Transport Minister inspects railway maintenance workshops

Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir on Saturday, September 12, 2026, inspected a number of main railway maintenance workshops in al-Farz as part of a wider tour of Egyptian National Railways facilities, reviewing maintenance, overhaul and technical safety operations for rolling stock.

Wazir inspected locomotive workshops, which prepare 30 locomotives daily and around 250 monthly, as well as facilities servicing Talgo, VIP, Spanish and air-conditioned Russian trains, with about 720 trains handled each month.

He also reviewed workshops operated by Interplast for overhauling and maintaining power cars, which prepare 116 cars daily, along with Talgo maintenance facilities and an extension for a workshop dedicated to seven new sleeper trains contracted from Spanish manufacturer Talgo.

The minister also visited the Egyptian Company for Railway Maintenance and Services (ERMA), where he reviewed locomotive maintenance and rehabilitation projects, including 41 EMD locomotives that have been completed.

Work has also begun on upgrading 100 Henschel locomotives in cooperation with US-based PRL, with the first five already under development. Wazir inspected CNC boring equipment and locally manufactured spare parts.

The minister ordered that no train leave a workshop until its technical condition and operational readiness have been fully verified, stressing that strict maintenance standards are essential to safe and reliable rail services.

He said a comprehensive workshop modernization plan includes upgrading 33 existing facilities and building 11 new ones, eight of which have been completed, while work continues on the remaining three.

During a meeting with train drivers, Wazir stressed that skilled personnel are a cornerstone of railway development and called for continued training, qualification and strict compliance with operating and safety rules.

The transport minister also stressed the need for a reward-and-penalty system for drivers, noting that incentives for disciplined drivers have been doubled based on criteria including accident-free operations, keeping the ATC system active, passenger safety, adherence to schedules and locomotive cleanliness.