Alstom launched the production of passenger electric locomotives Prima M4 “KZ4AT” in the EKZ joint venture in Nur-Sultan (Astana), Kazakhstan, with the first passenger locomotive scheduled to be completed at the end of 2019. The locomotive will be “certified as new and premiere product <Made in Kazakhstan>,” Guillaume Tritter, Alstom Managing Director for Kazakhstan said.
The locomotive production in Kazakhstan is part of the contract signed with KTZ for the supply and maintenance of 302 Prima T8 “KZ8A” and 119 Prima M4 “KZ4AT” electric locomotives.
Alstom plans to hire additional 35 people for the new production line.
The company is expanding manufacturing lines at EKZ including construction of Prima T8 freight locomotives “KZ8A” for Kazakhstan and “AZ8A” for export to Azerbaijan, production of on-board transformers and now starting the assembly of Prima M4 passenger locomotives.
Currently, 20 Prima M4 passenger locomotives are in commercial operation on country’s railway network and have ran more than 15 million km.
Alstom Prima locomotive is able to run at 200km/h in passenger services and has been designed to successfully operate in extreme weather conditions from -50C to +50C. The locomotive has a cutting-edge traction system based on Alstom’s technology and components produced by Alstom and Transmashholding, under the EKZ JV, with Alstom owning 75% and TMH, 25%.
EKZ JV employs more than 550 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ. Today, 50 freight locomotives and 20 passenger locomotives are already in commercial operation on Kazakhstan’s rail lines.
This multi-purpose locomotive is based on the Alstom Prima modular platform designed to provide operators with the most suitable solutions for passenger services.
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