RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Electro-Motive Diesel has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Mohawarean Group to form a joint venture organization.
The joint venture plans a number of initiatives, including providing service training and technical support to the maintenance and operational personnel for the entire fleet of locomotives in the region. The joint venture will also rebuild and repower older locomotives.
Other highlights of the agreement include:
- Provide post delivery spare parts to insure high reliability and availability of locomotives.
- Provide complete maintenance support throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Make investments to enhance the skills of citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the transfer of repair technology.
- Develop the potential for performing certain production activities for new locomotives.
EMD also said it is producing 25 new high power SD70ACS diesel electric locomotives for the Saudi Railways Company (SAR). These units are specifically designated for use on the North – South line. They will carry minerals on over 1482km of newly constructed track, and are capable of dealing with some of the harshest desert environments including 300 km across the Nofud desert.
Delivery of the SD70ACS locomotives is scheduled to begin during the second quarter of 2010.
“We are proud of our long history of providing high quality locomotive products and services to the Kingdom since 1957. We realize that the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and EMD is a key factor to our overall success in the Middle East region, and we foresee an even stronger relationship as we move into the future,” John Hamilton, president and CEO of EMD, said in a news release.
