The GM-EMD GT18LC-2 diesel electric locomotive was introduced by Electro-Motive Diesel as an export model switcher in the 1970s. The prototype model spent its life at the General Motors plant in London, Ontario, and inspired sales to Egypt (which then canceled their order) and later Malaysia's Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) in 1980 where it was designated KTM Class 25. KTM had been facing a shortage of shunters at that time. The prototype was eventually sold with another eleven more units to KTM in 1990 and after seeing the locomotives' reliability, placed a second order of five locomotives which arrived in 2002. Bangladesh Railway is the largest user of the class with 55 locomotives built by General Motors Diesel and Hyundai Rotem as Class 2600 and Class 2900, respectively.
During KTM's second order of the GT18LC-2, Ghana Railway also placed an order for 14 locomotives of the same model which arrived in 1996.
Original Owners
Railroad Quantity Works No. Local Designation Numbers NotesGeneral Motors1GT18LC-2SoldBangladesh Railway16Class 26002601-2616 All in active service.Bangladesh Railway39Class 29002901-2939 All in active service.Keretapi Tanah Melayu12Class 25/125101-25112Delivered 1990, All in active service.Keretapi Tanah Melayu5Class 25/225201-25205Delivered 2002, All in active service.Ghana Railway14928803Class 16xx1670-1683Delivered 1996, All in active service.Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires6060-YDD class060-YDD01- 060-YDD06Built 1989, model GT18LC-2M. Built with 1055 mm (Algerian gauge) trucks. 3 left in service as of 2023.
References