Mastering and development of industrial production of rolling stock in Ukraine (1991-2022)

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JSK “Ukrzaliznytsia”;

PO “Ukrainian Railway Heritage Restoration Fund”

Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University

Mastering and development of industrial production of rolling stock in Ukraine (1991-2022)

Mykola Ruban, Andrii Fomin

Kyiv, Severodonetsk

Abstract

mastering industrial rolling stock

The article attempts to investigate the historical circumstances of the mastering and development of the industrial production of rolling stock in Ukrain e from 1991 to 2021. The aim of the article is to carry out a retrospective analysis of events and a historical and technical summary of the main measures, problems, and consequences of the development of industrial production of rolling stock in Ukraine from 1991 to 2021 on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of sources and scientific literature. In the course of the scientific development of the proposed research, materials from mass-circulation newspapers, industry publications of railway transport, as well as technical studies of employees of manufacturing plants were used. It has been determined that during 1991-2008, the engineering and design team of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”, having a strong scientific and production potential, by order of the State Administration of Railway Transport - Ukrzaliznytsia - for the purpose of import substitution, designed and mastered the industrial production of innovative models of rolling stock for social purposes, namely diesel trains DEL-01 and DEL-02, as well as electric trains EPL2T and EPL9T to meet the needs of Ukrainian railways with high-tech equipment. It has been found that with the beginning of the economic and financial crisis of2008 and a significant reduction in Ukrzaliznytsia's orders, the production of rolling stock at the facilities of HC “Luhanskteplovoz ” was actually stopped, and the enterprise, privatized by a Russian investor, focused mainly on the production of locomotives. Instead, since 2012, the production of rolling stock on its own design platform has been mastered as part of the diversification of PJSC “Kriukiv Railway Car Building Works ”. In the end, the historical experience of the formation and development of the Ukrainian research and production base of railway engineering needs to be properly understood in the context of a retrospective analysis of the industry's production activities to clarify the reasons for its inefficient development, as well as the determination of conceptual ways of harmonizing the domestic design and technological potential with the actual needs for updating the fleet of traction rolling stock of global transport operators. Further research into the history of the development of railway mechanical engineering in Ukraine requires clarification of the historical circumstances of the institutionalization of design bureaus of individual enterprises in the direction of scientific research activities.

Keywords: rolling stock; Luhansk (Voroshilovgrad) Diesel Locomotive Plant; Kriukiv Railway Car Building Works; railway engineering; Ukrainian railways; State holding company “Luhanskteplovoz”

Анотація

Микола Рубан АТ “Укрзалізниця”, Україна ГО “Фонд відновлення залізничної спадщини України”, Україна

Андрій Фомін Східноукраїнський національний університет імені Володимира Даля, Україна

Освоєння та розвиток промислового виробництва моторвагонного рухомого складу в Україні (1991-2022)

У статті здійснено спробу дослідити історичні обставини освоєння та розвитку промислового виробництва моторвагонного рухомого складу в Україні 1991-2021 рр. Мета статті - здійснити ретроспективний аналіз подій та історико-технічне узагальнення основних заходів, проблем та наслідків освоєння промислового виробництва моторвагонного рухомого складу в Україні 1991-2021 рр. на підставі комплексного аналізу джерел та наукової літератури. В ході наукової розробки запропонованої розвідки були використані матеріали багатотиражних газет, галузевих видань залізничного транспорту, а також технічні дослідження працівників заводів-виробників. Визначено, що протягом 1991-2008-х рр. інженерно-конструкторський колектив ХК “Луганськтепловоз”, маючи потужний науково-виробничий потенціал, на замовлення Державної адміністрації залізничного транспорту - Укрзалізниці - з метою імпортозаміщення здійснив конструювання й освоїв промислове виробництво новаторських зразків моторвагонного рухомого складу соціального призначення, а саме дизель-поїздів ДЕЛ-01 та ДЕЛ-02, а також електропоїздів ЕПЛ2Т та ЕПЛ9Т для забезпечення потреб українських залізниць високотехнологічною технікою. З'ясовано, що з початком економічної фінансової кризи 2008 р. та суттєвим скороченням замовлень Укрзалізниці виробництво моторвагонного рухомого складу на потужностях ХК “Луганськтепловоз”було фактично припинене, а приватизоване російським інвестором підприємство зосередилось переважно на виробництві локомотивів. Натомість з 2012 р. виробництво моторвагонного рухомого складу на власній конструкторській платформі було освоєно в рамках диверсифікації ПАТ “Крюківський вагонобудівний завод”. Зрештою, історичний досвід становлення та розвитку української науково-виробничої бази залізничного машинобудування потребує свого належного осмислення в контексті здійснення ретроспективного аналізу виробничої діяльності галузі щодо з'ясування причин її неефективного розвитку, а також визначення концептуальних шляхів узгодження вітчизняного конструкторсько-технологічного потенціалу з актуальними потребами в оновленні парку тягового рухомого складу світових транспортних операторів. Подальше дослідження історії розвитку залізничного машинобудування в Україні потребує з'ясування історичних обставин інституалізації конструкторських бюро окремих підприємств у напрямку здійснення науково -дослідної діяльності.

