June 5, 2014. Ural Locomotives (a joint venture operated by Sinara Group and Siemens) was successfully tested by an interregional acceptance committee; the enterprise’s R&D and design efforts in the field of making the AC 2ES7 loco (Project 11201) were assessed.

According to Sinara Group’s press service, the committee was comprised of representatives of Russian Railways, railway institutes, railway equipment suppliers, Ural Locomotives, and Siemens and chaired by Russian Railways Chief Engineer and Senior Vice President for Innovative Development Valentin Gapanovitch. In the course of the audit, the committee looked into design and technological documentation and the results of testing the loco out, got acquainted with the production organization, and took part in the test drive of the loco after making sure its control systems were in working order. A compliance report relating to design and technological documentation and to the pilot 2ES7 loco meeting Russian Railways’ technical requirements was issued at the end of the inspection. Ural locomotives got the compliance certificate of Federal Railway Transport Certification Register.

‘The committee classed the design and technological documentation as O1 and recommended making a series of 35 such locos; the operation of these will make it possible to take a decision about the prospects of mass production. At the end of the inspection, Valentin Gapanovitch said the creation of the 2ES7 loco was a new stage in the development of Russian locomotive industry and a breakthrough product in the AC loco sector,’ the company reports.