Indian Railways starts operations of heavy-haul freight locomotives made by Siemens
By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, May 30: In a significant milestone in India’s rail freight modernization journey, commercial operations of 9000 horsepower (HP) electric freight locomotives has been commenced.
The D9 electric locomotives, manufactured by Siemens Limited company and designed for heavy-haul operations, represent one of the most powerful freight locomotives deployed in the world with speeds of up to 120 kmph.
The locomotives entered commercial operations within 36 months from the contract date, one of the fastest deliveries for a project of this scale in the Indian rail sector, according to railway officials.
The project is being executed under a long-term availability-based lifecycle partnership model, covering the design, manufacturing, commissioning, and 35 years of full-service maintenance.
Locomotives are being manufactured at the Indian Railways’ factory in Dahod, Gujarat, while maintenance will be undertaken at depots in Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur, and Pune, supporting sustained performance and high fleet availability.
Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Limited, said, “The successful handover of the electric locomotives sets a new benchmark in rail modernization, enabled by a pioneering partnership and a robust lifecycle business model.”
Approximately 90 per cent of the locomotive technologies are made in India, reinforcing Indian Railways’ and Siemens’ shared commitment to ‘Make in India’ and the development of a strong domestic rail manufacturing ecosystem.
The project has also contributed to capability building across Indian suppliers, manufacturing facilities, and skilled talent.
The 9,000 HP electric locomotives are equipped with advanced digital systems, including Railigent X, Siemens’ intelligent rail asset management platform, enabling predictive maintenance and data-driven performance optimization.
The locomotives integrate advanced safety and monitoring technologies and are engineered for energy-efficient, high-reliability freight operations across the Indian Railways network.
Over their lifecycle, the locomotives are expected to contribute significantly to sustainability outcomes supporting India’s broader climate and logistics efficiency goals.
