EP10
| Industry | Locomotive manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Products | Electric locomotives (including EP10) |
| Parent | Transmashholding (implied from contract) |
{{Infobox locomotive
| name = ЭП10
EP10
| powertype = Electric
| image = Premium (Russian Train).jpg
| caption = EP10-007 leading a passenger train in 2010
| builder = NEVZ, Adtranz/Bombardier Transportation
| builddate = 1998*, 2005–2006
| totalproduction = 12
| uicclass = Bo-Bo-Bo
| gauge =
| wheelbase = (bogie centre distance)
(bogie axle distance, ends)
| length = (over couplers)
| width =
| locoweight =
| electricsystem = 3 kV DC/ Catenary
| collectionmethod = Pantograph
| tractionmotors = SТА-1200
| maxspeed =
| poweroutput = (continuous)
(hourly)
| tractiveeffort = (starting)
@
| operator = RŽD
|}
The EP10 () is a six-axle, dual-voltage electric locomotive developed for passenger transport by Russian Railways (RŽD). It was manufactured by the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (NEVZ) in cooperation with Adtranz/Bombardier. Due to its expensive design, only a dozen units were produced.
History
Prior to the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia relied on passenger locomotives imported from Czechoslovakia. These imports later proved to be financially burdensome, prompting efforts by the Russian government to create indigenous passenger rolling stock.
On 23 November 1996, Decree 1400 was issued by the Russian Government to fund the development of next-generation passenger rolling stock. This included the ЭП10, a six-axle, dual-system locomotive with a power output of 6.6 MW, equipped with asynchronous traction motors, regenerative and rheostatic braking systems, and capable of speeds between 120 and 160 km/h. The project was led by OJSC VELNII and OJSC NEVZ, working alongside an international partner. The initial plan called for a prototype to be completed in 1997, with serial production commencing in 1999.
The prototype was unveiled at NEVZ on 20 November 1998.
Further plans envisioned variants operating exclusively on DC or AC power—designated EP2 and EP3 respectively—utilizing the asynchronous traction technology developed for the ЭП10.
Certification testing was finalized in February 2005. That same year, an order for eleven locomotives was placed with Transmashholding and Bombardier Transportation, with manufacturing beginning immediately on units No.2 and No.3. The contract had a value of 450 million rubles; however, due to the high cost per unit, RZhD initially refrained from placing additional orders.
In 2006, RZhD's chief engineer, Valentin Gapanovich, characterized the ЭП10 as not a very promising locomotive (), which limited production to just twelve units despite growing demand for dual-voltage locomotives. Instead, Transmashholding pursued a collaboration with a foreign partner to develop the EP20 model, aiming for an order exceeding 230 units.
Design
The body and bogies of the prototype locomotives were designed by VELNII and NEVZ based on the earlier VL65 model. Electrical components such as semiconductor converters, control systems, and transformers were derived from designs by Adtranz, including those used in the Swiss Re 460 series (SBB-CFF-FFS Re 460) and Germany’s DB Class 145 and 146 (DBAG Class 145 and 146). These locomotives are capable of operating under both 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz AC electrification systems using asynchronous traction motors. Key design elements include frame-mounted traction motors, power conversion through a four-quadrant rectifier feeding an intermediate DC link connected to a GTO-based inverter, along with microprocessor-based control and diagnostic systems.
They utilize water-cooled MITRAC TC3100 inverters rated at 2500 kW each, each inverter powering two parallel-connected traction motors. The three-phase induction motors feature dual 'half' windings per phase; each traction unit contains eight four-quadrant converters (4QC) driving two asynchronous motors. When supplied with DC voltage (3 kV nominal, up to a peak of 4 kV), two three-phase inverter blocks are connected in series to energize one set of 'half' windings on parallel motors. Under a supply of 25 kV AC, voltage is stepped down to approximately 2.8 kV before being rectified to an intermediate DC link that powers inverter blocks which energize motors with 'half' windings connected in series.
This configuration achieves efficiency levels up to 86% on AC supply and up to 88% on DC supply while maintaining reliable performance across temperatures ranging from −50°C to +60°C.
Operations
By the year 2006, these locomotives were deployed on major corridors such as Moscow–Minsk–Brest and Moscow–St. Petersburg–Vainikkala, which connects to Helsinki. Additionally, they served routes from Moscow to cities including Nizhny-Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, and Kazan. The EP10 was also responsible for pulling the Capitals Express overnight service between Moscow and Kyiv, highlighting its significance in cross-border passenger transport throughout Eastern Europe.