OREANDA-NEWS. January 11, 2007. The Russian certification register for the federal railway transport has issued a certificate of compliance for an E5K main line freight AC locomotive pilot batch to be manufactured by the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (NEVZ), reported the press-centre of Transmashholding.

The certificate is valid until December 24, 2008 and authorizes production of 30 locomotives. Under the contract between Transmashholding and RZD, a total of 109 locomotives is to be delivered to the railways by the end of 2009.

The E5K is a one-section electric locomotive derived from the 2ES5K Ermak. It is designed to perform shunting and removal works and to lead relatively light trains. On the Russian railways, the E5K will replace VL60K manufactured by the NEVZ in 1957-1967.