OREANDA-NEWS. Russian Railways is to begin operating Lastochka trains in the run-up to the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Sochi in early 2014.

During the first stage, the Lastochka trains will run at 30% of the maximum level envisaged during the Olympics.

The Lastochka will run on the following routes:

Sochi - Adler - Olympic Park (34 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Olympic Park - Adler - Sochi (32 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Sochi - Adler - Krasnaya Polyana (23 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Krasnaya Polyana - Adler - Sochi (22 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Olympic Park - Krasnaya Polyana (8 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Krasnaya Polyana - Olympic Park (8 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Sochi - Adler - Sochi Airport (11 pairs of Lastochka trains);

Sochi Airport - Adler - Sochi (11 pairs of Lastochka trains).

From 7 January 2014, the Lastochka service will run at 50% of the maximum level envisaged during the Olympics. For the Olympic Games, the timetable will of course be implemented in full.

Russian Railways is allocating 38 trains Lastochka for the Olympics, enabling the Company to put on four trains from Krasnaya Polyana to Adler every hour and four in the opposite direction, from Adler to Krasnaya Polyana.

As a result, the Company will be able to provide transportation for about 7,000 passengers an hour during the Sochi 2014 Games.

The Lastochka train is designed for suburban passenger transport on Russia's railways and for stations equipped with both high and low platforms. The Lastochka has a maximum operating speed of 160 kph and can operate at ambient temperatures from +40°C to -40°C without any particular limitations and taking into account maritime conditions.

Safety equipment installed outside the carriages and without heating can operate at extreme temperatures between +50°C to -55°C.

In addition to its wide operating temperature range, the Lastochka is also designed to run in different climatic zones by preventing the accumulation of ice, snow and condensation in different parts of the rolling stock, for example, by using sealed insulation on components, installing local heating systems and ensuring drainage.

For the transportation of sport equipment during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, each leading carriage has a special hinged bracket to prevent it from falling when the train is in motion.

In addition to overhead luggage bins in all carriages, there are also two luggage racks.

Each carriage is equipped with a compact air conditioning system located on the carriage roof. The recycled air is decontaminated by ultraviolet radiation.

The Lastochka electric train has a dual-system engine with the ability to supply two kinds of power, 3 kW direct current (DC) and 25 kW 50 Hz alternating current (AC).