Company сontrolled by Russian citizens to build new locomotive plant in Kazakhstan

The first locomotive is expected to be released from the plant in 2026 / Photo: Shutterstock, photo editor: Arthur Aleskerov

A new locomotive assembly factory worth $97.9 million is set to be built in Atbasar, according to the Akmola region’s administration.

The project is being implemented by the Kamkor Locomotive private enterprise in conjunction with regional authorities. According to data available on eGov.kz, the founder of Kamkor Locomotive is Kazakhstan Transport Technologies LLC, controlled by Vector of Technological Solutions LLC and Diskus Company, both registered in Russia. Vector of Technological Solutions LLC, based in Moscow, is managed by Alexei Lebedev. Diskus Company, located in Novosibirsk, is managed by Alexei Dzhulai.

A feasibility study for the plant is expected to be prepared this year, with construction works planned for 2025 and the first locomotive launch anticipated at the end of 2026.

The factory is expected to have a capacity of 360 locomotives per year and 800 employees are expected to be engaged in the construction and operation of the plant.

«We will assemble diesel- and electric-powered locomotives. We are going to switch to liquefied gas as the main fuel to meet environmental regulations in the future. The construction site has been chosen in the vicinity of the Atbasar railway station near the existing plant. This choice is logistically justified: it is located close to the local transportation hub and the country’s center,» Altay Jumatayev, head of Kamkor Locomotive, explained.

Earlier this year, Kazakhstan expanded the geography of its locomotive exports, according to the Ministry of Industry. Along with old customers (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan), the company has started exporting to Mongolia. It bought four electro-diesel locomotives for $4 million each.

There are currently two locomotive producers in Kazakhstan: Electric Locomotive Kurastyru Zauyty and Locomotive Kurastyru Zauyty. Their annual capacity is 100 machines. Locomotive Kurastyru Zauyty is fully controlled by American Wabtec. This happened when Wabtec acquired a 50% stake from its former partner Russian Transmashholding earlier this year after the latter company was hit with U.S. sanctions in September 2023. The second plant, Electric Locomotive Kurastyru Zauyty, is owned by ALSTOM Netherlands B.V.