Engine, propulsion and power systems supplier to Southern Africa MTU South Africa presented its 16 V 4000 R43 engine at the Railways and Harbours Conference and Exhibition, in Cape Town, this year.

Confirming their commitment to supplying to the South African State and private rail operators, MTU displayed the rail engine weighing in at 8 t, and operating 16
cylinders. 
The entire engine family, which is in a configuration from 8-cylinder to 20-cylin-
der models, features outputs of between 
1 000 kW and 3 000 kW.

The company reports that, as part of its commitment to continually enhancing technology and key components, the MTU Series 4000 engines were the first to be fitted with the common-rail system in 1996.

MTU explains that advantages of this 
advanced fuel-injection system are the 
optimised consumption figures and exhaust emissions. The new series 4000 R43 engines comply with European Union (EU) emissions limits and also offer an efficient power-
to-weight ratio and low fuel consumption figures.

MTU’s 4000 Series engines have a preventive maintenance concept and scheduled maintenance plan to keep life cycle costs low and to ensure reliability.

The company reports that the 4000 Series engines are also the first in the world in their performance and exhaust emissions category to have been awarded the International Union of Railways (UIC) certificates 623 and 624.

The UIC inspection procedure, which 
includes an endurance run, as well as tests to determine the exhaust emissions, verified the engines’ mechanical quality and compliance with the stringent demands of EU emissions standards.

MTU 4000 Series are in service across the globe in a variety of trains, and can be used as traction units, or to drive electricity 
generators for train electrical systems.

The 4000 Series engines have been used in 160 high-speed train power cars in the UK, presently delivering a reliable and efficient service between London and Scotland, as well as London to Cornwall and Wales.

The company reports that the MTU Series 4000 R43 diesel engine has the lowest life cycle cost over a period of 20 years to 30 years of powering railway vehicles.

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