ISLE OF MAN: Motive Power & Equipment Solutions has produced a remanufactured diesel-electric locomotive which will be used on works trains and as a back-up for the steam locos which haul tourist services on the 914 mm gauge Isle of Man Railway.
Ordered at a cost of £0·4m, the 42·5 tonne twin-cab MP550-B1 loco is powered by a 550 hp Cummins QSX15 Tier 3 engine with three-phase alternator and four 250 hp DC traction motors.
The ability to run at 40 km/h rather than the 13 km/h of the diesel loco it will replace could allow the operation of commuter services during the TT motorcycle racing event.
