The first freight train carrying the required equipment for developing a joint railway entered Afghanistan on May 8 with MAPNA-developed MAP24 locomotive powering the train.
The train entered Rozanak station in the country while carrying 655 tons of railway equipment and facilities for developing
Khaf-Herat railway project.
Seyed Morteza Ali Ahmadi, the CEO of MAPNA Multimodal Transportation Company (MMT), hoped that the completion of this railway line and its connection to the Afghan railway network would boost trade exchanges between the two states.
The MAP24 locomotive is one of the most important products of MAPNA’s railway sector, which was designed and produced by Iranian engineers. This locomotive is the first freight locomotive that is fully designed and supplied by an Iranian company, and its supply chain is based on the plans of an Iranian company. Having 3,300 horsepower, the MAP24 locomotive competes with a range of locomotives produced by other renowned brands. Meanwhile, its maintenance and repair are done locally, which saves a lot of money compared to importing parts from foreign suppliers.
One of the features that sets this device apart from similar ones is the vast space dedicated to the driver’s cabin, which allows staff to have an improved experience.
Khaf-Herat railway
The Khaf-Herat railway project is a cross-border railway that connects Iran and Afghanistan, linking the city of Khaf in eastern Iran to the city of Herat in western Afghanistan.
The project consists of four sections, two of which are in Iran and two in Afghanistan. The first section of the railway was inaugurated in December 2020 and connected Khaf to the town of Rozanak in Afghanistan. The remaining sections are still under construction and have faced delays due to the conflict and political instability in Afghanistan. The project is managed by the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran (RAI) and the Afghanistan Railway Authority (ARA). The total length of the railway is 225km, with 78km in Iran and 147km in Afghanistan. The railway has a standard gauge of 1,435mm and can accommodate freight and passenger trains with speeds up to 160km/h.