NEW Zealand railway KiwiRail has signed an agreement with Stadler for the supply of 57 diesel mainline locomotives worth around €228m. The order, part of a wider framework agreement, is the first in New Zealand for the Swiss manufacturer.

The Co-Co monocoque 1067mm-gauge locomotives will be manufacture at Stadler’s facility in Valencia, Spain, and will be customised to meet KiwiRail’s requirements and specific operational schemes. The locomotives will be introduced for freight and passenger rail operation predominately on the South Island network, which features challenging track topography, between early 2024 and 2026. KiwiRail says the procurement process “attracted the world’s top four locomotive builders.”

The locomotives will be compliant with the latest European Stage V emission standards, resulting in a 25% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions and a 30% reduction in particulate emission as well optimised combustion, lowering fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.