One of the first 20 class 45D locomotives of a fleet of 232 ordered by Transnet
arrived in Durban last month. The order for 232 of these diesel locomotives
forms part of an over R12 bln contract between the China Railway Rolling Stock
Corporation (CRRC) and Transnet. The remaining 212 units will be assembled at
Transnet Rail Engineering’s workshop in Durban under the supervision of CRRC,
with the final loco scheduled to roll out in 2019.
The locomotives are at the heart of a R50-billion order for 1 064
locomotives, to be built by four manufacturers, and forms part of the some
R300 billion investment by Transnet to modernise the company’s freight rail
network and workforce skills by 2019.