Ключові слова: моторвагонний рухомий склад; Луганський (Ворошиловградський) тепловозобудівний завод; Крюківський вагонобудівний завод; залізничне машинобудування; українські залізниці; Державна холдингова компанія “Луганськтепловоз”

Introduction

Today, the situation with suburban transport in Ukraine has reached a critical state. According to the technical documentation, despite the overhaul and extension of the service life, the wear and tear of the suburban electric train fleet of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” amount to more than 87.5%, and diesel trains - 97.2%. In particular, on the railways of Ukraine, electrified with direct current, the electric trains of the Riga Wagon Building Plant of models EP1 and EP2, which have reached a 60 - year period of intensive operation, and, accordingly, have exhausted all possible laid resources, are in operation. During the times of the USSR, specialized Ukrainian enterprises produced only freight cars and main-line diesel locomotives. In the absence of convertible currency for the purchase of a sufficient amount of equipment abroad, the management of Ukrzaliznytsia decided to combine imports with the organization of the production of rolling stock at existing capacities and to make an attempt to solve the problem on the basis of domestic enterprises of railway engineering (Moskalenko & Mukminova, 1996, p. 94).

Relevance of the topic

The analysis of the history of the formation of the production activity of Ukrainian transport engineering enterprises is updated in the context of clarifying the causes of the systemic crisis of the industry in the early 2000s, searching for ways out of it for basic historical enterprises, determination of conceptual ways of harmonizing their design and technological potential with actual needs for updating the fleet of traction rolling stock of transport operators, based on the accumulated experience and the traditionally significant export potential of the industry.

Research and publication analysis

For a long time, the prerequisites for the formation and the circumstances of the development of the industrial production of rolling stock in independent Ukraine did not find comprehensive coverage in the national historiography. The works by A. Shtemov (Shtemov, 1967), G. Zhdanov (Zhdanov, 1981), V. Shcherbakov (Shcherbakov, 1998), V. Rybinets (Rybinets, 1996), Yu. Tsygankov-Serebryakov (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006), G. Kudiyarova (Kudiyarova, 2019), and others are devoted to the study of production activities of domestic railway engineering enterprises. A retrospective analysis of the technical characteristics of domestic railway equipment, forecasting its design and technological development is presented in the works of V. Rakov (Rakov, 1990), G. Basov, S. Yatsko (Basov, 2000, 2001, 2004; Basov & Yatsko, 2005), O. Buyanov (Buyanov, 2005), E. Abramov (Abramov, 2015 a), as well as a number of investigations by authors (Ruban, 2020a; Ruban, 2020b; Ruban & Fomin, 2020; Ruban & Ponomarenko, 2021). However, these studies have been focused mainly on the Soviet period of the history of enterprises, do not show the completeness of the outlined topic, and require the introduction of additional new sources into scientific circulation. The analysis of the history of the production activity of the transport engineering enterprises of Ukraine acquires its relevance against the background of the general reform of the domestic industry, the prospects of innovative post-war development, the need to renew the traction rolling stock, taking into account the historical experience of solving the specified issue.

