Overhauling the fleet
Etihad Rail will increase sixfold the size of its heavy freight trains to 45 heavy transport locomotives. Progress Rail, a subsidiary of Caterpillar, will handle the manufacturing and supply of the new EMD® SD70 electro-motive diesel locomotives.
“Our diesel-electric EMD SD70 locomotives meet the highest global standards,” commented Marty Haycraft, Progress Rail president and CEO. “Etihad Rail's new fleet is a great example of what our customers have come to expect from our advanced locomotives, which are designed to perform in extreme conditions.”
Concurrently, it has tripled its current fleet of wagons, with the new fleet aiming to house more than 1,000 multi-purpose wagons. China's CRRC Group will handle manufacturing and supply for the new fleet.
“CRRC is excited to be a partner in Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network, contributing to the growth of Etihad Rail, the UAE, and the region by supporting the development of the rail industry,” said Ben Quak, general manager of CRRC UAE, adding,”We are pleased to witness the successful delivery of the multi-function wagons, which will contribute to reducing carbon emissions and provide safe, sustainable, and efficient services.”
Projects of the 50
The fleet reached the UAE via Zayed and Al Musaffah Ports and will operate across the entire network as part of the UAE Railways Programme, itself part of the Projects of the 50, which is a series of national strategic projects across UAE for the next fifty years.
The UAE Railways Programme aims to provide a roadmap for cross-country transportation of goods and passengers, developing a sustainable land transport system that connects the cities of the UAE.
“The arrival of the new fleet of locomotives and wagons to the UAE on schedule reflects the level of the achievements that the Etihad Rail project is realising in the development of the UAE National Railway Network,” Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Executive Director of Rail Relations Sector at Etihad Rail said, adding, “The network will also contribute to the region’s economic growth upon its connection with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) network, which will consolidate the UAE’s position as a regional and global centre for shipping and logistics services.”
Handling the UAE Geography
Etihad Rail’s new fleet was designed specifically to withstand the geographic, climate conditions, high temperatures, and humidity levels in the GCC region.
Equipped with a pulse sand filtering system and incorporating the latest emissions-reduction technologies, each of the fleet’s new diesel-and-electricity-operated Electro-Motive Diesel EMD® SD70 locomotives provide 4,600 bhp. They are all equipped with advanced on-board technologies and systems like the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2.
“We made sure that the company’s new fleet is among the most modern in the region and the world, providing the highest safety criteria in terms of design, ensuring the best specifications for sustainability and environmental protection,” said Al Marzouqi, who added, “We also ensured that the fleet suits the local geography and climate in the UAE and the region and meets current and future needs of Etihad Rail’s clients, including industrial companies, shipping companies, building materials suppliers, quarriers.”
Annually, the fleet will increase the transport capacity of the UAE National Rail Network to more than 60 million tons of goods, whilst reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 70%-80%. Each locomotive can pull 100 wagons, which is equivalent to the capacity of 300 trucks. The volume of goods transported by these trains is equivalent to 5,600 daily truck trips.
Multi-function wagons
The wagons are equipped with the latest braking, signalling, control, communication, and safety systems. The variety of wagons will enable a higher flexibility and capability in transporting goods of various sizes, including petrochemicals, raw steel and its products, limestone, cement, building materials, industrial and household waste, aluminium, food, and assorted goods.
This helps reduce transportation costs by 30% and increase logistic efficiency. In addition, railway transport will reduce road congestion caused by trucks, which are currently the only viable shipping method.