Russian Freight Car Fleet: Status and Forecast

RZD’s Central Infrastructure Directorate shared data on freight car life expiry, the RZD-Partner reports.

At the present time the Russian freight car fleet is 1.08 M. The service life of 52,900 freight cars (out of 1.08 M) has expired; in 2016 the service life of 14,300 more will expire.

“Old” (manufactured over 20 years ago) cars share 29.7% of the total fleet. Cars produced 5-10 years ago have the same share. The “newest” freight cars, i.e. manufactured less than 5 years ago, already hold 23.2%.

Out of 1.08 M cars gondola cars have a 44.3% share, tank cars - 25.7%, flat cars - 6%, box cars - 5.5%, other cars - 18.5%.

RZD’s forecast is that 40,600 cars will be scrapped in 2017. The company evaluates the need for new rolling stock at 11,900 freight cars.