Turkey seeks to save over $4B with electric locomotives

ANKARA

Turkey aims to save more than $4 billion with its first locally made electric locomotive, Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Minister Ahmet Arslan said Tuesday.

The project to design and produce the country's "most powerful railroad vehicle" E-5000 was launched on Oct. 1, Arslan told Anadolu Agency.

"The locomotive will have a modern AC drive system and power," the minister said, adding its speed was set to reach 160 (99.4 miles) per hour.

Arslan said that they expect to save more than $4 billion within 30 years considering the purchase, maintenance and repair costs of 500 locomotives planned to be purchased by Turkish State Railways (TCDD) by 2023.

The project is planned to be completed within four years. TCDD has placed an initial order for 20 electric locomotives.

Reporting by Arife Yildiz Unal; Writing by Can Erozden