will provide improved performance to the upgraded Class 3700 locomotives, allowing QR to increase the payload of each train, improve cycle times and lower operating costs,” he says.
All locomotives are equipped with Siemens locomotive ac traction technology, which has been proven in Queensland to exhibit high reliability in harsh operating conditions.
“Siemens is pleased to have again been entrusted to deliver this prestigious project and we are delighted to be continuing our valued relationship with QR,“ Bennett says.
The Siemens locomotive factory in Munich is the centre of competence for construction and produces approximately 150 electric and diesel locomotives per year.