Under the agreement, General Motors would also transfer technology enabling India to manufacture the 4000 HP engines indigenously from December 1999, an official release said here today.

This is the first-ever transfer of technology of diesel engines by General Motors outside the US. Besides, General Motors would provide training to Indian railway personnel to improve their skills, the release said.

The induction of the modern locomotives would give a boost to the railway's diesel traction, the preferred mode of rail traction, due to low investment, economical running and high operational flexibility.

The contract with General Motors was signed by the railways in 1995 for import of locomotives and also for transfer of technology for indigenous manufacture at the diesel locomotive works (DLW), Varanasi.

The new freightlocomotives, christened GT46 MAC by General Motors and WDG4 by Indian railways, have been designed by General Motors to meet the high traction needs of the Indian railways, the release said.

These locomotives with three-phase AC traction require very little maintenance. They can run for as much as 92 days without any maintenance as compared to seven to 10 days for the current fleet of diesel locomotives.

It said with the indigenous manufacture of these new design, high capacity locomotives from December 1999, DLW could have potential for export also besides meeting the domestic requirements.

Moreover, DLW could also emerge as the only locomotive manufacture in the world to have the capability to manufacture both American locomotive company (ALCO) and GM locomotives.

The present acquisition of 20 diesel locomotives include 12 complete locomotives and eight partially assembled locos. The partially assembled locos will be fully assembled, tested and commissioned at DLW.

Ten more high horse power locosfit for a speed of 160 km per hour are expected to be supplied next year, the release added.