New, Renovated Wagons Join Iran’s Rail Fleet

EghtesadOnline: A total of 56 domestically-made and renovated wagons worth 1.25 trillion rials ($7.81 million) joined Iran's rail fleet in a ceremony held on Wednesday.

News ID: ۷۴۹۹۴۰

30 April 2020

Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami attended the event, the news portal of the ministry reported.

"The new rolling stock included 50 cargo and two passenger wagons, two new and two renovated locomotives, all of which were manufactured during the first month of the current Iranian year [March 20-April 19],” Saeed Rasouli, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, said.

The official added that rolling stock production during the period registered a 143% rise compared with the similar period of last year.

Iranian rolling stock manufacturer, Wagon Pars, will be making 20 passenger wagons for RAJA Railway Transportation Company as part of a contract signed between the two companies in January.

“The manufacture of the wagons will begin in May,” CEO of Wagon Pars, Mohammad Reza Mokhtari, said.

"If we are duly provided with the financial resources, all 20 passenger wagons will be completed and delivered to RAJA by the end of the next Iranian year [March 20, 2022].”

He added that each passenger wagon manufactured by Wagon Parse is priced at 75 billion rials (€428,571), so the total value of the wagons to be constructed as part of the agreement will stand at €8.57 million.

Mokhtari noted that the company aims to construct 500 wagons by the yearend (March 20, 2021).

Mohammad Rajabi, CEO of RAJA Railway Transportation Company, said it’s not the first time RAJA has placed orders with Wagon Pars and contracts have been renewed in view of the high quality of their products.

Wagon Pars, launched in 1974 in the city of Arak in Markazi Province, is a subsidiary of the Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran and the largest manufacturer of freight, passenger and subway wagons in the Middle East.

RAJA was established in November 1996 as an affiliate of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways with the aim of improving the quality and scope of railroad passenger services. It was transferred to the Tourism Holding of Social Security Organization (better known by its Persian acronym HEGTA) in March 2010 as part of IRIR’s outstanding debt to the organization.