The source base of the research has been made up of the legal acts of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and branch Ministries, as well as the branch publications “Magistral”, “Ukrainian Technical Gazette”, “Economic News”, “October Horn” and “Vagonobudivnyk”.

Therefore, the subject of the study is the organization of the production of rolling stock at the industrial facilities of domestic enterprises during the years of independence. The chronological boundaries cover the period from the declaration of Ukraine's independence in 1991 to the beginning of Russia's open large-scale military aggression in February 2022, which is divided into three main stages: 1) the production monopoly of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” (1991-2008); 2) diversification of production of PJSC “Kriukiv Railway Car Building Works ” (2008-2022); 3) focus on European manufacturers (since 2022).

The purpose of the article is to carry out a retrospective analysis of events and a historical and technical overview of the main measures, problems, and consequences of the development of the industrial production of rolling stock in Ukraine in 1991 - 2022 (at the facilities of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” and PJSC” Kriukiv Railway Car Building Works” - hereafter PJSC “KRCBW”), on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of sources and scientific literature, which involves solving the following research tasks: first, to find out the technical condition of the rolling stock of Ukrzaliznytsia in the 1990s; secondly, consider the prerequisites for construction and technical features of the MU produced by HC “Luhanskteplovoz”; thirdly, to determine the circumstances and reasons for the formation of the current monopoly position of PJSC “KRCBW” in the field of rolling stock production in Ukraine.

Research methods

When writing the article, general scientific methods and principles of historical research have been used. The work is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, continuity, multifactoriality, complexity, and pluralism. Historical-comparative, prosopographic, and problem-chronological methods (Fullerton, 2011) have been used in the study, which provided an opportunity to carry out a detailed analysis of the prerequisites, historical circumstances and development of the production of rolling stock in Ukraine in 1991-2022.

Results and discussion

In the early 1990s, one of the main problems of the development of the logistical and technical base of rail transport in the CIS countries was the need to renew the rolling stock fleet. Until 1991, the only producer of rolling stock in the USSR was the Riga Wagon Building Plant (Latvia), some diesel trains were supplied by the countries of the socialist camp. In these conditions, already in the early 1990s, given the lack of convertible currency for the export of railway equipment, the search for ways to create own production of the specified products began.

The Russian government decided to urgently deploy the capacity for the production of electric commuter trains on the basis of the Demikhov Machine-Building Plant, the possibility of repurposing into the construction of additional trailer cars for electric trains was considered since the early 1980s. In parallel with this, the production of electric trains was started at the capacity of the Torzhotsk Car Building Plant (Abramov, 2015b, p. 344, 349, 350). In the fall of 1993, the first electric trains of both manufacturers were sent for testing to the experimental range of the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation, and the following year, the development of an electric train of its own design at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant, as well as a diesel train of the Lyudinovsky Locomotive Plant, was started (Shcherbakov, 1998, p. 240; Abramov, 2015b, p. 248, 391).

In Ukraine, based on the mentioned circumstances, a scientific and technical cooperation section (STCS) was created at the State Administration of Railway Transport - Ukrzaliznytsia to coordinate the activities of manufacturers, scientific organizations, and railways, which included representatives of 6 railways of Ukraine, specialized departments of Ukrzaliznytsia, and factories - manufacturers of rolling stock and railway systems. The functions of STCS in the field of locomotive management were: development, testing, commissioning of traction rolling stock (TRS), modernization of existing TRS, changing the technology and rules of its operation, development of safety equipment systems on railways, etc. The first organizational meeting of STCS was held in Luhansk on August 19, 1992, during which the priority dates for the design and serial production stages of new equipment were agreed upon (Krayevoy, August 26, 1992; Lozovoy, August 26, 1992). In the conditions of the economic crisis of the 1990s and, accordingly, the decrease in demand for mainline diesel locomotives, the Central Design Bureau of Voroshilovgradteplovoz was given the task of expanding the range of products in order to move away from single-purpose production with the maximum use of the available production capacities of the enterprise (Buyanov, 2005, p. 244).

