MOSCOW, July 6 The Russian plant «Ural locomotives» began to develop a completely Russian «Swallow» even before the departure of the foreign partner, and the working name «Vostok» appeared because of the original plans to operate it in the east of Russia, Dmitry Pegov, deputy general director of the company, said in an interview.
«Swallows» were created on the basis of the Desiro platform of the German concern Siemens. In Russia, they are produced by the Ural Locomotives plant. It was established in 2010 as a joint venture between Siemens and the Russian Sinara — Transport Machines. However, in May 2022, a foreign company announced that it was curtailing business in the Russian Federation, including exiting the joint venture. The plant announced plans to produce a completely Russian analogue of the Lastochka.
“Initially, when Lastochka was being produced together with Siemens, there was a very great need for a separate type of this AC train with the ability to land on low platforms, which are very common beyond the Urals. Therefore, we set the task for Ural Locomotives to develop a train for operation on At the same time, passengers who will ride these trains should not pay for functionality that is not needed, that is, for a DC circuit. «, — said Pegov.
After Siemens left the Russian project, he continued, the Ural Locomotives plant began to develop this train on its own.
«Since the production of jointly produced with Siemens «Swallows» (let's call them 1.0), in fact, stopped, it was decided not to be limited to «Swallow» only for the east, but to make completely their own. Now we will have a “Swallow”, which is 100% with spare parts from Russia and made in Russia,” Pegov explained.
“I would still apply the word “Vostok” to that first idea. And this new one will be called «Swallow 2.0″ for now,» he added.