Sinara-TM working on new line of gas-powered locomotives with various capacities

YEKATERINBURG. March 21 (Interfax) - Sinara - Transport Machines JSC plans to create a line of gas and diesel locomotives with various power capacities, Mikhail Boyko, Sinara Group director of government relations, said on the company's Telegram channel.

At the Railway Freight Transport: Production, Operation, Leasing, Repair conference, he said that the first gas-powered vehicle, the TEMG1 shunting locomotive, is currently in a pilot phase of operation. This locomotive has a 1120 horsepower engine which the company certified in 2021.

The second vehicle of the line will be the TEMG7 shunting diesel locomotive with a power of up to 2000 horsepower. It is designed on an eight-axle diesel locomotive platform, but uses natural gas as fuel. It is scheduled to enter commercial operation in 2026.

The mainline 7,000 horsepower LNG 2TE35AG locomotive with a tank tender will complete the line. This year, the first units with diesel engines are planned for production, followed by modifications powered by gas fuel.

"We see great prospects for the introduction of liquefied natural gas as a fuel in railway transport due to its environmental friendliness and efficiency. We believe that gas-diesel locomotives of various capacities could be in demand both at enterprises and on main lines, so we are making efforts to develop appropriate engines and wagons," Boyko said.

Sinara-TM, part of the Sinara group, combines several locomotive building and engineering enterprises, as well as factories producing diesel engines and track equipment, as well as servicing companies. The holding's assets are located in the Sverdlovsk and Kaluga regions.