A freight train weighing 6,300 tonnes, which was equipped with a Granite electric locomotive, left Chelyabinsk’s Main Station on the South-Ural Railway on 14 November and was able to successfully traverse a difficult mountain pass, arriving in Kinel (on the Kuibyshev Railway) the following day.
The train is equipped with a laboratory car, which will determine the possibility of freight trains propelled by standardised two-section 2ES10 electric locomotives operating in the area.
Previously only three-section electric VL11 locomotives have operated there.
The use of the Granite allows for heavy trains to travel through the Urals without the trains being separated in order to facilitate transit.
Previously this was completed through the use of less powerful locomotives, which is particularly important for freight trains weighing up to 7,000 tonnes.
The ES10 electric train was created by Ural Locomotives – a joint venture between Cinara Group and the German company Siemens, in accordance with the technical requirements of Russian Railways.
Continuous operation of the 2ES10 began on 10 October, 2011. The first month has shown that the specific power consumption used by the Granit is 15% lower than that used by another electric locomotive, the 2ES6 Sinara, and 20% less than in the VL11.
The new 2ES10 freight locomotive series is unique – not only in Russia but across the whole 1520mm wide-gauge network.
This model features increased power and pulling force. With the standard weight parameters, the machine is capable of driving a train that weighs about 40-50% more than a series of VL11 electric locomotives.
Engines built by Ural Locomotives consist of a 2ES10 electric base platform; this is an integrated modern unit which was produced by Siemens.
The unit contains auxiliary transformers, a choke input filter, a cooling unit, a traction converter, a traction motor and an integrated reduction drive.
In 2011, Russian Railways plans to buy 11 2ES10 locomotives.
The deal will be completed in accordance with the terms of the Ural Locomotives agreement from 2011 to 2016, according to which, Russian Railways intends to buy221 locomotives of this type within five years.
