New Delhi: Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi, flagged off the first of the new D9 – 9000 HP electric locomotives at Indian Railways’ factory in Dahod, Gujarat. Following the award to Siemens Mobility for the design, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance of 1,200 9000 HP electric locomotives, Siemens’ factories in Nashik, Aurangabad and Mumbai have been manufacturing critical components of the project, with final assembly at the Indian Railways’ factory in Dahod. The state-of-the-art Dahod facility, constructed in record time of under two years, incorporates cutting-edge features including Virtual Reality-based safety training, a locomotive simulator and loco-shunters for efficient carriage movement.
“Prime Minister Modi’s visit marks a proud milestone in our journey to deliver 1,200 high-performance electric locomotives for India. After two years of intense planning, engineering, and international collaboration, we are now enterin`g full production mode – with our teams in Nashik, Aurangabad, Mumbai, and Dahod making this vision a reality,” said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility. “The D9 is a symbol of sustainable progress and will increase the share of freight transported by rail in one of the largest freight markets in the world. The locomotives have the potential to replace up to 800,000 trucks and save over 800 million tons of CO₂ emissions over its lifecycle. Together with Indian Rail, we are setting new standards in rail efficiency and environmental sustainability.”
Each of the 1,200 9000-horsepower locomotives has a maximum speed of 120 km/h. The locomotives, which have a haulage capacity of 5,800 tons, are designed to transport freight efficiently across India’s vast rail network.
Siemens will also perform the maintenance for the entire lifespan of 35 years for these locomotives. The locomotives are equipped with Siemens’ Railigent X platform for predictive maintenance, ensuring highest availability and performance. The advanced digital tracking systems, the Kavach safety system, and green propulsion technology, make these locomotives a beacon of modern rail transport.