RUSSIA: With a view to reducing China – Europe transit times, rolling stock manufacturer Transmashholding and Kompleksnye Skorostnye Tekhnologii have signed a contract for the production of two prototype container wagons suitable for operation at 160 km/h.
The Type 13-6954 wagons for 40 ft and 45 ft containers would have Type 18-6960 passenger coach bogies and be equipped with electronically-controlled pneumatic brakes.
The aim is to be able to offer transit times to Brest of 5½ days from Zabaykalsk on the Chinese border and 4½ days from Naushki on the Mongolian border. The companies also envisage that the wagons could be used on the north–south corridor between Russia and Iran.
The agreement signed at InnoTrans 2016 envisages the production of 2 800 wagons in 2017-19 once certification has been obtained.