The Federal Government on Thursday took delivery of two double-end drivers’ cabin standard gauge locomotive engines from the Peoples Republic of China.
The Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, who took delivery of the engines on behalf of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said that 10 more locomotives were expected to arrive the country by September.
The locomotives were discharged at ENL Terminal of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa.
He said that the two locomotives were part of 20 locomotive engines expected to arrive the country for the commencement of standard gauge rail operations in Nigeria.
“These two locomotives are specifically designed for passenger train movement.
“The locomotives have inbuilt power supply and this is unprecedented.
“It is designed for 150km per hour rail services and it is a double-end drivers’ cabin.
“What this means is that on both ends of the locomotive, there is a driver’s cabin. What we used to have is a locomotive with only one driver’s cabin on one side.
“10 locomotives that we ordered in April, the company manufacturing them has asked that we come for a factory acceptance test.
“With these two new additions, we intend to increase our return trips because the new locomotives would be running at a speed of 130km per hour, as against the 90km per hour we are currently doing.
“The locomotives will be put to use for the Nigerian standard gauge rail project, although for now, we are only doing the Kaduna-Abuja standard gauge rail,” Okhiria added.
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