Reports from earlier this year concerning a straining situation in the Russian rail freight market due to locomotive shortages are confirmed. Dmitry Pegov, deputy general director of Russian Railways (RZD), commented on his country’s media that by 2035 the state-owned operator will be 1,500 locomotives short. At the same time, he mentioned that Russia’s locomotive production capacity has long been exceeded.
Locomotive shortages have allegedly been a delaying factor for RZD’s trains throughout 2023, a trend that possibly continues in 2024. In particular, the Russian operator undisclosed that around 50,000 trains were suspended or delayed last year (double compared to 2022), mainly due to the inability to import spare parts and other equipment for locomotive repair and maintenance. Throughout 2024, RZD expects that over 20 trains will be cancelled daily nationwide because of maintenance issues.
Repair and maintenance are not Russian Railways’ only headaches at the moment; the company is also struggling to acquire new locomotives. “We may find ourselves in a deficit of almost 1,500 locomotives by 2035,” said Dmitry Pegov, who clarified that this number is “beyond the capabilities of Russian manufacturing plants”.
In 2023, RZD purchased 557 new Russian-produced locomotives, of which 310 were electric and 247 diesel-powered. For 2024, the plan was for RZD to buy 549 locomotives, including 290 electric and 259 diesel locomotives. Currently, the company is reportedly in dire need of electric locomotives. Understandably, importing rolling stock is not the most viable option the company has at hand.