India: 10 such vehicle kits are all ready and scheduled for delivery between May and June.
The kits of ballast regulating machines (BRM) are manufactured by Kalugaputmash, a Russian plant, part of Sinara Transport Machines (STM). As the state programme Make In India requires localisation, the final assembly of track machines will take place in India. The producer won the tender of the national operator Indian Railways in 2020.
BRMs distribute and shape fresh or cleaned track ballast dispensing gravel from a storage hopper. The maximum operating speed of a BRM does not exceed 15 m/h. STM adapts vehicles to local requirements, so the machines supplied to India can operate trouble-free at air temperatures of up to +55 °C, humidity of up to 100% and track gradient of up to 30‰.
Among other news is that the holding has produced its first work site tamper (WST) in India under another 2020 contract with Indian Railways. Its production was organised in cooperation with SAN Engineering & Locomotives in Bangalore. The vehicle is scheduled to be delivered to Indian Railways to start operation in May.
STM’s plans envisage extending its presence in the country. In 2019, the holding announced the opening of a representative office there. To date, 21 track machines were produced by the plants of STM and supplied to India, and its service is provided at five zones of the Indian railway network, explains Anton Zubikhin, First Deputy CEO of STM.
At the end of March, Indian Railways notified another Russian manufacturer, TMH, and its Indian partner RVNL about winning the tender for the manufacture and maintenance of 120 EMUs (1,920 cars) . The contract is expected to be signed in May.
