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Source : http://www.railway-technology.com/
The testing will also involve inspection, start up and commissioning of all systems and components on the freight locomotive, built for Russian Railways (RZD).
Acceptance tests will also be done on polygons of the Russian Scientific Research Institute of Railway Transport, while certification tests will be conducted to assess compliance with railway transport safety standards.
The partners intend to manufacture a second prototype of the 2ES5 locomotive to speed up the testing process at NEVZ.
The 2ES5 is the second train developed by Russian engineering centre TRTrans, a 50-50 joint venture of Alstom and TMH, following the EP20 dual-system passenger electric locomotive.
Both models are based on the same platform and 75% of their components are standardised, which is intended to allow significant cost and maintenance savings.
Alstom said the 2ES5 is the first ac freight locomotive in Russia that features traction drive with asynchronous traction motors.
"The testing will also involve inspection, start up and commissioning of all systems and components on the freight locomotive, built for Russian Railways."
The locomotive also features individual voltage inverters, oil-free piston compressors with air drying and cleaning units, microprocessor control and a fault detection system.
Major components of the 2ES5 locomotive, including bogies and traction systems, will be manufactured at Russian facilities by a second joint venture company, Railcomp.
The new locomotives will help RZD boost its freight carrying capacity, improve energy efficiency and minimise operating and maintenance costs.
The vehicles are part of an order for 200 2ES5 locomotives, awarded to Alstom and TMH by RZD in May 2011.
Following the final tests at RZD's Shcherbinka test circuit, the first 2ES5 locomotive will start operations in Eastern Siberia and the far east of Russia at the end of 2013, with deliveries scheduled to continue until 2020.