Since the mid-1950s, the Luhansk Diesel Locomotive Plant not only specialized in the industrial production of mainline and shunting diesel locomotives with various types of transmission but also had successful experience in the development of gas turbo locomotives, conveyors for the transportation of oversized cargo with a carrying capacity of 160-320 tons (Shternov, 1967, pp. 113-117, 120). From 1976 to 1995, the Luhansk Diesel Locomotive Plant was called Voroshilovgradteplovoz Production Association (in separate documents - PA “Luhanskteplovoz”) (Zhdanov, 1981, p. 183, Rybinets, 1996, p. 340). The enormous experience of the staff of the Luhansk plant in the design and construction of experimental locomotives, as well as their research in experimental operational conditions, made an invaluable contribution to the world science of transport engineering. By the mid-1980s, PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” produced 95% of main diesel locomotives in the USSR with a monthly schedule of 115-120 sections, and products were exported to the GDR, Bulgaria. Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, the DPRK, Cuba, Syria, and Iraq (Zhdanov, 1981, p. 157; Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 323). The enterprise was of exceptional social importance, providing work for tens of thousands of Luhansk residents and supporting the social infrastructure of the city.

In July 1992, the Ministry of Machine-Building, Military-Industrial Complex and Conversion approved the “Railway Transport Development Program of Ukraine ”, designed until 1998. During this time, PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” was supposed to establish the production of 7 new types of rail cars, in particular electric and diesel trains, and at the enterprise itself, it was planned to create a testing ground for experimental rolling stock (Rybinets, 1996, p. 340). During the period from 1990 to 1999, the fleet of diesel trains in Ukrzaliznytsia drastically decreased - from 287 to 94 units, and electric trains - from 1512 to 1472 units (taking into account the almost complete development of the operational resource of this technique) (Fediushyn, 2001, pp. ⁷-⁸⁾.

In 1992, the Central Design Bureau of PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” began working on the drawings of the future diesel train, and already at the end of December 1993, at a meeting of the Technical and Economic Council of Ukrzaliznytsia in Luhansk, its preliminary project was discussed (Buyanov, 2005, p. 244). In accordance with the world practice of rolling stock development, an experimental diesel train with the electric transmission of alternating current and the use of asynchronous traction motors was developed, the release of which was planned to be established within 2 years (Moskalenko & Mukminova, 1996, p. 45).

On June 4, 1994, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted Resolution № 364 “On the organization of the production of diesel and electric train cars”, according to which the Ministry of Machine-Building, Military-Industrial Complex and Conversion was entrusted with the functions of coordinating work on the development of structures of electric train cars, components for them, the creation of production facilities and the organization of their production, and PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” was determined as the main enterprise-manufacturer of final products. In 1995, the amount of funding for research on the development of a diesel train amounted to 20 000 000 000 UAK (over 1 100 000 USD), preparation for production - 22 000 000 000 UAK (over 1 200 000 USD) in the prices of January 1, 1994, the number of capital investments for the creation of production facilities was also determined, which, however, given the economic situation at that time, was subject to annual indexation. According to the plan, 400 direct current electric train cars and 280 alternating current electric train cars were to be manufactured by 1998 inclusive. The total amount of funding for research and design works, as well as capital investments for the renewal of the Association's production facilities, amounted to 1 482 400 000 000 UAK (over 84 708 000 USD) in 1994 prices (The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (June 4, 1994) Resoluti on № 364 “On the Organization of the Production of Diesel and Electric Train Cars ”) It should be noted that in 1994 alone, the inflation rate was more than 400%, and in general, by 1998, it is possible to state a complete depreciation of the funds laid down by this Resolution..

Luhansk Diesel Locomotive Plant in the conditions of market transformation of the economy of Ukraine.

