KAZAKHSTAN: National railway KTZ has awarded Wabtec contracts worth US$4·2bn to supply 300 TE33AT Evolution Series freight locomotives and provide long-term support for new and existing locos.
Wabtec said the ‘landmark’ multi-year deal signed on September 22, during a working visit of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the USA, was the largest locomotive agreement in the company’s history. KTZ said it was the largest transaction the history of Kazakhstan’s locomotive industry and would strengthen the country’s role as a strategic player in the Eurasian transport technology market.
TE33AT Evolution Series
The 1520 mm gauge diesel locomotives will be manufactured at Wabtec’s wholly-owned Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty factory in Astana, which has produced more than 600 locomotives for KTZ and export customers since 2009 and has reached a localisation level of 45%.
Intended to support KTZ’s ongoing expansion and fleet renewal plans, the locomotives will be designed to suit the country’s diverse and demanding weather conditions and terrain. They are expected to offer improved fuel efficiency and longer maintenance intervals compared to previous Evolution Series locomotives operating in Kazakhstan.
The 15-year service agreements covering the maintenance of new and existing locomotives aims to ensure high reliability and optimised operating costs, while guaranteeing stable jobs in the service centres at Sekseul, Ayagoz, Makat, Aktobe, Astana, Shalkar and Almaty.
A delegation from KTZ visited the Wabtec engine factory in Grove City, Pennsylvania, to discuss deepening co-operation in technology transfer, personnel training and technical support. KTZ said that following the meeting Wabtec confirmed plans to launch the production of diesel engines in Astana during 2026.
Unlocking the region’s potential
‘For over two decades, our partnership with KTZ has been critical in transforming Kazakhstan’s rail industry’, said Wabtec President & CEO Rafael Santana. ‘This historic agreement embodies KTZ’s visionary approach for the country’s rail network as the primary link between Europe and Asia. By delivering advanced locomotives and long-term service solutions, Wabtec is a proud partner in Kazakhstan’s progress, helping to unlock the region’s enormous potential and developing the engineering competencies in the country’s railway industry.’
Commenting on the deal on X (formerly Twitter), US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said ‘while our rail industry faces unfair attacks from the nonsensical rush toward electric-only policies, this deal delivers strong support for one of our most significant industries. This $4bn deal is more than just a huge success story. It’s about American innovation leading the world, supporting thousands of jobs in Texas and Pennsylvania, and strengthening the US-Kazakhstan partnership. These locomotives will power connectivity across Europe and Asia, linking the Middle Corridor with American technology at its core.’
KTZ CEO Talgat Aldybergenov said ‘Kazakhstan plays a key role in realising the transit potential of the Eurasian continent. This new agreement confirms our commitment to advanced technologies in the transport sector and will also make a significant contribution to the development of industry and railway engineering in Kazakhstan.’
