[photopress:xin_0908020211415302831319.jpg,full,alignright]The world’s most powerful electric locomotive, with a traction ability of a 20,000 metric-ton train, is about to start work. It was produced in Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, by a joint venture between CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotives Works and Germany’s Siemens Transportation Systems. The engine power is 9,600 KW and it can reach speeds of 120 km/h.
Mainly it will be used for transporting coal along the 620-km stretch between the coal production base of Datong, Shanxi Province, and the east China port of Qinhuangdao.
This is but the beginnning. The joint venture is to produce 180 similar locomotives in a $917 million contract for the Chinese Ministry of Railways in 2004. The Zhuzhou plant has built 4,000 electric locomotives in all.
Source: Xinhua