SCR fleet has been replenished with two new EP2D electric trains

ArmInfo.Presentation of two new EP2D electric trains of the South Caucasus Railway, which will run from Yerevan in the direction of Gyumri and Yeraskh, took place  at the Yerevan railway station.

The electric trains comply with international requirements for the  safety and comfort of passenger transportation.

During the solemn presentation of the new electric trains, General  Director of "South Caucasus Railway" CJSC Aleksey Melnikov noted that  the acquisition of the latter would increase the attractiveness of  the railway and enable our passengers to more comfortably travel  through the territory of Armenia.

According to him, this year the SCR investment program includes  almost 17 billion drams, of which most of it is directed to renewing  the rolling stock. Melnikov said that 10 billion drams were allocated  for the purchase of new 27 units of carriage and 2.5 billion drams  for the purchase of electric trains.  

At the same time, Melnikov expressed gratitude to the Ministry of  Territorial Administration and Infrastructures: "Over the past few  years, we have made serious progress in matters of interaction in  terms of rolling stock renewal and infrastructure repair. I am sure  that we will continue this practice so that passengers and guests of  Armenia know that the railway has been, and will always operate>,   noted the Director General of the SCR.

Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan, who previously held  the post of Minister of Territorial Administration and  Infrastructures, was also present at the ceremony. "Today we are  reaping the benefits of working together," he said. In this vein, the  Deputy Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the Deputy Minister of  Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Armen Simonyan. He  informed about the agreement, in the coming months to create an  opportunity for electric trains to carry out the route in the  direction of Sevan and Shorzhi.

In turn,  newly appointed Minister of Territorial Administration and  Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan noted that the role of railway  transport in Armenia is growing, both in terms of passenger  transportation and cargo transportation. "The new electric trains  comply with all international standards in terms of comfort and  safety," the minister said.

This year, according to him, a major overhaul of 9.5 km of railway  lines is expected, for which 2.7 billion drams were allocated, and 15  billion drams have already been spent on replenishing the rolling  stock. "The volume of work and funding is growing from year to year,"  he said.

Representative of the Russian Embassy Alexey Sinegubov noted that the  purchase of electric trains is another step of the SCR towards a  complete renewal of the rolling stock within the framework of the  investment program adjusted at the request of the Armenian side.  "Investments in transport infrastructure will give an additional  impetus to the development of the economy as a whole, and will have  the most positive effect on increasing the tourism potential of  Armenia," he stressed.

It should be noted that the Director General of the SCR presented the  Badge of the Honorary Railwayman to Suren Papikyan for effective and  successful cooperation: "I always knew that SCR has strong support in  your person. Thank you for the constructive working approach to our  work. Congratulations, during this time you have become a real  railroad worker.

On the same day, an open door day was held in the SCR, during which  about 100 schoolchildren arrived at the station to get acquainted  with the exposition of the Museum of the Railway of Armenia and the  new rolling stock.

It should be reminded that the South Caucasian Railway CJSC is a 100%  subsidiary of the Russian Railways OJSC and carries out concession  management of the Armenian railways. The railway infrastructure of  Armenia was transferred to the concession management of the SCR CJSC  in accordance with the Concession Agreement signed on February 13,  2008. The term of the concession management is 30 years with the  right to renew for another 10 years.