Prototype GE ES43ACmi arrives in India
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
The first of 1,000 GE Transportation diesel-electric Evolution Series locomotives for Indian Railways (IR) arrived at India’s Mundra Port on Oct. 11. The ES43ACmi is the first locomotive running on IR that complies with UIC1, the international emissions standard established by the International Union of Railways (Union Internationale des Chemins de fer).
Designed at the John F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore, ES43ACmi 49002 is the first of 40 locomotives to be imported to India from the U.S. The remaining 960 will be built at GE’s Brilliant Factory, which is being constructed at Marhowra in Bihar and will open in 2018. GE notes that the Brilliant Factory “marries lean principles with additive manufacturing and software analytics for the most efficient production. The partnership will also provide technical training and employment opportunities for the local community in Bihar.”
The ES43ACmi, a dual-cab design equipped with a 4,500-hp prime-mover, is one of two locomotive models GE Transportation is building for IR. The second model, the ES57ACi, features a 6,000-hp power plant. It is currently in the design phase and will begin production later this year.
Development and manufacturing of the ES43ACmi resulted from a $2.5 billion agreement for 1,000 diesel-electric locomotives signed in 2015 as part of the Government of India’s Public Private Partnership program to modernize the country’s rail infrastructure. “This agreement remains one of the most promising infrastructure projects in the country and underscores the importance of the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative,” GE said.
“Our partnership with Indian Railways is a best-in-class bilateral example of how entities can work together to create jobs and drive economic development in a region,” said Vishal Wanchoo, President & CEO, GE South Asia. “Through this project, we’re creating a robust supply chain ecosystem in India, and will localize more than 70% of all content. We’re proud of the more than 6,000 jobs that have been created by GE in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and remain committed to our work in the country.”
“This milestone is a testament to our strong partnership with Indian Railways,” said Nalin Jain, President and CEO-International for GE Transportation. “Construction of our Brilliant Factory in Marhowra and maintenance shed in Roza are well under way, and we are delivering in line with the contractual timelines.”