As a result of the gradual disintegration of the single economic complex of PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” into a number of independent enterprises, which led to the loss of controllability, unjustified diversification, and additional production costs, the prerequisites for deepening its crisis state were laid (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, pp. 265-266). On May 19, 1995, the State Holding Company

“Luhanskteplovoz” was created on the basis of PA “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” by the decree of the President of Ukraine. On October 3, 1995, its state registration was carried out. On October 29, by order of the State Property Fund - of Ukraine № 23 JSC “Voroshilovgradteplovoz” was transformed into the State Holding Company “Luhanskteplovoz”. At the proposal of the company's management, the State Property Fund decided to create a number of subsidiaries within it (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 236).

In October 1996, the State Commission for Securities and the Stock Market registered information on the issue of the Company's shares. The State Property Fund of Ukraine has put up 24.9% of the Company's shares for a concessional sale, with all structural divisions of the Company and subsidiaries. At that time, the main problem, in addition to the decline in production, was excessively high costs for non-core assets of the social sphere. In particular, in 1996, not only the entire balance sheet profit of the Company was spent on their maintenance, but also partly the funds of product development and material incentive funds (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 242, 245, 246).

As of 1995, more than 40% of diesel trains were subject to decommissioning. On May 13, 1994, by Resolution № 308 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On State Support of Railway Transport in 1994 ” the state budget provided for the allocation of 1 000 000 000 000 UAK (over 57 000 000 USD) o Ukrzaliznytsia in the second half of 1994 for the acquisition and development of the production of rolling stock. As of 1995, more than 40% of diesel trains in Ukraine were subject to decommissioning, and during 1994-1995, in order to urgently replenish the fleet of rolling stock Ukrzaliznytsia purchased 1 DR1A diesel train, 6 ER2T electric trains and 5 ER9T electric trains from Latvia on a barter basis. However, already in 1996, suburban rolling stock was determined to be the last in priority in the sequence of payment of Ukrzaliznytsia payments (Moskalenko & Mukminova, 1996, p. 66, 94).

The development of a new range of products, in particular rolling stock, required the modernization of the existing production sites of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”. In particular, the production of special test stands for complex testing of pneumatic and electric systems. Mastering the production of electric trains required the construction of a test electrified section with a direct and alternating current contact network, as well as a traction substation. In order to ensure the production of rolling stock in the volumes expected for the needs of Ukrzaliznytsia, there was a need for capital investments of 10 000 000 UAH (over 5 600 000 USD). Ukrzaliznytsia was ready to allocate funds for new equipment in the form of a commodity loan with subsequent payment in the form of product supply for a period of 3 years. At the same time, the situation of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” was greatly complicated by the insufficient work of the company's economic management, since a number of contracts were executed with serious losses, as a result of which the company's financial condition became critical (TsygankovSerebryakov, 2006, p. 266).

In 1998, the first tender for the sale of shares in HC “Luhanskteplovoz” was announced. Resolution № 769 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated June 2, 1998, approved the State scientific and technical program “Development of rail rolling stock of social purpose for railway transport and urban economy” for 1997-2002. The production of the products envisaged by the program was supposed to save foreign exchange funds in the amount of 890 000 000 USD and create about 60,000 jobs with a payback period of 2.4 to 5.1 years for various types of products. As of 1999, the company's export volume increased 2.1 times and reached a share of 41.2% in the total production volume. Expenses decreased to 12 700 000 UAH (over 7 000 000 USD). However, the main cause of losses was not resolved - the costs of maintaining the state housing fund, the main assets of which were not included in the company's statutory fund, but were on its balance sheet. Thus, in 1998, 8 600 000 UAH were spent on its maintenance, including 6 600 000 UAH at the expense of balance sheet profit. The Company's subsidiaries had negative profitability (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 240, 274).

