Transnet celebrates 200th modern locomotive produced in fleet renewal programme
Transnet has reached a significant milestone in its modernisation programme with the two-hundredth Traxx 23E locomotive having rolled off the assembly line at Transnet Engineering’s project site in Durban, together with partner company Alstom.
The development is regarded as pivotal to South Africa’s industrial and economic recovery.
The locomotive forms part of 240 units that Transnet produced as part of a fleet renewal programme, with the Traxx 23E trains being a cornerstone to the modernisation of Transnet’s freight rail fleet.
Transnet group CE Michelle Phillips says modernising the State-owned utility’s fleet has been a critical component to lowering the cost of doing business, enhancing freight capacity and enabling economic growth.
“The [two-hundredth locomotive] achievement demonstrates the engineering excellence and expertise within Transnet, its resilient recovery from major setbacks and its unwavering commitment to driving transformation in the logistics sector, through local manufacturing,” she states.
Following a 2023 settlement agreement with project partner Alstom, which acquired original contractor Bombardier, Transnet Engineering initiated an aggressive ramp-up of fleet modernisation.
By implementing a 24/5 shift pattern, and stabilising the material supply chain, the project achieved its best-ever performance in 2024, delivering 43 locomotives in a single year. It is now firmly on track to complete the delivery of the remaining 40 locomotives by June 2026.
“As Transnet Engineering positions itself to become a leading original-equipment manufacturer for the continent, the two-hundredth Traxx 23E locomotive stands as proof of its capability, resilience, and central role in moving South Africa forward,” Phillips concludes.
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