OREANDA-NEWS. January 30, 2012. Joint Stock Company VNIIZhT (Research Institute of Railway Transport), a subsidiary of Russian Railways, and the company Patentes Talgo, have signed a framework agreement to adapt the passenger rolling stock made by the company Talgo to the 1520 mm broad gauge rail system, reported the press-centre of RZD.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Vladimir Yakunin, President of Russian Railways, by Boris Lapidus, Director General of VNIIZhT, and Carlos de Palacio Oriol, President of Patentes Talgo. The signing took place in Madrid.

The agreement provides for conducting research testing on the products made by the Talgo company in the following areas:

increasing (optimising) the dimensions of passenger car bodies

adapting the Talgo automatic gauge change system to winter conditions

adapting the brake systems on Talgo rolling stock to the requirements and standards of 1520 mm wheels

adapting Talgo products to ensure electromagnetic compatibility with the infrastructure of the 1520 mm broad gauge railway system

In addition, the Research Institute will act as consultant to the Talgo company on the technical specifics of the content and operation of infrastructure and the rolling stock used in railway transport in Russia, as well as on the existing norms and regulations and technical and methodological documents used on the 1520 mm broad gauge rail system.

"This contract is one of the most significant steps in implementing Russian Railways’ plan to use this new type of tilting rolling stock with automatic gauge changing between Moscow and Europe," said Boris Lapidus.

Alexander Kuznetsov, Russia’s ambassador to Spain, said that the agreement between Patentes Talgo and JSC VNIIZhT was the basis of the first international contract signed since the new Spanish government took office on 22 December 2011. According to Kuznetsov, the signing shows that Spain’s cabinet and royal family pay special attention to relations with Russia.

At the request of Russian Railways, VNIIZhT has already conducted a series of tests to determine the suitability of Talgo products on Russia’s railway system.