Angola’s railway infrastructure is about to get a whole lot bigger after the country’s government signed a US$350 million deal with GE Transportation for 100 new and eight upgraded locomotives.

Angola’s economic growth has been hindered by its lack of infrastructure as well as having just three rail lines with around 30 locomotives, of which the oldest has been running for more than 30 years.

The Angolan government, however, aims to change this by establishing a regional transportation hub for freight and mining commodities. Initially, the locomotives will haul both passengers and general freight while routing through Angola, potentially cutting 40% to 50% of the cost of local transportation.

According to a GE Africa report, the upgraded locomotives will include digital control systems to extend the lifespan of the trains by a decade, while the new locomotives will be the first of their kind in the country to use GE’s AC propulsion technology – enabling the trains to maintain high speeds regardless of conditions.

16 May 2017
Image: Gallo/Getty Images