Egypt receives 17 3rd-class dynamic-ventilation Transmashholding railcars

CAIRO – 15 November 2020: Egypt received earlier this week 17 third-class dynamic-ventilation Transmashholding railcars for the total of units delivered of that category rises to 138.

The delivery time of that batch got delayed as Egypt had requested a modification, which is installing windows that reduce sunlight.

It is noted that Egypt receives every month a batch of 35 railcars of various categories as part of a €1.02-billion deal to purchase 1,300 railcars.

The contract states that 650 railcars will be supplied from Hungary, 500 will be delivered by Russia, and 150 will be manufactured by Egypt under the supervision of Transmashholding. An Egyptian locomotive factory will be established as part of a plan to localize the locomotive industry in Egypt and transfer the know-how to workers, technicians, and engineers in the sector. The factory will produce 150 railcars and also provide maintenance services.
 

The contract consists of 500 third-class air-conditioned railcars, 180 second-class air-conditioned railcars, 90 first-class air-conditioned railcars, 500 third-class dynamic-ventilation railcars, and 30 air-conditioned cabooses.

The contract is funded by a soft loan billion granted by Hungarian Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and State Specialized Russian Export- Import Bank (Eximbank of Russia). The 1,300 railcars shall be delivered over batches within 40 months by the end of 2021 since the loan procedures were finalized in December 2019.

Investments in Egyptian railways between 2014, 2024 worth LE142B

CAIRO - 24 October 2020: Investments in the railway sector are projected to be LE142 billion over one decade between 2014 and 2024. Such investments are embodied in the purchase of new railcars and engines, the overhauling of existing ones, the modernization of signaling systems, and the renovation of certain stations.

In September, General Electric delivered to Egypt the last batch of 110 train engines as per a deal worth $602.05-million. The contract also consists of the rehabilitation of 81 others of the current fleet at Tebin Workshop in Cairo, and the supply of spare parts for 15 years, in addition to offering technical support.

The Ministry of Transportation revealed there is more to those engines as they are remote control locomotives that can be operated from towers designed for that purpose.

Deputy Chairman of the Egyptian Railway Authority (ERA) Sami Abdel Tawab told Al Watan newspaper in August that the new engines are mainly operated by the drivers and that the control tower serves to intervene in emergencies.