Locomotives to Further Serve as Backbone for Iron Ore Transport
Posted: 28 January 2010 | | No comments yet
Bombardier Transportation recently handed over the first of another four class BOMBARDIER IORE double-section heavy haul locomotives to MTAB.
Bombardier Transportation recently handed over the first of another four class BOMBARDIER IORE double-section heavy haul locomotives to MTAB.
Bombardier Transportation recently handed over the first of another four class BOMBARDIER IORE double-section heavy haul locomotives to MTAB (Malmtrafik iKiruna AB) at MTAB’s facilities in Kiruna, Sweden. MTAB is a subsidiary of LKAB (Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag), a Swedish mining company; and assures iron ore transport from Kiruna and Mamberget to the ports in Luleå and Narvik, Norway.
Bombardier IORE
This locomotive is part of the second batch of locomotives ordered by MTAB in September 2007 to haul iron ore trains in the north of Sweden and Norway. The first batch of nine double-section locomotives has been in successful operation for MTAB since 2000.
Klas Wahlberg, Chief Country Representative, Bombardier Sweden, commented, “This second order is the result of the locomotives’ high reliability and good performance as well as the efficient maintenance support Bombardier provides for the IORE locomotives which have successfully been in service for years at MTAB.”
“IORE locomotives are an important link in LKAB’s logistic chain to increase production. Bombardier is a competent partner and we are very pleased with the cooperation and the complete solution we have agreed to for the delivery of locomotives and maintenance”, said Göran Heikkilä, President MTAB.
The four additional IORE locomotives, engineered and produced by the Bombardier
Locomotives & Equipment Division, will enlarge the existing IORE fleet and allow MTAB to replace more locomotives of the aging Dm3 fleet. The second batch IORE locomotives include modernized technical features but are practically identical to the already delivered locomotives from a maintenance viewpoint.
These locomotives have proven their high reliability even under harsh subarctic climate conditions and their main characteristics remain impressive. Together with a new wagon type, MTAB presently has these locomotives in continuous operation with a standard load of 8’000t. Since 2006, Bombardier Transportation’s Service Division in Sweden supports MTAB with the maintenance and spare parts handling for the IORE fleet.
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