Transport Minister inspects railway maintenance workshops

On Saturday, September 12, 2026, Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir conducted an inspection of several railway maintenance workshops in al-Farz as part of a broader tour of Egyptian National Railways facilities. During his visit, Wazir examined locomotive workshops responsible for preparing 30 locomotives daily and approximately 250 monthly, as well as installations servicing luxury trains such as Talgo, VIP, Spanish, and air-conditioned Russian trains, which handle around 720 trains per month.

Additionally, Wazir reviewed workshops operated by Interplast, which overhaul and maintain power cars, processing 116 cars daily, alongside Talgo maintenance facilities and a new extension for seven sleeper trains contracted from the Spanish manufacturer Talgo.

The minister also toured the Egyptian Company for Railway Maintenance and Services (ERMA), where he assessed locomotive maintenance and rehabilitation projects, including the completion of 41 EMD locomotives. Work has commenced on upgrading 100 Henschel locomotives in collaboration with US-based PRL, with the initial five already in development.

Wazir observed CNC boring equipment and locally manufactured spare parts, emphasizing the critical importance of strict maintenance standards for ensuring safe and reliable rail services.

To ensure this, Wazir mandated that no train could depart a workshop until its technical condition and operational readiness were thoroughly verified. He highlighted that a comprehensive workshop modernization plan is underway, which involves upgrading 33 existing facilities and constructing 11 new ones, eight of which have already been completed, while the remaining three are still under construction.

During a meeting with train drivers, Wazir underscored that skilled personnel constitute the backbone of railway development and called for continuous training, qualification, and strict adherence to operating and safety regulations.

Furthermore, Wazir advocated for a reward-and-penalty system for drivers, doubling incentives for disciplined drivers based on criteria such as accident-free operations, maintaining the Automatic Train Control (ATC) system, passenger safety, adherence to schedules, and locomotive cleanliness.