In 2000, the first competition for the sale of 76% of the shares of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”, took place, in which the only participant and winner was CJSC “AvtoKraz” This fact was negatively perceived by the management of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”, which was supported by the local authorities of the region, and even by the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine at that time. The Company's management demanded a new open tender, giving preference to Russian investors. In the end, the results of the competition were canceled by the State Property Fund, and a number of attempts to sell a controlling stake in HC “Luhanskteplovoz” to a Ukrainian investor were unsuccessful (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 314, 338). Only on July 19, 2006, the State Property Fund of Ukraine again allowed the sale of a controlling stake of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”, and on March 23, 2007, it was sold to the Russian company “Transmashholding” for 58 000 000 USD (Pavlyuk, June 22, 2010).

Circumstances of creation and technical characteristics of rolling stock manufactured by HC “Luhanskteplovoz”.

It was decided to time the release of the first DEL-01 diesel train with AC electric transmission and asynchronous traction motors presented in figure 1, consisting of 2 motor main and 2 trailer cars, to the 100th anniversary of the Luhansk plant in 1996 (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 237).

Figure 1 DEL-01 diesel train on the territory of HC “Luhanskteplovoz”, 1996. (Moskalenko & Mukminova, 1996)

During the preparation of the assembly of the diesel train, the team of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” developed, manufactured, and implemented specialized equipment to ensure the temperature regimes of the technological process of painting, a new technology of cold oxidation in solutions that did not contain harmful substances was introduced, the process of processing wooden parts with a new flame retardant was introduced in the test and approval workshop, the production of original plastic and rubber products was mastered. Working drawings were also developed for an installation for automatic welding of the sidewalls of diesel train bogies, an installation for automatic arc spot welding along the perimeter of the frame decking sheets, and automatic welding of the body roof (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 240). On March 4, 1996, the coordination headquarters was established and the assembly of the main car of the diesel train began. The first section of the main carriage was to be assembled in March, and the second in April. However, this process was carried out in difficult conditions due to the absence of many nodes. As a result of late payment, the orders of the involved organizations of private ownership, created at the Company's production sites, were not provided (Torop, March 18, 1996). Nevertheless, in July 1996, the workers managed to conduct bench tests of nodes and complete the assembly of the diesel train, and already on August 3-4, 1996, the experimental model of the DEL-01001 diesel train was presented at the exhibition “Railway Transport of Ukraine - 96” (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 242).

The DEL-01 diesel train was designed for commuter transportation of passengers in regions with a temperate climate. The main component of a diesel train was 4 wagons (2 motor, 2 trailer). The control scheme provided the possibility of operating two articulated diesel trains from one control post. The transmission was electric, with asynchronous traction electric motors and frequency converters. The brake was electric, electro-pneumatic, and manual. The carriage of the motor car was nonpedestal with an individual drive of pairs of wheels. The suspension of the traction motor and traction reducer was support-frame. The torque was transmitted to the wheels through a hollow shaft and a rubber coupling. The two-stage spring suspension provided high smoothness of movement. The cars of the diesel train were equipped with the SA-3 auto clutch. The motor car had two, and the trailer had three external sliding doors on both sides. Passenger capacity - 416 people, including 72 in the motor car, and 136 in the trailer (Basov, 2004, pp. 108-110). For installation on the future diesel train by the Kharkiv Design Bureau of Engine Construction of the Plant named after V. Malyshev, on the basis of the six-cylinder tank engine, 6TD-1 of his own development in the mid-1970s, a 588DA diesel generator set with a capacity of 540 kW was created, which successfully passed factory and acceptance tests until 1996 (Budenny, 2001, p. 313, 364).

In the summer of 1996, the specialists of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” completed the development and began the production of an experimental batch of self-developed trailer cars in the amount of 8 units. On November 28, 1996, the running-in of the trailer car of the diesel train began on the Luhansk-Starobilsk section (TsygankovSerebryakov, 2006, p. 242). The frame elements of the cars were made of structural carbon or low-alloy steel; the cladding of the side walls, roof, and frame flooring were made of stainless steel. There were closed cylinder-type transition platforms between the cars, which ensured the safe passage of passengers from one car to another. The layout of the body is partially borrowed from Soviet electric trains: the main car had 2 on each side, and the intermediate car had 3 external sliding doors (Basov, 2004, pp. 177-192).

