RUSSIA: An agreement on the services which the All-Russian Railway Research Institute will provide to assist Patentes Talgo with the development of rolling stock suitable for use in Russia was signed in Madrid on February 7. This builds on a January 2012 agreement between the partners.
VNIIZhT is to provide advice on Russian technical requirements, terms of reference, component testing and documentation standards.
Trials have confirmed that the Spanish firm's tilting train technology offers the potential for a 'significant increase in speed' on 1 520 mm gauge railways, according to Russian Railways. Talgo's automatic gauge-change system is to be adapted for winter conditions, and its braking systems adapted for 1 520 mm gauge use.
'We expect the Talgo high speed train to be an additional resource for rapid transportation with the optimisation of infrastructure costs', said RZD President Vladimir Yakunin at the latest signing ceremony. 'Such a resource is in particular demand in connection with integrated transport services for the 2018 World Cup.'
