CEAR gets two more locomotives to boost Malawi operations

Central East African Railways (CEAR) continues to making strides in quest to better its services of serving the country’s railway sector with acquisition of two more locomotives which will help the company haul more cargo.

CEAR Public Relations Manager, Chisomo Mwamadi said in an interview the two new locomotives were part of the six new steam engines the company procured from Transnet Engineering of South Africa.

“Two of the locomotives arrived in the country in April and over the weekend another set of 2 arrived in the country. This is an existing development for us as a company in our efforts to better our operations as they will help us haul more cargo than before,” he said.

Mwamadi said the locomotives also give CEAR a chance to increase the frequency of its passenger trains on some routes.

The coming in of the two locomotives brings CEAR’s fleet to 12. The 2000 horse power locomotives have a higher hauling capacity and are a great addition to the existing 1500 horse power fleet that the company already have.

“The impact is that it will help us as a company to serve Malawi transport industry better in passenger coaches and cargo trains. The locomotives are powerful and we can haul more cargo for our customers,” added Mwamadi.

Early this year CEAR  indicated that it purchased five new locomotives as one way of making its operations effective. However the company has announced that it will be getting the last set of locomotives which will add the number of new locomotives to six.

The statement further said old locomotives will be sent to Transnet Engineering for refurbishments to increase their horse power.