RUSSIA: Three Class RA3 diesel multiple-units to operate regauged regional railway routes on Sakhalin were formally unveiled by Transmashholding on July 26, at a ceremony attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Sakhalin oblast government Vitaly Gudin, RZD’s Deputy General Director, Passenger, Dmitry Pegov, and the First Deputy General Director of RZD’s Sakhalin passenger operating company Mikhail Malyugin.
Built at the group’s Metrowagonmash plant, the RA3 is a modified and updated version of the earlier Class RA2, with a traction rating of 720 kW and a maximum speed of 120 km/h. The design received its formal certification for revenue operation on July 22.
As well as the Sakhalin units, Metrowagonmash has a contract to supply 23 Class RA3 railcars for Moscow-based Central Suburban Passenger Co. CPPK is due to take delivery of 17 two-car sets and one three-car unit during 2019, followed by a further five three-car sets in 2020.
