TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Railway inaugurated a new R200 diesel-electric locomotive, which went into operation on Wednesday (June 19), upgrading the railway’s freight services.

The maiden voyage of the locomotive was held at the cargo yard of Hualien Station and included a display of older diesel-electric locomotives operated by the railway, such as R20, R150, and R190, catching the attention of railway fans. For its first trip, the R200 pulled eight freight cars laden with marble, military vehicles, and other items, per CNA.

Tu Wei (杜微), director-general of Taiwan Railway, said the horsepower of the new R200 locomotive is equivalent to the two R190 locomotives currently in service. The new locomotives will not only carry general cargo but also military transport and assist in disaster relief and earthworks associated with the Suhua Highway Improvement Project.

Tu said that earthquakes and heavy rains this year have damaged part of the railway’s Eastern Main Line, though repairs have been undertaken with Hualien’s Chongde Station resuming operations today.

Taiwan Railway said the R200 is a high-performance locomotive produced by Swiss company Stadler Rail AG at its production facility in Valencia, Spain. It is equipped with a powerful engine of up to 2,700 horsepower and exhaust emissions superior to those of current diesel-electric locomotives. New safety equipment has also been added to the locomotive, such as peripheral cameras, to improve safety.

Taiwan Railway said it planned to introduce 36 R200 locomotives into service. Currently, the railway has four such locomotives that have completed testing and obtained operating licenses, with deployment to major freight service areas such as Hualien, Yilan, and Changhua.