ON NOVEMBER 20 Russia’s Ministry of Railways took delivery of a prototype EP10 dual-system electric loco from the Novocherkassk Electric Loco Works in Rostov-na-Donu. Designed to haul up to 25 coaches at a top speed of 160 km/h, the six-axle EP10 was described as RZD’s principal passenger locomotive for the 21st century by Vice-Minister A Kondratenko, who participated in the ceremonies with Novocherkassk General Manager A Noskov and the President of Adtranz Switzerland Beat Müller.
The 7200 kW EP10 to operate on 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50Hz routes was developed by Novocherkassk, the Velnii Institute and Adtranz, which has a contract to supply three-phase traction equipment for 20 units.
Mechanically the EP10 is derived from the 120 km/h VL65, which was the first passenger loco to be built at Novocherkassk in 60 years (RG 4.98 p233). There are now 35 VL65s in service on the 25 kV routes of RZD’s East Siberian, Transbaikal and North Caucasian railways. A 140 km/h derivative designated EP1 was due to appear at the end of last year, and a DC-only version of the EP10 classified EP2 is also envisaged.
