China Railways HXD2

The HXD2 is an electric locomotive and a series of related locomotive classes built by CRRC Datong Electric Locomotive and Alstom, with designs based on the Alstom Prima electric locomotives and the product of a cooperation agreement signed between the two companies in 2004. All the locomotives are intended for heavy freight work, including coal trains on the Datong to Qinhuangdao line, the Daqin Railway. The original HXD2 locomotives are twin unit Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' vehicles whereas the HXD2B and HXD2C versions are single unit Co'Co' machines. At the time of their construction the HXD2 and HXD2B were among the most powerful locomotives in the world. The HXD2 was originally described as the DJ4-6000 class. Variants of the type were produced for railways other than China Railway: in 2010 Belarus state railways ordered a twin unit variant, and in 2012 Shenhua Group ordered twin section locomotives. The locomotives are designed for heavy haul freight up to 7,000 tonnes train weights and for multiple working of three locomotives, and for temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius. An order of 350 million euros for 180 locomotives was placed in 2005, of which the initial 12 would be made in France, 24 supplied for assembly and the remainder produced in China, and the first China built locomotive was produced on 23 May 2007.