RUSSIA: Russian Railways signed two agreements for the purchase of locomotives during the 1 520 Forum in Sochi.

The first is a contract for 200 Alstom-TMH 2ES5 twin-section AC electric freight locomotives to be delivered by the Novocherkassk plant in 2013-20, building on a memorandum signed at InnoTrans 2010. The 2ES5 is the second locomotive developed under the Russian-French partnership, after the EP20 passenger design, of which RZD ordered 200 in May 2010.

The 2ES5 will feature asynchronous traction motors with individual inverters, oil-free compressors and microprocessor control and diagnostics. Attention is being paid to the crew environment, with an air-conditioned cab, onboard sanitation and energy absorbing zones.

RZD also signed an agreement in principle for Sinara to supply 40 twin-section TG16M diesel locomotives to replace life-expired 40-year old machines on the 1 067 mm gauge network on the island of Sakhalin by 2015. They are to be built at Sinara's Lyudinovsky plant; RZD said the contract would be priced on the basis of life cycle costs.