By Anna Yeremenko
The purchase of the new electric locomotives is a result of the increased transit flow via Belarus. Cargo trains arriving from Russia weigh 7,000-9,000 tonnes, while those operating in Belarus can only manage 4,700-5,500 tonne loads. Heavy carriages are being broken at Orsha station, creating an obstacle to quick movement and manoeuvrability and incurring extra expense.
Each Chinese electric locomotive boasts 9,800kW capacity, so can pull trains of the necessary weight. These are produced jointly with leading transport machine building company Alstom (France).
