Summary：The first of 10 new passenger locomotives for Azerbaijan was unveiled at Alstom’s Belfort factory in France today

The first of 10 new passenger locomotives for Azerbaijan was unveiled at Alstom’s Belfort factory in France today.

Designated the Prima M4 (AZ4A), the new design is based on Alstom’s popular Prima modular platform, designed for use in both passenger and freight applications.

Capable of running at up to 160km/h (100mph) in passenger service, the new Prima AZ4A will have longer service intervals, lower running costs and better performance than other locomotives in the ADY fleet.

Once in service with Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), the AZ4A locos will have to operate under 25kV AC electrical supply for the East-West corridor and 3kV DC when running North-South.

ADY’s network consists of around 3,000km of 1520mm-gauge track. It provides an important link between the Black and Caspian seas and between Russia and Iran.

Speaking at the handover of the first of the ten locos ordered in 2014, Alstom managing director for Western and Central Asia cluster Bernard Peille said: “We are very pleased to deliver our first multi-purpose Prima locomotive to Azerbaijan and become a part of ambitious projects to increase transit link between the Black and Caspian Seas and between Russia and Iran.

“This technologically tailor-made product is the result of a solid relationship of trust between Alstom’s and ADY’s project teams.”