In a significant stride, Wabtec Corporation has expanded its locomotive service capabilities in India with the commencement of operations at the Gooty Maintenance Shed in Andhra Pradesh. This new facility is poised to enhance the efficiency and reliability of locomotive maintenance, providing state-of-the-art services and support for the region’s rail network.
More Details:
Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) and Indian Railways celebrated the start of locomotive service operations at the Gooty Maintenance Shed in Andhra Pradesh, India. The shed expands Wabtec’s locomotive service capabilities in the southern part of the country and marks a new service model in India by leveraging existing Indian Railways infrastructure and staff.
Background:
- The company is contracted to maintain an Indian Railways fleet of up to 250 Wabtec locomotives from Gooty, for the next three years.
- Wabtec will support Evolution Series locomotives from series 501 to 750 (4500 HP and 6000 HP) providing regular maintenance, supervision, material and warehouse management, shed control, logistics, and remote diagnostics.
- The fleet will be deployed for critical freight operations of commodities like coal, cement, food grains, fertilisers, iron ore, and containers along the South Central Railway, Central Railways and East Coastal Railways.
Experts Insights:
Mr. Sandeep Selot, Managing Director and Vice President, Wabtec Freight Business, said “The Gooty Maintenance Shed represents a critical milestone in our partnership with Indian Railways and a commitment to excellence, delivering high availability, reliability, and setting new quality standards for locomotive service operations in India.” It will complement our existing locomotive maintenance operations in Roza in the north and Gandhidham in the western part of the country.
Mr. Rajneesh Sah, Senior Director, Freight Services, Wabtec, said “The Gooty shed represents a unique partnership where Indian Railways provides the infrastructure and manpower, while Wabtec leads the technical supervision to ensure the fleet meets the key performance metrics including availability, reliability and fuel efficiency.” We are focused on implementing maintenance practices that drive faster turnaround for the locomotive fleet.
Wabtec is one of the largest rail equipment manufacturers in India, having supplied more than 600 locomotives to Indian Railways and with an installed base of subsystems in over 18,000 LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) coaches and locomotives. The company currently employs 3,000 people in India.
Conclusion:
The collaboration between Wabtec Corporation and Indian Railways at the Gooty Maintenance Shed strengthens service capabilities in southern India. This initiative enhances locomotive reliability and operational efficiency, ensuring efficient transportation of essential commodities on critical freight routes.
Source: Wabtec – Press Release | Image Credit: Wabtec
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