

Russian Freight Car-Building: 2016 Results
Russian car-builders manufactured 35,129 freight cars, the TASS quotes Car-Builders Union. It is +31% to 2015. In particular, Russia produced 20,990 gondola cars (+29% to 2015), 4,300 corn hoppers (2.1 times growth), 2,500 chemical tank cars (2.4 times growth). Anti-record was set by oil tank cars (70 cars, -90% to 2015) and LNG tanks cars (160 cars, -68% to 2015). Around 70% of all cars manufactured in Russia have an increased (25 tf) axial load. The freight cars were manufa

Belarus Railway to Invest 206.7 M USD in 2017
Belarus Railway’s is to invest 400 M BYN (206.7 M USD) in 2017, the RZD-Partner quotes Belarus Railway Head Vladimir Morozov. The company invested 211 M BYN (109 M USD) in 2016.
In 2017 the Railway will buy 16 BKG-2 single-section electric locomotives. Belarus already bought two locos of this type in 2016. Furthermore, Belarus Railway is to complete electrification of the Molodechno - Gudogai - Belarus border section and equip Zhlobin hub with microprocessor-based signaling


Bombardier Completed Technology Transfer to ELTEZA
Bombardier Transportation completed technology transfer to its ELTEZA plants, the Gudok reports. The technology transfer was performed in compliance with license agreement the companies signed in December 2010. ELTEZA has got certificates to manufacture the EBILock 950 microprocessor-based signaling system, the EBISwitch 2000 sleeper-based electric switch point machine, the EBIGate 2000 level crossing system. In Q4 2016 ELTEZA received certificates for manufacture the EBITrac


Russia Increased Freight Car Manufacture +28.8% in 2016
Russian freight car manufacture 36,600 freight cars in 2016, the Interfax reports. It is up 28.8% in 2016 compared to 2015. The reason for such boost was Government support to freight car manufacturers and customers. In 2016 the Russian Government approved a ban for operation of freight cars with life extended after January 1, 2016. Only a few freight car types were excluded from the ban list: these were tank cars for foodstuffs, acids and chemical freight, refrigerator cars,


Government to Subsidize Four RZD Projects at 530.7 M USD
The Russian Government is to subsidize OAO RZD at 31.58 B RUB (530.7 M USD), the Interfax reports. The funds will be invested into four projects - Moscow infrastructure development, Moscow - Kazan high-speed railway, construction of Ukraine and Krasnodar rail bypasses. The funds will be allocated from the federal budget; a respective Government Order is to be adopted in the near future.


Samara to Invest 10.7 M USD into Metro Development
Samara Government is to invest 741 M RUB (10.7 M USD) into metro construction, the VolgaNews quotes Ivan Pivkin, Samara Oblast Transport Minister. The funds will be invested into completion of the Alabinskaya Station with further extension to Novo-Sadovaya St. Samara Metro was commissioned in 1987. There are 10 stations of the total length of 11.6 km. The Samara Metro fleet are 46 cars. The metro annually transports 16.3 M passengers.


RZD to Commission More Operator-Free Locomotives
OAO RZD is to widely commission operator-free locomotives, the Interfax quotes OAO RDZ Senior Vice President Valentin Gapanovich. He made this statement at the Joint Meeting of the Construction and Railway Transport Standardization Technical Committees. “A lot will change in three-five years”, Mr. Gapanovich said. “We implement artificial intelligence innovations. There will be no operator assistants and, in some time, there will be no operators either”. Operator-free locomot


China to Design of the High-Speed Train for Russia by 2018
China to complete design of the high-speed for Russia in 2018, the Gudok reports. A statement was made at the Julin Province People’s Congress. The train is to be designed for the Moscow - Kazan high-speed railway. Chinese designers emphasize that the rolling stock will comply with Russian freeze and frost resistance requirements. The train is to be built in 2018, too; tests will be started the same year. The new high-speed train is being designed by CRRC Changchun Railway Ve


RZD Repaired 5,900 km of Track in 2016
OAO RZD repaired 5,900 km of track in 2016, which is +20% to 2015, the Interfax reports. The company modernized 2,200 km of track, overhauled 524.5 km of automated and semi-automated signaling, overhauled 990 switch-point machines. This work allowed decreasing time en route for some trains, e.g. Moscow - Smolensk (from 4 hrs. to 3 hrs. 48 min.), Sapsan at Moscow - St. Petersburg, Moscow - Belgorod (from 7 hrs. 45 min. to 6 hrs. 45 min.), Moscow - Voronezh (from 6 hrs. 30 min.

RZD Reduced 2017 Net Profit Forecast by 2/3
OAO RZD reduced 2017 net profit forecast by 2/3 - from 10 B RUB (168.4 M USD) to 3 B RUB (50.5 B USD), the Vedomosti reports. The media got a copy of OAO RZD 2017 finance plan. The 10 B RUB forecast implied maximal tariff increase, the Vedomosti’s source explained. However, the Government decided to reduce tariff increase factor from 1.134 to 1.1. Furthermore, oil freight unification was limited and OAO RZD freight transportation tariff subsidy was reduced from 9% to 4%. The