PATNA, June 6 -- The Marhowra plant of the Indian Railways in Chapra is set to dispatch four locomotives to Guinea, South Africa, as part of the international Simandou Project. The project, a significant iron ore mining initiative in Guinea, involves a railway corridor powered by Evolution Series diesel engines from Wabtec Corporation. Wabtec Corporation and Rio Tinto SimFer-a joint venture between the Government of Guinea, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH)-unveiled the first Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive for the TransGuineen Railway in May 2025. The ceremony was attended by delegations from the governments of Guinea, India, and the United States, along with executives from Rio Tinto SimFer, Indian Railways, and Wabtec. The locomotives are part of SimFer's 2024 order to support the rail operations for the Simandou high-grade iron ore project in southeastern Guinea. "This year itself, four engines produced at Marhaura will be dispatched using a special multi-layer trailer by road to Mundra Port, Gujarat," a senior official at Marhowra said. "From there, the state-of-the-art engines, equipped with toilet facilities, will be shipped to Guinea. As part of the agreement, 140 railway engines will be supplied by 2028, with the first four dispatched by the end of 2025." He noted that prior to this, an agreement with the Indian government facilitated the supply of 1,000 railway engines, out of which 700 have already been delivered. The existing engines, in orange and yellow colors, are of 4,500 HP and 6,000 HP capacity. The locomotives for Guinea, however, will be in blue and green colors, specifically tailored to their operational needs. This export order is the first and largest for heavy-haul locomotives assembled by the Wabtec plant in Marhowra. Wabtec's ES43ACi locomotive, with a 4,500 HP Evolution Series diesel engine, will accelerate Guinea's mining operations. The Simandou mountain range, containing world-class reserves of high-grade iron ore estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes by Rio Tinto, will be connected to the coast by a 600-km multi-use railway. Charles Zimmermann, Global Head of Projects for Rio Tinto, said, "This locomotive symbolizes a major step in our strategy to connect the Simandou project to the world, while creating opportunities for the people of Guinea. We are proud to see the first SimFer locomotive roll off the production line and begin its journey to Guinea. This locomotive and the entire TransGuineen Railway are critical for transporting the high-grade iron ore from the mine to the global market. We are grateful for Wabtec's contribution to this unique project." Mpilo Dlamini, Wabtec's Regional Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, added, "It is an honor to celebrate this milestone with our partners as we supply the advanced locomotives needed for the world's largest untapped high-grade iron mine. This reflects the efforts of a global team that designed and built a locomotive specifically for the Simandou project. These locomotives will efficiently transport critical minerals, support Guinea's economic development, and provide access to services across the infrastructure corridor, creating new employment opportunities, boosting local businesses, and enhancing regional connectivity, which is vital for sustainable growth and community progress."...