Egyptian National Railways begins post‑war dieselization program

Egyptian National Railways (ENR), one of the oldest rail systems outside Europe and North America, entered a new era on December 28, 1950, when the government approved and initiated procurement for the country’s first mainline diesel-electric locomotive fleet. Post‑World War II demand for modernization, combined with the harsh operating environment for steam on desert routes, pushed ENR toward diesel traction earlier than many railways in the region. The December 28 authorization covered the acquisition of American‑built locomotives—primarily from EMD and ALCO—intended for both passenger and freight duties along the Cairo–Alexandria and Nile Valley corridors. Deliveries followed in the early 1950s, rapidly transforming ENR operations by reducing engine‑house labor, improving reliability, and enabling faster point‑to‑point schedules. The program marked one of the Middle East’s first large‑scale dieselization efforts and aligned Egypt with global postwar modernization trends. By the 1960s, steam had largely disappeared from ENR’s mainlines.