GE Transportation delivered five diesel locomotives to Nigeria that the country will use for passenger and freight service, GE said on Feb. 5.
The C25 locomotives are the first of 25 that the division of General Electric will deliver in 2010 to the Nigerian Railway Corp. , with the remaining 20 expected to be shipped in the second half of the year.
The six-axle locomotives were built by GE Transportation South America, GE Transportation's affiliate facility located in Brazil. The locomotives are powered by 12-cylinder, 2,500 horsepower engines. The locomotives were designed specifically to accommodate Nigeria's weight per axle and clearance characteristics.
"We are excited today with the arrival of the first locomotives as this represents an important step in GE Transportation's entry into the Nigerian market place," said Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE Transportation. "GE experts performed an extensive analysis on Nigeria's narrow-gauge railway network, haulage requirements and traffic patterns to determine the best-fit locomotive. We are honored to support the country's rail infrastructure growth and are looking forward to working with our Nigerian partners."
In May 2009, GE and Nigeria signed an agreement aimed at promoting greater collaboration between GE and Nigerian public and private sector organizations that are driving critical infrastructure projects across the country. Nigeria is looking to improve energy, water, rail, healthcare, security and aviation under its Vision 2020 economic blueprint.
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