Chinese locomotives reach Thailand, to replace GE
January 5, 2015, 5:40 am

China also recently agreed to build a medium- speed rail system for Thailand as part of a joint effort to promote land traffic throughout the Southeast Asian region [Xinhua]

China’s CSR locomotives will replace the General Electric locomotives which have hauled Thai cargo trains since 1995. Thailand has never used any other locomotive since.

Officials of the State Railway of Thailand on Monday said two China-made locomotives, shipped from southwest China to Laem Chabang port in Chonburi province, were the first consignment of a fleet of 20 locomotives, the rest of which will be gradually shipped to the Thai railway firm.

CNR and CSR Corp are China’s largest locomotive makers.

The locomotives shipped to Thailand, manufactured by China’s CSR Corp, were designed for cargo trains with an axle load of 20 tons and a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

China has built over 12,000 kilometers of track at home in less than a decade.

Compared to the relatively modern CSR locomotives, the old GE locomotives have an axle load of 14 tons and a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has led the drive to promote China’s rail technology in countries like Thailand, Britain, Russia and India.

China also recently agreed to build a medium- speed rail system for Thailand as part of a joint effort to promote land traffic throughout the Southeast Asian region.

The Chinese medium-speed rail project is designed to run from Yunnan province in southern China to northeastern Thailand via northern Laos.

The medium-speed train will not only carry passengers but also transport cargo to Thailand which is joining an ASEAN Economic Community, scheduled to open later this year.

Thailand aims to become center of the AEC bloc in the coming years with rail systems and road traffic linking the Southeast Asian country with its neighbor states including Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos.

TBP and Agencies