Lastochka


The Lastochka is a German/Russian train. It is a commuter intercity electric multiple unit train used across multiple Russian cities, based on the Siemens Desiro design and manufactured by Siemens and Ural Locomotives.

History

In 2009, Russian Railways has made an order with Siemens for a development of an electric multiple unit adapted to the Russian environment. The new trains were planned to be used in Sochi for suburban passenger traffic during the 2014 Winter Olympics and then to be partially transferred to other train lines with non-stop service routes.
Previously, Siemens had already produced dual-system Sapsan trains for Russian Railways. The design of the new trains were to be based on the five-car Siemens Desiro ML electric train. On 29 December 2009, Russian Railways signed a contract with the German company Siemens for the production of 54 Siemens Desiro RUS electric trains worth €410 million.
The trains received the ES1 series designation and were branded as Lastochka. All 54 trains were manufactured in Germany.

Train design

Dual-system trains with automatic system transfer were the ideal solution for amalgamating pre-existing railway lines in the region of the Olympic Games. There, the main railway network operating in flat terrain along the coast of the Black Sea had been electrified with direct current at 3 kV, while the lines built in the mountainous section of Adler – Krasnaya Polyana had been electrified with AC voltage at 25 kV, 50 Hz, appropriate for the steep gradients, and hence much higher power demands. Dual-system electric trains allow commuter rail routes covering sections of both DC and AC track with no need to stop at places where the electric power changes. With the technology, the trains are able to run directly from Adler to Krasnodar without stopping at the Goryachiy Klyuch changeover station.
All technical solutions adopted by Siemens in the design of the new Desiro ML RUS electric trains were discussed with the experts from specialized research institutes and were approved by the Russian Railways. Siemens consulted many Russian experts in high-speed railways—especially those involved in the Velaro RUS high-speed trains construction—for the design decisions concerning the Desiro ML train design and construction.
In particular, the base platform of the Desiro ML train had to undergo adaptation to the Russian network's gauge of 1,520 mm and the demands of the harsh Russian winter. The topographical conditions in the region of the Olympic Games present higher requirements for automated systems and traction equipment. The design and construction efforts were focused particularly on the head car of the train.
In March 2011, LLC Ural Locomotives—a joint venture of Siemens AG and Sinara Group—and LLC Aeroexpress formed a joint venture to manufacture electric trains in Russia at the Ural Locomotives plant in Verkhnyaya Pyshma. Production started in late 2013 with the aim of producing around 200 train carriages per year for Russian Railways. By 2017, 80 percent of the production of these trains is expected be localized in Russia.
On 7 September 2011, Russian Railways placed an order for up to 1,200 Desiro RUS train carriages. The contract was signed by the President of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin, Siemens CEO and Chairman of the Management Board Peter Löscher, and President of Sinara Group Dmitry Pumpyansky at the international railway business forum Expo 1520 in Shcherbinka.
Russian Railways also has a maintenance contract with Siemens for 54 trains, ordered in 2009 and 2010. The contract with a value exceeding 500 € million was signed by Vladimir Yakunin and Peter Löscher and came into force in 2013 for a period of 40 years.
On 11 November 2013, on the Ural Locomotives started manufacturing a new model developed for 3 kV-only routes with the interior designed for city lines. It was designated as ES2G. In 2014, manufacturing ES1 on Siemens factory was finished. On the third quarter of 2016 ES2G started their work on MCC, earlier and now they are working as suburban trains on Moscow–Tver line and on Yekaterinburg suburban lines. In August 2017, 72 trains were produced.
In March 2016, Ural Locomotives transferred to RZD a new train designated as ES2GP, which is technically similar to ES2G, but designed for intercity lines and has not only standard 3rd-class seats like ES2G, but also 1st- and 2nd-class seats. In March 2017 train have only trial runs.

Lines

Operating

North-west