First world-class electric locomotive to be produced in Russia

New EP10-001 electric locomotives will appear on the Russian railways by the end of 2003. As a Rosbalt correspondent was informed by the press office of the Gorky railway line, the new model costs around USD 3.5 million to build, which is somewhat less than its foreign counterparts. However, in terms of safety and technical standards, this Russian model is as good as the best models in Europe and the rest of the world. The first EP10-001 will be tested in the near future and the first model will then be used to operate on the Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod line.

The EP10 can transport up to 24 passenger carriages at a 12% uphill gradient at a speed of 85 kilometres an hour and 20 passenger carriages at a 12% downhill gradient at 120 kilometres an hour. The first model was constructed in 1999 by the Novocherkassky Electric Locomotive Plant and the All-Russian institute for researching and designing electric locomotives. Now further models are being constructed at the plant. Two more EP10 models will be ready for long-distance passenger trains by the end of 2003 and about nine more will be produced in 2004.