Progress Rail supplying 16 locomotives for new railway

Progress Rail will supply 16 EMD SD70ACeLW locomotives to support operations on the Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait Railway project in Mongolia.

The nearly 250 km railway is expected to finish construction by 2022 and will be operated by Tavan Tolgoi Railway Co., owned by the Mongolian government.

Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, has entered into an agreement to supply 16 EMD SD70ACeLW locomotives to support operations on the Tavantolgoi-Gashuunsukhait Railway project. The EMD 710 Series engine is available in 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-cylinder configurations with continuous power ratings from 2000 to 5000 hp.

The new locomotives are designed to meet requirements of the 1520 mm gauge region and incorporate the latest industry technology, along with proven 16-cyclinder EMD 710 Series engines, rated at 4500 BHP. The engines are compliant with the International Union of Railways and EU Stage 3A emissions standards.

The purchase agreement is with Bodi International, an engineering, procurement and construction contractor.

“Our engineering and commercial teams consistently go above and beyond to meet the needs of our global customers, and this project serves as a prime example of that,” said Marty Haycraft, president and CEO of Progress Rail. “These locomotives will undergo rugged service and must be able to withstand harsh conditions. We welcome the opportunity to showcase the leading performance of our EMD engines in these new units for Bodi International.”

Progress Rail anticipates the locomotive deliveries to begin in 2022.