GUINEA: The first of the Evolution Series ES43ACi diesel locos ordered for the 600 km TransGuinéen Railway has been unveiled at Wabtec’s Marhowra factory in India.
The multi-user railway will run for more than 600 km from Port Moribana to Forécariah, Kassa, Nialinko and the Simandou region, enabling the exploitation of a high-grade iron ore deposit. It is being developed by the Compagnie du TransGuinéen joint venture of the national government (15%) and mining concessionaires Winning Consortium Simandou (42·5%) and Rio Tinto Simfer (42·5%). Costs and capacity will be shared equally between the two mining companies, which have each ordered Evolution Series ES43ACmi locos.
The first loco to be unveiled is for the Rio Tinto Simfer joint venture between the government, Rio Tinto and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings, which placed a US$277m order in July 2024.
The dual-cab locomotive has a 4 500 hp Evolution Series engine designed and manufactured in the USA to offer fuel efficiency and proven performance in high-temperature environments.
‘This locomotive symbolises a major step in our strategy to connect the Simandou project to the world, while bringing opportunities to the people of Guinea’, said Charles Zimmermann, Global Head of Projects for Rio Tinto, when the loco was rolled out on May 27. ‘This locomotive and the entire TransGuinéen Railway are critical for transporting the high-grade iron from the mine to the global market.’
