The first diesel locomotive of GE Transportation, which the company has to deliver to the Indian Railways, arrived at the Mundra port. It was shipped from the US on August 15.

This locomotive will first be tested by the Railways. The joint venture company (between GE and the Indian Railways) was originally planned to import to India up to 100 diesel locomotives to supply to the Indian Railways.

However, the company has decided to import 40 and manufacture 60 locomotives here in India. This is a shift from the original plan to manufacture 50 locomotives here in the next fiscal. As per the contract, the 100 locomotives will have to be supplied to the Railways in 2018-19.

The first locomotive is required to be handed over to the Indian Railways in February 2018. This is as per the contract. The factory, which is a joint venture between the Railways and GE, will procure some of the equipment from local vendors.

“We have already placed orders with Indian suppliers,” said a source from GE. GE Transportation rolled out Indian Railways’ first Evolution Series locomotive from the paint stall, revealing the railroad's new paint scheme. Indian Railways’ class - locomotive, painted in a distinctive red and yellow pattern, is the first of 1,000 diesel freight locomotives that GE Transportation will deliver to Indian Railways as part of a $2.5-billion order.

“The first locomotive being imported is a dual-cab locomotive with a 4,500-horsepower engine. The second locomotive, features a 6,000-horsepower engine. It is currently in the design phase and will begin production later this year,” GE stated in a release earlier.

The locomotive donned its new coat of paint following nearly two months of test and validation. The Indian Railways’ new colour scheme was completed using approximately 50 gallons of paint.

The coating and paint will provide the locomotive protection in the harsh operating environments of the Indian Railways.

At a time when railways is increasingly getting electrified, sources say that there are plans to increase the number of electric locomotives being produced in the manufacturing units of Indian Railways.

While the numbers are not yet final, there are plans to increase the electric locomotives that are being manufactured in the production units of Indian Railways.

Meanwhile, the company and the Railways are also evaluating various options as the Indian Railways looks to increase its electrified network.

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