SAUDI ARABIA: Stadler has awarded Rolls-Royce a contract to supply 50 MTU Series 4000 diesel engines for use on 200 km/h inter-city trainsets it is to build for Saudi Arabia Railways’ Dammam – Riyadh route.
In 2024 SAR awarded Stadler contracts worth SFr600m to supply and maintain 10 trainsets for use on the East line, with options for 10 more. The trainsets will be 175 m long with a capacity of about 320 passengers. Each set will have two diesel-electric power cars, with each power car having two 12V 4000 R64 MTU engines with an output of 1 500 kW and meeting European Stage V emission standards. The remaining 10 engines are for reserve power cars and for swapping during maintenance.
There is an option for Stadler to order a further 40 engines if SAR orders the additional trains.#
Rolls-Royce said more than 70 12V 4000 engines have been in use on trains operated by Saudi Arabia Railways since 2012. ‘They ensure smooth operation despite extreme ambient conditions with temperatures above 50°C and the influence of desert dust’, said Christopher Weckbecker, Director Global Rail at Rolls-Royce, on August 21. ‘This order supports our strategy by expanding further into regional growth markets, enlarging Rolls-Royce’s global foot-print in rail applications.’
‘MTU propulsion technology from Rolls-Royce is a central component in this project’, said Tobias Arnold, Commercial Project Lead at Stadler. ‘It not only enables high speeds, but also meets the highest standards of environmental compatibility, energy efficiency and operational safety.’
