RUSSIA: The first 3ES5S electric freight locomotive produced by Transmashholding’s Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Works has started 5 000 km of test running at the VNIIZhT circuit at Shcherbinka near Moscow, ahead of trials on the Russian Railways network.

The 3ES5S is a three-section version of the 2ES5S, itself an updated version of the 2ES5K design incorporating changes including asynchronous traction motors.

Designed to haul 7 100 tonne trains, the 3ES5S has a maximum speed of 120 km/h and a 1 h rating of 8·8 MW. The microprocessor control and diagnostics system from TMH Inzhiniring is based on technology originally developed for EP20 passenger locomotives.