OREANDA-NEWS. June 06, 2011. Russian Railways and Transmashholding have signed a contract for the delivery of 200 2ES5 heavy-duty electric freight trains. The 2ES5 features an innovative design and works on alternating current. The contract was signed at the VI International Business Forum: 1520 Strategic Partnership currently being held in Sochi, reported the press-centre of Russian Railways.

Subject to the agreement in 2013 through 2020 Russian railways will receive a total of 200 2ES5 locomotives manufactured by the Novocherkassk locomotive plant.

The 2ES5 locomotive has been designed by TRTrans, a joint TransmashHolding/ Alstrom Transport engineering center operating in Novocherkassk, Rostov Region. The development work is being conducted subject to a memorandum signed between Russian Railways, TransmashHolding and the French manufacturing powerhouse Alstom Transport 21 September 2010 in Berlin during Innotrans trade fair. This is a second Generation Five locomotive designed as part of a Russian-French collaborative effort (following the dual-system EP20 passenger locomotive).

The extensive use of these new locomotives will significantly increase carrying capacity on Russia’s rail network, improve energy efficiency and reduce transportation costs.

Servicing the new engines is required far less frequently compared to the series of engines now in use, greatly reducing the labour costs for maintenance.