DAMMAM: The Saudi Railway Organization (SRO) added two new train engines to its fleet last week.
The two engines are the first consignment of eight trains to be imported from the United States.
“The two new engines started operating last week after conducting successful trial runs,” SRO Public Relations Director Muhammad Abu Zaid said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.
Two additional engines on consignment have arrived at the King Abdul Aziz Airport in Dammam.
“They are currently undergoing customs formalities. They will be serving in the goods service section,” Abu Zaid said.
The remaining four engines were expected to arrive in the Kingdom in the next few weeks, he added.
He said the newly received engines were being added to the freight service because of its increasing demand for the movement of containers from Dammam’s seaport to Riyadh’s dry dock.
Zaid said the SRO signed contracts with US and Chinese companies to supply 34 train engines of varying capacities: 10 engines with 3,500 hp, delivery expected in March 2013, followed by six engines with 2,000 hp arriving in November the same year.
SRO adds two US-made train engines to its fleet
