It is reported that the Ministry of Railways has placed three orders for a total of 280 high speed train sets and 400 freight locomotives. KnorrBremse is to supply subsystems worth EUR 500 million for one of the high speed contracts in the company largest ever order.

China Northern signed a CNY 40•8 billion contract on September 28th to supply 1408 car 350 kilometres per hours CRH3 train sets. The manufacturer said this brings the total order for the Siemens Velaro-derived trains to 400 sets. They are to be built at CNR Changchun and Tangshan plants with Knorr-Bremse supplying braking, door and air-conditioning systems in 2009 to 2012.

China South has received a CNY 45 billion order for a further 140 high speed trains based on the Japanese E2-1000 design. These 350 kilometres per hour sets will be built by Nanche Sifang in Qingdao under licence from Kawasaki Heavy Industries and will incorporate components from Japanese firms.

The Ministry of Railways has also placed an order for an additional 400 HXD3 freight locomotives, to be delivered by CNR Dalian, Datong and Beijing February 7th plants within 8 months of the contract signing on October 22nd. CNR said this is the third contract for the 7•2 MW Co-Co design bringing the total ordered to 1 040.

Since 2004 the Ministry of Railways has placed orders with CNR for a total of 2 200 electric locomotives of various models, giving the supplier a 67% share of the domestic locomotive market.

(Sourced from www.railwaygazette.com)