Sverdlovsk Region is working on the creation of a railway machine-building cluster that will allow Russian railways to get a modern set of carriages and locos. This means the region will become Russia’s key location for carriage- and locomotive-building, Governor Alexander Misharin announced at a plenary session of the 3d Railway Exhibition EXPO 1520.

The Governor explained the emerging cluster would comprise over forty production, scientific, financial, and transportation organizations.

The cluster is already affecting the region’s economy in palpable ways. In 2010 and 2011, these were the cluster enterprises that enjoyed the most serious industrial growth in Sverdlovsk Region. These companies’ industrial production index reached 201% last year and 160% in the seven months of 2011,’ Misharin observed.

One of the cluster’s anchor enterprises is the joint Russian-German venture Ural Locomotives.

The Governor noted that Russian Railways, Siemens, and Sinara Group signed an agreement in June 2011 that provided for the production of Lastochka passenger trains in Sverdlovsk Region. Besides, the plant is also producing Sinara freight locos and is ready to start mass production of heavy-weight Granit locos.

In the course of EXPO 1520 Russian Railways, Sinara Group, and Siemens signed a contract for the delivery of Lastochka electric trains. This agreement was signed in the presence of Alexander Misharin and proved highly important for the Mid-Urals.

The agreement provides for the delivery of 1,200 carriages of the Desiro RUS type between 2015 and 2020. The new electric trains will be manufactured at Ural Locomotives. The plant is expected to produce 30 five-carriage trains in 2015. The contract totals to over ?2.1bn.