PAKISTAN’S Minister of Railways Ghous Bux Maher visited Risalpur Locomotive Factory on June 11 to attend the roll-out of the first diesel locomotive assembled at the plant under a technology transfer agreement signed with China’s Dalian Locomotive Works in 2001.
Pakistan Railways ordered 44 locomotives of 3500hp and 25 locomotives of 2500hp from China at a cost of Rs9·5bn, partly funded by a Rs5·4bn loan from Exim Bank of China.
An initial batch of 15 fully assembled CKD9 locomotives was supplied from China. These were followed last November by eight of the 3500hp locomotives, which were supplied in knock-down form for assembly in Pakistan with the assistance of 20 Chinese engineers. Following June’s roll-out of the first locomotive to be completed, the next seven will be assembled by September. All 69 locomotives are to be completed by June 2007.
Managing Director of Risalpur Locomotive Factory Anwar Saleem told guests at the roll-out ceremony that the factory is seeking ISO certification to help it win export orders for locomotive components.
