The center, to be located at PT KAI`s Balai Yasa rolling stock maintenance facility in Yogyakarta, was meant to provide better maintenance services and ensure the availability of GE diesel/electric locomotives for PT KAI.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) and US-based rolling stock company GE Transportation are to set up a locomotive maintenance center for the entire ASEAN region, according to a PT KAI press statement issued on Friday.
A memorandum of understanding on the project was signed in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA, on March 2, 2012 , the Indonesian company said.
The center, to be located at PT KAI`s Balai Yasa rolling stock maintenance facility in Yogyakarta, was meant to provide better maintenance services and ensure the availability of GE diesel/electric locomotives for PT KAI.
Lorenzo Simonelli, GE Transportation`s president and CEO, said on the occasion , the collaboration would enable Indonesia to have access to quality maintenance services over the long term.
"By serving PT KAI GE Transportation would also be supporting the continuous growth of Indonesia;s infrastructure," Lorenzo said.
GE Transportation would also set up a traction engine remanufacturing center at Balai Yasa in Yogyakarta to serve the ASEAN region.
To run the traction engine remanufacturing center,GE Transportation would train PT KAI personnel in the US and Indonesia.
"With the GE Transportation-trained personnel PT KAI would become a certified GE traction engine remanufacturer qualified to serve other countries in the ASEAN region." he said.
According to available records, PT KAI`s present rolling stock includes 250 GE locomotives a number of which have been in service for more than 34 years.
The number of people traveling by train in Indonesia keeps on increasing from year to year so that there will be a constant need for safe, reliable and well-maintained locomotives. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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