Rolling-stock demand across South Africa and the African continent is surging, with freight locomotives, particularly diesel-electric models, in high demand.

This is according to global rail equipment, systems, digital solutions and services provider Wabtec Corporation, which confirmed an increased need for functional and reliable locomotives to move cargo efficiently, especially as governments and rail operators aim to shift freight away from congested road networks and onto rail.

“Most train operating companies do not have enough locomotives to move available cargo and meet the needs of existing customers,” says Wabtec commercial director Tefo Mokaila, adding that this further exacerbates demand.

The increased interest in rail is driven not only by cost savings and safety advantages, but also environmental imperatives. Despite this, there has been only limited roll-out of modern low-emission locomotive technologies in Africa, largely owing to infrastructure challenges.

Wabtec notes that diesel-electric freight locomotives remain the technology of choice in most African territories, owing to their flexibility and proven reliability, especially in areas where rail infrastructure is old or inconsistent. These locomotives are often also used for long-distance passenger services, supplementing limited passenger fleets.

In South Africa, Mokaila says Wabtec has partnered with State-owned freight rail company Transnet to restore staged Class 43 and 44 diesel-electric locomotives, namely the C30ACi and ES40ACi series, originally built locally at Transnet Engineering’s facilities. The project aims to improve fleet availability by repairing and reintegrating previously idle locomotives and boosting access to maintenance spares.

Elsewhere on the continent, the company has supplied Evolution Series ES43 locomotives to major mining operations in Guinea, as part of greenfield infrastructure projects. In Egypt, the company recently delivered ES30ACi units, and in Cameroon, it has supported Camrail’s re-fleeting strategy by supplying C30ACi locomotives.

Wabtec’s long-term sustainability roadmap includes hybrid locomotives, battery-electric models and units powered by alternative fuels such as hydrogen, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and ethanol, adds Wabtec services product manager Chris Miller.

Mokaila says that while these advanced solutions have demonstrated promise for the rail industry, their adoption in Africa could be constrained: “Distribution networks for alternative fuels and axle-load limits on railway tracks often hinder the deployment of these modern technologies on the continent.”

Nonetheless, Wabtec is supporting local railways with interim solutions, such as locomotive modernisation programmes, upgrades to critical components, and fuel-saving technologies, such as Trip Optimizer and LOCOTROL Distributed Power, which can be integrated into existing fleets. According to Miller, Wabtec’s StartSaver capacitor upgrades and NextStart lithium-ion batteries, both of which improve starting performance and fuel efficiency, are easy to integrate with existing locomotives and provide immediate incremental savings.

Modular Design and Lightweight Engineering

Wabtec is also advancing the design of its locomotives through modularisation and smart material use.

The company’s modular platforms, such as the GoLINC mobile data centre, allow for greater flexibility, easier upgrades and lower total cost of ownership by acting as a central onboard hub that supports wireless connectivity, edge computing, and plug-and-play integration with other locomotive systems, making upgrades and diagnostics faster, simpler and more cost-effective.

Weight reduction is another critical consideration in African markets, where infrastructure limitations require bespoke design solutions. Mokaila says Wabtec uses high-strength materials and optimised component placement to reduce weight without compromising on safety or performance. The company also works closely with wagon builders to supply essential components that allow for tare-weight reduction.

The company has a strong presence in South Africa, Angola, Mozambique and Cameroon, providing maintenance, spare parts and technical advisory services to support the life cycle of locomotives and wagons. Its solutions include repair and return services, unit exchange programmes and major component overhauls.

It also offers upgrade kits for aging locomotives, including those used in Angola and Algeria.

In South Africa, it is prepared to support the modernisation of the widely used Class 33 and 34 Universal Series locomotives, including providing upgrades, such as electronic fuel injection engines and the BrightStar control system, which enhances fuel efficiency, improves traction control, and allows for real-time diagnostics to support more reliable operations and reduced maintenance costs.

“Through our strong local footprint and product portfolio, Wabtec is ready to support Africa’s rail revitalisation journey with tailored, sustainable and future-ready rolling stock solutions,” Mokaila concludes.