RUSSIA: National railway RZD has updated the details of its passenger rolling stock procurement for 2018.
Pavel Burtsev, Head of Passenger Transport at RZD, told Railway Gazette in July that a total of 686 vehicles would be acquired for long-distance traffic. These would comprise 611 single-deck hauled coaches (589 couchette cars and 22 staff accommodation cars); and 65 double-deck coaches, of which 50 are corridor coaches, six are staff vehicles, four are first class and five are dining cars. Of the 686, 379 have already entered service, with demand for hauled stock being spurred by the recent FIFA World Cup.
RZD is now specifying its long-distance coaches to be fitted with air-conditioning and environmentally friendly toilets. Interior materials feature high thermal insulation, wear resistance and fire safety, and the vehicles are equipped with video surveillance and diagnostic systems. More power sockets have been specified than on earlier designs, and these have built-in USB points for charging personal electronic devices.
In the suburban sector, RZD expects to take delivery of 104 new vehicles formed into 25 electric multiple-units. All of these are the EP3D design supplied by Demikhovsky Machine Building Plant. These feature climate control systems, wheelchair lifts and racks for carrying bicycles. RZD is also on course to take delivery of 150 Lastochka EMU cars (30 trainsets) from the Ural Locomotives joint venture of Sinara and Siemens. Of this batch, 19 trains have already been delivered to the operator.
