The company that has dominated key segments of the European diesel locomotive market is set to face increasing competition with the unveiling this week of a rival product made by General Electric.

Electro-Motive Diesel, a former subsidiary of General Motors now owned by private equity, has sold 650 of its Class 66 diesel locomotive to European freight train operators since 1998. The 66 was originally operated by EWS, the UK’s largest rail freight operator.