KiwiRail has unveiled the first two of its new DM class locomotives in Christchurch today which will gradually replace the current DX fleet, which is on average nearly 50 years old.
In total, 66 of the DM class locomotives have been ordered from Stadler in Spain.
After testing and commissioning at the Middleton depot, the South Island will receive 47 of the new locomotives, while the remaining 19 will be used in the North Island.
KiwiRail said the order will be fulfilled in batches until late 2026.
KiwiRail chief executive Peter Reidy said the new DM class locomotives have been purchased with government funding from previous Budgets to replace KiwiRail’s aging locomotives and wagons.
“These modern machines will be a huge benefit, especially for our customers in the South Island where most of the new locomotive fleet will be based. The new locos will gradually replace our DX fleet, which on average is 48-years old and is expensive to maintain.
“As the new machines enter service, it will mean greater reliability for our freight customers, which is crucial for growing rail.
“Rail is already a lower emissions transport mode, producing 70% fewer emissions per tonne carried compared with heavy road freight.
“The DMs are built to the leading European emissions standards and are fuel efficient, with potential to further reduce emissions from our South Island fleet by 20 – 25%. This matters to our customers and to KiwiRail, and will help New Zealand towards its climate change targets.
“For KiwiRail, the new locos will significantly improve efficiency. Not only do they have a cab at each end, reducing some of the need to run two locos on freight trains, they also have modern traction control, to better utilise the more powerful high speed engine.
“Being more powerful, the DM’s will be able to pull larger trains, which will help future proof us for the freight growth expected over the long term.”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown came to see the first two units this morning.
He said: “This investment really highlights the need for KiwiRail to now focused on actually maximising the benefits of this investment, working with its customers to move more freight off our roads and onto rail.”
Brown said the last new locomotives in the South Island were at least 47 years ago – and said KiwiRail in recent years had seen a reduction in freight volumes, which he would want to see increased with the new fleet.
“The South Island of course [has] a significant amount of freight volume from coal to dairy products, moving it to port, so there’s a really important role there.”
