EMISSION-FREE ON 1,435 MM GAUGE

WINDHOFF train set en route to Gabon's manganese mine

29. April 2025

Five emission-free TeleTracs and a cable drum wagon – our “Comilog train” – are on their way to the manganese mine in Moanda, Gabon. The mine is one of the largest in the world and is an essential part of the global supply of raw materials.
Discussions with Eramet began in 2018, the contract for this fantastic project was signed in 2024, and now the vehicles are on their way to Africa. The vehicles will be transported by truck to the port of Antwerp. From there, they will be shipped to Libreville, Gabon, and finally transported over 600 kilometers by rail to the Comilog mine in Moanda, their final destination.

Comilog train set sets new standards in efficiency and sustainability

5 WINDHOFF RW100AEM TeleTrac shunting vehicles

WINDHOFF manufactured 5 TeleTrac shunting vehicles for the Camilog train set, adapted to the climatic conditions of the region.

Battery-powered and emission-free
Max. tractive force: 565 kN (113 kN x 5)
Maximum towing capacity: 130 wagons at 100 tons each
Speed empty/loaded: 5 km/h/0.5 km/h
Track gauge: 1,435 mm
Battery: 80 V, 1,550 Ah with brake energy recovery
In each vehicle: PLC control, drive technology, sanding system, battery technology

WINDHOFF RW100AEM TeleTrac

1 cable reel trolley

The batteries of the TeleTrac shunting vehicles are continuously charged during manganese ore loading using the WINDHOFF cable reel trolley supplied.

With 750 m cable and fiber optic connection
Guaranteed power supply for shunting distances of up to 1.4 kilometers

Camilog train - Cable drum trolley with TeleTracs

Adapted to extreme climatic conditions

The vehicles are specially designed for the extreme climatic conditions on site. A double-walled roof provides protection from intense sunlight, while cabin air conditioning ensures consistent temperatures and humidity levels in the enclosed engine room.
Their flexibility makes the vehicles particularly versatile: they can be used individually or in combination and are capable of operating on battery power throughout the entire infrastructure, regardless of the location.However, they are mainly used for manganese ore loading, where the batteries are continuously charged during operation via the cable reel trolley. In addition, the energy released during braking is efficiently fed back into the batteries, making operation sustainable and energy-efficient.

The Comilog mine in Moanda, a key player in manganese production

Annual transport volume: Over 6 million tons of manganese ore are transported by rail from the open-pit mine to the port in Libreville.
Transport logistics: 130 wagons, which are continuously loaded during the journey, achieve a transport capacity of 13,000 tons per trip.
Role of TeleTracs: Efficient feeding of the wagons for ore loading.

We are proud to be making a significant contribution to this challenging greenfield project in Gabon with our emission-free technology.

Further information

Are you interested in other WINDHOFF shunting vehicles? Here you will find further information on road-rail shunting vehicles and rail-bound shunting vehicles

Road-rail shunting vehicles:
Ideal for last-mile operations on industrial, factory, and port railways: Thanks to their rubber tires, our ZRW64AEM and ZRW125AEM offer maximum flexibility on road and rail.

Rail-bound shunting vehicles:
Emission-free, electrically powered Tele-Trac units deliver reliable thrust for industrial, factory, and port railways and are tailored precisely to different application requirements.