Finist (ES104) Electric train

2023

First train launch

On December 28, 2023, the official launch of fully imported electric trains of the Lastochka ES104, which were given the name Finist, took place. Cars of the ES104 series, produced at the Ural Locomotives plant, entered the routes on the Sverdlovsk Railway.

According to the press service of Russian Railways, in a solemn atmosphere, the first Finist went from the platform of the Yekaterinburg station to deliver passengers to Kamensk-Uralsky. Carrier - Sverdlovsk Suburban Company JSC.

"Finist"

Russian Railways also said that the name for the new train - "Finist" - was chosen by popular vote with the participation of 43 thousand people.

"The finist, like Phoenix, only in the Russian manner, is a fabulous bird, a symbol of eternal renewal and revival. This image exactly repeats the fate of the "Swallow," which was reborn from a completely foreign electric train to a completely domestic one, - said in a statement by Russian Railways.

The Finist train consists of 5 wagons for 409 seats, the maximum such train can carry 1 thousand 268 passengers. The car has luggage racks, all seats are equipped with USB connectors for charging mobile devices, the inclination angle of the seat back has been increased. The cars have a microclimate and air disinfection system.

It is clarified that by the end of 2023, the Sverdlovsk Railway has eight Finists, four more should appear there by the end of 2023, the Russian Railways said in a statement.

At the initial stage, Finistas, together with Swallows, will run along the routes Yekaterinburg - Kamensk-Uralsky, Yekaterinburg - Nizhny Tagil - Kachkanar, Yekaterinburg - Serov - Boksit and Yekaterinburg - Pervouralsk - Shalya.

From January 2024, Finistov is planned to enter new routes in the Sverdlovsk region: from Yekaterinburg to Karpinsk (via Serov) and to Verkhoturye.^[1]

Obtaining a Certificate of Operation

The ES104 electric train, which is the Russian analogue of Lastochka (built in cooperation with the German Siemens) with fully domestic components, successfully passed the interdepartmental commission for compliance and received a certificate. This was announced on November 27, 2023 by the Sinara - Transport Vehicles (STM) company, which is a ES104 manufacturer.

This train has five cars for 416 seats. The seats in the cabin are located three and two in a row. The interior of the cabin is made in light gray, seats in dark gray and light gray colors. There are USB connectors for chargers. There is a separate temperature control for each car.

Electric train ES104

STM stressed that a tremendous amount of work has been done by the specialists of Ural Locomotives, but there are still many tasks ahead.

So, by the end of this [2023] year, the plant will transfer 12 five-car trains into operation to the Sverdlovsk Railway, the STM added.

Oleg Belozerov, General Director of Russian Railways, said earlier that Russian Railways expects deliveries of fully Russian Lastochek in 2023. According to Belozerov, the collective West purposefully interferes with the normal operation of Russian Railways, for example, the EU Council announced passenger trains for Russian citizens as luxury goods, so their supply and use are blocked by discriminatory acts.

"Swallows" were built on the platform of the German electric train Siemens Desiro. Since 2014, they have been produced by Ural Locomotives. By March 2023, about 1.2-1.3 thousand Lastochek cars of 28 different modifications were running on the Russian Railways network. These trains are used, for example, on the Moscow Central Ring (MCC), as well as in suburban and intercity transportation.^[2]

The ES104 electric train, which is the Russian analogue of Lastochka (built in cooperation with the German Siemens) with fully domestic components, successfully passed the interdepartmental commission for compliance and received a certificate. This was announced on November 27, 2023 by the Sinara - Transport Vehicles (STM) company, which is a ES104 manufacturer. Read more here.

Construction of the first fully Russian "Swallow"

The Ural Locomotives plant (part of Sinara - Transport Machines, STM) built the first completely Russian electric train Lastochka. This was announced at the end of June 2023 by Vitaly Brekson, First Deputy General Director for Technological Policy of the enterprise, on his VKontakte page. A photo of the new locomotive was also published there.

The dynamics [dynamic tests - approx. RBC]... Just the beginning, the first steps, are still ahead. Every new locomotive or train is like a child... He is expected, he is born, then begins to live in this world, gradually stepping into it, "wrote Breckson, wishing" passengers and operators patience. "

New model of the electric train "Swallow"

The completely Russian "Swallow" will be shown to the general public for the first time in Yekaterinburg in July 2023. Visually, the composition seems less wide compared to its predecessor, has a more elongated "nose," narrow vertically located headlights, large square windows with rounded corners. The upholstery of the seats is made with the image of decorative "cubes" on the back. There are carry-on shelves above the seats. There are luggage racks along the wall. Neat dumpsters are attached to the side of the doors. There are toilets and an information board, RIA Novosti reports.

The STM notes that the new trains will become more comfortable than the previous "Swallows," and will meet "all the needs of a modern person" - there will be USB connectors for charging gadgets, new warning systems, mounts for scooters and bicycles, a bistro car. The maximum capacity will be 1.4 thousand people. The train will be able to reach speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. The Swallows are based on the German Desiro platform.^[3]

Preparation for production of fully Russian trains

The Sinara - Transport Vehicles company (STM, part of the Sinara group) is ready to produce fully Russian Lastochka passenger trains. Sinar told about this at the end of January 2023.

We have been preparing in recent years for the production of a completely Russian train, and now we are doing this very work. STM are ready to completely switch to the production of domestic electric trains after receiving the necessary certificates, - said in STM "RIA Novosti."

Lastochek production plant begins to produce fully Russian trains

At the same time, the company did not disclose the details of the import-substituting project. The interlocutor of the agency only clarified that the new trains will not be called "Swallow."

In an interview with the Association of Manufacturers of Railway Equipment (OPZhT) on January 23, 2023, Deputy General Director of Russian Railways Dmitry Pegov said that the plant of the Sinara group Ural Locomotives (previously a joint venture with Siemens) in 2023 plans to certify a new electric train of the ES104 series with a Russian traction drive to replace Lastochki.

He explained that in 2022, taking into account the geopolitical and economic situation, Ural Locomotives LLC and its suppliers had difficulties with the supply of imported components.

In order to continue production, Ural Locomotives LLC quickly began to work out issues on the development of new series of Lastochka electric trains with Russian components. So, in 2023 it is planned to certify a new electric train of the ES104 series with a Russian traction drive, - said Pegov.

It is specified that this electric train will be an analogue of the "Swallow" of the ES2G series "Standard," but with a changed exterior of the head car.

In addition, in 2024, the plant plans to develop and certify a two-system electric train of the ES105 series - to replace the Lastochka ES1P model.^[4]

Notes