Watch: Etihad Rail receives first batches of new locomotives, wagons

Watch: Etihad Rail receives first batches of new locomotives, wagons

The first batches of Etihad Rail’s new locomotives and wagons have landed in the UAE, the rail network operator said on Thursday. The shipment is part of the railway operator’s plan to increase its fleet of heavy freight locomotives by around six times to 45. The EMD SD70 electro-motive diesel locomotives are being manufactured by Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company in the US, while China’s CRRC Group is supplying the wagons. Etihad Rail is also expanding the size of its wagon fleet to over 1,000, three times the current fleet. “Upon completion and becoming fully operational, the network will contribute to revitalising and bolstering economic growth in the UAE, particularly during the next 50 years, by providing reliable and safe freight services with high efficiency,” said Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Executive Director of Rail Relations Sector at Etihad Rail. “The network will also contribute to the region’s economic growth upon its connection with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) network, which will consolidate the UAE’s position as a regional and global centre for shipping and logistics services. This achievement comes as part of the company’s preparations to operate the network according to the highest global standards in the future.” The cargo reached