US locomotive major EMD to set up R&D shop at Lucknow

US-based locomotive giant Electro Motive Diesel, currently collaborating with Indian Railways in manufacturing high horse power diesel locomotives, will soon make operational a full-fledged R&D office in India to support technology upgradation of locos.

"The EMD office will be inaugurated in Lucknow soon to support Indian Railway's technology upgradation in diesel locomotives," EMD president and CEO John Hamilton told PTI.

EMD design locomotives are currently being manufactured at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi.

"EMD and DLW have been actively working together to constantly upgrade and improve on the technology with the introduction of new and higher horse power diesel locomotives," Hamilton said.

EMD with an annual turnover of $1.8 billion is supplying diesel locos to over 75 countries.

He said "IR has decided to ramp up production at DLW to 200-250 4500 HP locomotives in a year".

EMD is the only company in the world specialising in diesel locomotives over a period of 87 years. It is the second largest manufacturer of diesel locomotive.

"Regular training is being provided at Varanasi, Hubli and other railway sheds by EMD personnel from USA and Canada. Additionally, IR officials are taken to tour plants at LaGrange in US and London, Ontario in Canada for training and familiarisation with EMD locomotives," he said when asked about providing training facility to the Indian Railways.

EMD has enhanced its service support network in India to support Indian Railways locomotive maintenance facilities by placing service support personnel at five locations including Siliguri, Ahmedabad, Hubli and Delhi to support the growing fleet at multiple locations across India.

"EMD will continue to strengthen maintenance support infrastructure in India," he said.

Asked whether Indian industry has gained because of technology transfer on high power locos, he said: "Indian industry has learnt and absorbed new technologies and processes".

"There are about 6,000 individual parts in a locomotive which really can be built in India due to the indigenisation of parts and components."

Currently up to 20 per cent drafting and engineering work and up to 60 per cent of the information technology services, provided by EMD's strategic information solutions is being performed by Indian companies with resources both in India and USA.