ASTANA (Temir Zholy press service) — The Ukrainian Railways plans to buy Kazakh made locomotive engines, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (Kazakhstan’s Railways) press service reports.

TE33A

Diesel-electric, GEVO 12-cylinder, with a maximum speed of 120 km/h (160 for planned passenger version).

The Ukrainian delegation visited the locomotive engines assembly plant and electric locomotives assembly plant. A technical presentation of ТE33A and ТEP33A diesel units and KZ8A and KZ4A electric locomotives was held there. Moreover, the delegation familiarized with skilled staff training processes at one of the affiliates of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company.

The TE33A (ТЭ33А) is a type of diesel locomotive developed by GE Transportation Systems for 1520 mm gauge railways. It is part of the GE Evolution Series family, designated ES44ACi by GE. Following the delivery of an initial 10 locomotives from GE’s plant at Erie, Pennsylvania in the USA, TE33A locomotives are being assembled from kits by the JSC Lokomotiv subsidiary of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy at a new factory in Astana which was inaugurated in 2009. The locomotives are among the first diesel-electric locomotives with AC traction motors to operate in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

In May 2013 cement and construction materials supplier JSC Ivano-Frankivsk ordered a single TE33A locomotive. It was delivered in October 2013.[13] In February 2018, state-owned operator Ukrainian Railways ordered 30 TE33A locomotives for delivery from the United States within two years and componants to assemble up to 195 more locomotives in Ukraine during the following decade.

The Ukrainian Railways plans to get the first batch of diesel locomotives by the year-end under the initial phase of the framework agreement concluded with General Electric Company. The Ukrainian reps are also interested in the country’s experience in construction and exploitation of GE diesel locomotives. Kazakhstan railways authorities noted that they are ready for long-term cooperation with partner countries and exchanging practice.