South Africa’s railway infrastructure construction and management and the freight transport are largely under the charge of the country’s largest state-owned company Transnet, which owns over 2,100 electric locomotives and 1,400 diesel locomotives. However, most are too old; up to 55% of electric locomotives have served for over 35 years in average. Product renewal and upgrading results in a huge potential for market demand.

CSR Zhuzhou has attached great importance to the African market 10 years ago, keeping an close eye on the investment plan for South African railway renewal and expansion, and addressing itself to the overcoming of technical difficulties such as the narrow gauge bogie and 3kV DC/25kV AC hybrid power supply. To win the bid, CSR Zhuzhou has set up a crack project team as early as the preparation for the bidding. After almost one year of hard work and careful planning, the team gained overwhelming advantages in localization rate, delivery date and cost efficiency, beating 8 famous rivals home and abroad at the project. 

According to CSR Zhuzhou experts, the project’s locomotives are four-axle AC drive electric locomotives for freight transport, and run at a power of 3,100 kW and a maximum speed of 100 km per hour. It will use the 1,067mm meter-track bogie and the 3kVDC/25kVAC 50Hz double-current system for power supply.

CSR Zhuzhou is scheduled to export electric locomotive manufacturing technology to South Africa. The electric locomotive project that CSR Zhuzhou won will be localized over 60% in South Africa. The first electric locomotive is expected to be delivered for use by the end of 2013. 

According to Xu Zongxiang, general manager and executive director of CSR Zhuzhou, the company will use the introduction of electric locomotive into the South African market as a chance to carry out extensive cooperation with local enterprises on electric locomotive, motor train unit and fitting parts.