"Ivolga" to go to Buenos Aires

TMH International, the international division of Transmashholding (TMH), won the tender to supply 70 AC electric trains to Argentina.

The new rolling stock will be based on the "Ivolga" platform to be modified in accordance with the customer’s engineering requirements. The cost of the deal is estimated at $864 million.

The Argentine Ministry of Transport announced the start of the tender back in 2018. During this time, the customer has evaluated the engineering and economic parameters of the trains in several stages, as well as their compliance with modern passenger expectations.

According to the results of the tender, the new rolling stock will be based on the Russian "Ivolga" electric train made by JSC Tver Carriage Works (part of TMH). The trains will operate in commuter services between the capital, Buenos Aires, and its satellite cities.

In order to meet the requirements of the Argentinean side, a number of technical changes will be made in the product. In particular, the "Ivolga" platform will be adopted for a 1676 mm gauge (its width for the Moscow Central Diameter (MCD) trains is 1520 mm) and 25 kV AC overhead system (in Russia - 3 kV DC). The electric train body will be made in three-door version (for the MCD - two-door). The platform modification will be designed by TMH Engineering (part of TMH).

The company specifies that the final technical appearance and interior of the electric trains will be separately agreed with the customer. The contract has not been concluded yet. Delivery will start 27 months after the contract enters into force and will be completed within 4 years.

"The sale of "Ivolga" electric trains to Argentina is extremely important not only financially, but also in terms of image for TMH and the industry as a whole," says Valentin Gapanovich, president of the nonprofit partnership Association of Railway Equipment Manufacturers. "TMH can be rightfully proud of this deal. It took about three years to choose a supplier of electric trains for the commuter services and it was the Russian company that successfully offered the most interesting solution in terms of price and quality. I am sure that both parties will be satisfied with the project: the Argentinean government will receive modern and reliable trains and the deal will open up great prospects for TMH".

As Gudok was told by Hans Schabert, president of TMH International, the company is interested in developing international projects and is ready to consider any proposals. 
"In this context, we remain committed to our plans to focus on several countries and regions: Argentina and neighboring states, Hungary and Eastern Europe, Germany and Central Europe, Egypt, Israel and the Middle East, South Africa and other countries of the African continent, as well as the 1520 area," Hans Schabert added.

It should be noted that the plans of the Russian manufacturer to supply rolling stock to Argentina were announced by TMH CEO Kirill Lipa back in August last year at the International Railway Salon "PRO//Movement.Expo". There he also noted that a loan by the Government of the Russian Federation was under consideration to finance this contract. A source at TMH adds to Cudok that no decision on the financing of the project has been agreed yet.
Anna Yakusheva