China develops 10 mWatt electric locomotive

BEIJING - A major Chinese train maker announced Monday it has developed an electric locomotive with "the world's highest power."

The power, which reaches 10,000 kilowatts, is the world's highest for an electrical locomotive. This compares to the maximum 6,400-kilowatts power for traditional locomotives, according to a spokesman of Datong Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd., maker of the railway vehicle.

The company is a subsidiary of China North Locomotive and Rolling Corp. Ltd. (CNR), the country's second-largest train maker.

Designed with a maximum speed that can reach 120 km per hour, the locomotive can carry an estimated 100 railway carriages each weighing 80 tonnes, more than double that of a traditional locomotive, the spokesman said.

Datong Locomotive has developed six types of large-power electric locomotives and become the first Chinese business to export such products to Europe.