Rail Infrastructure

Extensive scope for remanufacture of locomotive components.

- Tasneem Bulbulia

Owing to substantial investment by government in imported railway locomotives in recent years, as well as its goal to prioritise localisation, heavy diesel engine and component remanufacturer Metric Automotive Engineering says there is extensive scope for the local remanufacture of locomotive engine components – specifically for diesel engines and diesel engine components.

“While an insufficient population of these engines in South Africa precludes the country from producing the new components locally, the country has the necessary engineering technology and skills to remanufacture them to original-equipment manufacturers’ (OEMs’) specifications,” says Metric Automotive Engineering operations director Andrew Yorke.

He notes that, previously, South African railway operators relied on international skills and capabilities to have these repairs done, but Metric Automotive Engineering is part of a number of local diesel engineering specialists offering remanufacture services to the rail industry. Yorke believes that rail operators should capitilise on this offering.

While Yorke commends the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) commitment to localisation, he expresses his consternation over government’s lack of clear plans to ensure local content in the remanufacture of locomotive engine component segments.