TRC restores five MGR locomotives, cuts maintenance costs  

MOROGORO: The Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has restored five MGR locomotive heads at its Morogoro workshop, a development expected to enhance railway operations and reduce reliance on costly external maintenance services.

The progress was highlighted on Saturday, when the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Investment (PIC), led by its Chairman Masanja Kadogosa, visited the facility to assess ongoing rehabilitation and improvement works.

During the visit, Kadogosa said the revival of the locomotive heads demonstrates the growing technical capacity within TRC to restore critical railway equipment and improve the Corporation’s operational efficiency.

He said the Morogoro workshop remains a key pillar of Tanzania’s railway system, serving as a central facility where locomotives are maintained, rehabilitated and restored to ensure continued reliability through regular servicing and technical interventions.

“This workshop is, without doubt, the backbone of railway operations. Sustaining such facilities requires continuous investment, and as the PIC, we will continue advocating for the necessary support to ensure institutions responsible for this work have the resources needed to deliver,” he said.

The Chairman commended the Ministry of Transport and TRC for strengthening local technical capacity, saying that investment in domestic expertise is essential to developing a reliable and sustainable railway network.

Transport Minister Prof. Makame Mbarawa said the government’s efforts to expand local maintenance capabilities have significantly reduced costs associated with importing and servicing MGR locomotives from Malaysia.

He added that conducting major maintenance activities locally at the TRC Morogoro workshop has enabled the Corporation to optimise resources, improve equipment availability and reduce dependence on external technical support.

The Morogoro workshop, supported by a workforce of 121 employees, is currently responsible for maintaining 68 locomotives, including 50 mainline locomotives and 18 shunting locomotives.

Beyond routine servicing, the facility continues to carry out scheduled maintenance and respond to emergency repairs, supporting uninterrupted railway operations as Tanzania continues to expand investment in its transport infrastructure.