Russian Transport Ministry Fosters Innovative Car Acquisitions

The Russian Ministry of Transport drafted a procedure of evaluating the economic effect of operating innovative freight cars, the Kommersant reports. The adoption of the document is to improve freight car acquisitions, the Ministry believes.

The procedure is a part of the national Transport Machine-Building Support Program for 2016. The Ministry believes that the absence of the document showing economic benefits of the innovative rolling stock operation does not allow increasing sales of such cars.

Under the procedure specific resistance of the freight cars - innovative and conventional - are evaluated. The basic indicators were taken from OAO RZD operational data - in particular, costs, tests and operational requirements.