Hors d'oeuvres - the latest, most interesting news

KISS EMUs At Shcherbinka

Following the presentation event of ESh2-001 in November 2014 in Moskva, authorisation procedures of Aeroexpress KISS EMUs started at once. The first train was taken to the Shcherbinka test circuit, where test runs are to be made, some of these under winter conditions. The photo shows ESh2-001 there, together with the four-car ESh2-002 EMU, on 13 January 2015.

First Aeroexpress KISS EMU In Russia

On 11 November 2014 ESh2-001 arrived at Imeni Ilyicha depot (named after Vladimir Ilyich Lenin), in the northwest of Moskva, near Belorusskaya station. This depot is currently the maintenance base for Aeroexpress’s single-deck EMUs. The accompanying photo taken on 12 November features ESh2-001and ED4MKM-0007.

Aeroexpress KISS Arrives At Fanipol

Following its long journey from Switzerland, on 30 September 2014 the first Aeroexpress KISS EMU arrived at Stadler’s new works at Fanipol, near Minsk. This photo shows it at Fanipol station, just before it was pulled into the works complex.

Aeroexpress EMU Cars Begin Rhein Voyage

On 6 September 2014 the first Aeroexpress KISS EMU was embarked on a barge at Muttenz, near Basel, for the descent of the Rhein to Amsterdam. Note that the cars are now mounted on their bogies, which in turn rest on specially designed palettes, fitted with short stretches of rail.

First Aeroexpress KISS Starts Delivery Journey

Starting in early August 2014 Stadler despatched from Altenrhein works the cars (without bogies) for the first six-car Class ESh2 KISS EMU destined for Aeroexpress. The first photo, taken on 1 September 2014, shows the last car before departure from the works. Subsequent views were taken at Rorschach station and Roggwil, en route to Basel (Muttenz), on the same day, a three-night journey. At Basel the cars will be mounted on 1,520 mm gauge bogies.
This multi-modal delivery is complicated by the train’s huge dimensions. Between Basel and Amsterdam the cars will descend the Rhein by barge, and then will be re-embarked on a ship bound for Sassnitz (arrival scheduled for 15 September). At Sassnitz the cars will be formed into the complete unit and tested. Then follows another voyage up the Baltic, to Klaipéda. Here the train is to be railed, and moved to the Stadler works at Fanipol, near Minsk, where commissioning will take place before delivery, by rail, to Moskva.

Final Assembly Start For Aeroexpress KISS EMUs

On 15 April 2014 at a reception held by Stadler and Aeroexpress at Altenrhein works, attended by business partners, politicians and other guests, four of the bodyshells ready for the final assembly stage of the first double deck EMUs being built for Aeroexpress were presented.

First Aeroexpress KISS EMU Bodyshell

In late January 2014 at the Altenrhein works Stadler finished building the first aluminium bodyshell for the first of the 25 double deck EMUs ordered by Aeroexpress for Moskva airport services (the photo was taken on 22 January). The first three trains are to be built completely at Altenrhein.

Double-Deck EMUs For Aeroexpress

On 13 February Stadler announced that it has won a contract from the Russian rail operator Aeroexpress for 24 double deck EMUs (16 four-car and eight six-car trains), to operate on the shuttle services from Moskva to the capital’s three major airports. The contract is worth around 350 million EUR, and incorporates an option clause for 13 more trains. The EMUs are to be built partly in Switzerland and partly at Stadler’s new factory in Minsk, which is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in autumn 2013. They are to be delivered by the end of 2016.