Pakistan Railways receive first consignment of locomotives from China

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan Railways have confirmed having received first consignment of five locomotives out of 58 ordered with China. The five locomotives, each of 3000 horse power, were unloaded at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on April 7. 

These would be inducted into the system after initial tests and used for operation of freight trains, Divisional Railways officials informed PNFS on the occasion.  

Presently the Pakistan Railways has been operating, on an average, three to four freight trains on daily basis and their frequency is likely to increase with the induction of the new locomotives. 

The Karachi Railways Division operated 100 freight trains during the month of March, after a halt of freight operation for three years when it came to stand still due to non-availability of locomotives, resulting in a big revenue loss to the organization. 

Each freight train is today generating revenue of 2.5 to 3 million rupees and according to sources the Karachi Railways Division earned revenue of Rs 300 million during March 2014. 

“We have the demand and the capacity to carry freight with availability of wagons and arrival of new locomotives and their induction into the system will certainly provide a boost to the freight operation resulting in an increase in the frequency of freight trains, the Railway sources stated.