On 23.10.2007, the Moroccan National Railways (Office National des Chemins de Fer, ONCF) and Alstom signed a deal, worth €74 million euro, for the delivery of twenty modern electrics. It made the ONCF launching customer of the Prima II platform. The contract also included maintenance for the first two years of service. Delivery started in the third quarter of 2009, first commercial services are planned for 2010.
The ONCF 1400 series will be used for both passenger (vmax 160 kph) and freight (vmax 120 kph) services. Initially they are built for services under 3000V DC catenary only, but taken ONCF's future plans for new high speed lines into account, the will be prepared for easy modification to run onder 25kV AC catenary too.
In July 2009, the first ONCF 1400 was spotted outside the Alstom factories in Belfort. It has a silver and orange livery. On 04.08.2009 the first unit left Belfort. E-1401 arrived at Siemens' test center in Wegberg-Wildenrath soon after that, where it got company from many other modern electrics, including the silver painted Prima II-1 prototype. The E-1401 left Wegberg on 25.03.2010, together with Prototype No.1.
On 18.08.2009, E-1402 went to the harbour of Antwerp, to get embarked for its journey over see to Morrocco. All twenty Prima II electrics for the ONCF will go to Marrocco via Antwerp.
On 25.09.2009, unit E-1402 arrived in Casablanca, Morocco.
On 26.11.2009, the E-1403 and E-1404 were spotted in the harbour of Antwerp.
On 27.11.2009, HM King Mohammed VI inaugurated to new railway station of Fez. During that day the king could also inspect the first renovated passenger coaches and unit E-1402 was also present.
ONCF E-1400: news
2014-12-28
[MA] Serious damage for ONCF E-1420
update 2014|12|28
[MA] Serious damage for ONCF E-1420
It is an older image, but we did not see this damage on ONCF E-1420 before? Can anyone tell when this happened? I looks like the locomotive hit a truck with construction material.
Frédérick Jury sent us some nice postcards from Morocco. The E-1400 series is doing well. - FJ
2011-01-24
[MA] ONCF E-1400 in service, an impression
update 2011|01|24
[MA] ONCF E-1400 in service, an impression
Our first impressions of an E-1400 in revenue service in Marrocco. The twenty units delivered are mostly used on passenger trains, but five to eight locos are needed for freight on the Casablanca - Tanger and Casablanca - Fes connections. - RV
The images inspired us to search the web, and we found this nice item:
2010-03-25
[DE/FR/MA] PrimaII's leave Wegberg-Wildenrath
update 2010|03|25
[DE/FR/MA] PrimaII's leave Wegberg-Wildenrath
The Frenchmen and the Moroccan left Siemens' test center in Wegberg-Wildenrath today.
2009-08-22
[FR/BE/MA] ONCF E-1402 to Antwerp
update 2009|08|22
[FR/BE/MA] ONCF E-1402 to Antwerp
While ONCF E-1401 is making its test runs in Wegberg-Wildenrath, the second machine of the batch is on its way to its future home country; Morrocco. Four days ago the machine was transported from Belfort, France, to the harbour of Antwerp, Belgium, where it will be embarked for a journey over see to North Africa. All twenty Prima II electrics for the ONCF will go to Marrocco via Antwerp. - EV/LJ/KP
2009-08-11
[FR/DE/MA] first Prima electrics for ONCF
update 2009|08|11
[FR/DE/MA] first Prima electrics for ONCF
Here you'll find a small news-item (in French) about the first Prima II for the Morroccan railway, being outshopped by Alstom in Belfort. The unit on the picture, is a different one that has been seen in Wegberg-Wildenrath, as it has a different service number (140x) and it has ONCF logos. Production therefore is on its way! - TEV forum / lepays.fr
2009-07-27
[FR] exciting news from France
update 2009|07|27
[FR] exciting news from France
outside the Alstom factories of Belfort it is possible to catch a first glimpse of an Alstom Prima II for the Morroccan Railways ONCF. The machine is painted orange and grey. Next to this, also a 9600kW CoCo Prima I locomotive was spotted, to be delivered to the Chinese state railways.
Most of the grey-painted E37500 units built for CBRail are also still in Belfort, at least 37521, 37522, 37523, 37525, 37526, 37527 and 37528 were present on 25.07.2009