At the beginning of 1997, a training was conducted for chief specialists, heads of shops and services to implement the ISO 9000 international product quality assurance standard. At the same time, the first launch was carried out and preparations for the tests of the DEL01-001 diesel train began (managers Yu. Kuzmenko, G. Glazunov, leading experts G. Pupinin, V. Myasnikov, G. Tikin). The general management of the activities was carried out by the head of the test center, deputy chief designer S. Hryshchenko (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 244). On July 22-23, 1997, a meeting of the reception interdepartmental commission was held on the issue of diesel train tests. The commission reviewed the technical documentation and inspected the trailer wagons as part of suburban trains with a trial trip on the Luhansk-Northern - Transitna route. In some sections, the train reached a speed of 120 km/h. The commission approved the compliance of the wagons with the conditions for delivery and the possibility of operational tests on railways with passengers. At the same time, measures were outlined to improve the quality of wagons from the perspective of their serial production.

In the end, only at the end of 1998, with the participation of workers, designers, and chief specialists of the involved enterprises, in particular, NPO “Elektrotyazmash” (Kharkiv), NPO “Peretvoriuvach” (Zaporizhia) positive results were obtained from the settings and tests of the electric transmission on the first main section of the DEL-01 diesel train: it was possible to debug the system of work on two converters of traction asynchronous motors, there were prospects that in 1999 the DEL-01 diesel train would be able to start running tests. On July 29-31, 1999, the DEL-01 Luhansk diesel train was presented at the second International Exhibition “Railway Partners on the 1520 mm Track” (Kyiv) (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 246, 257, 267). On September 5, 2000, HC “Luhanskteplovoz” was visited by the general director of Ukrzaliznytsia H. Kirpa on business, during which it was agreed to complete the testing of the prototype diesel train DEL-01 by November 1, 2000, and hand it over for operational tests to the Donetsk Railway (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 279).

On October 24, 2000, HC “Luhanskteplovoz” presented the first Ukrainian-made eight-car direct current electric train EPL2T-001 presented in figure 2, which arrived at the Yasinuvata depot (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 296). The electric train with a capacity of 960 kW is designed for the transportation of passengers on electrified sections of railways with a nominal voltage in the contact network of 3000 V direct current. And already on August 1, 2001, an eight-car suburban electric train of alternating current EPL9T was built at the enterprise. During the development of electric trains, the specialists of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” took as prototypes the electric trains of the Riga Wagon Building Plant EP2T and EP9T. The main difference between the Luhansk electric trains and similar models produced in Latvia and Russia was the increased length of the car to 25 m, as well as the division of the car into 2 cabins with entry and exit through vestibules (Basov, 2005, p. 123).

Electric trains EPL2T and EPL9T were designed for passenger transportation in regions with a temperate climate, in suburban traffic on electrified sections of railways (with a nominal voltage in the contact network of 3 kV direct current and 25 kV alternating current). The design speed was 130 km/h. The main component of electric trains was 8 cars: 2 main, 4 motor, and 2 trailer. The length along the clutch axes was 8^25.275 mm. The number of seats: in the main carriage - 118, in the motor carriage - 118, and in the trailer carriage - 130. The voltage in the onboard network was 220 V (Basov, 2005, p. 123). During the construction of prototypes of electric trains, trolleys manufactured by the Russian company BAT “Zavod Transmash” (Tikhvin), were used, instead, as the production of electric motors was mastered by NPO “Elektrotyazmash” (Kharkiv), motor trolleys manufactured by HC “Luhanskteplovoz” (Basov, 2001, p. 61).

Figure 2 Electric train EPL9T-001. June 18, 2002 (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006)

The carriage of the motor car is two-axle with double spring suspension: axel-box non-pedestal with friction vibration dampers and central cradle suspension with hydraulic vibration dampers. The traction drive had a combined suspension, the traction engine - support-frame, and the gearbox - support-axle. The supporting carriage of the main and trailing wagons was two-axle, non-pedestal with two-stage spring suspension. The body suspension was a spring-type “Flexi Coil”. The two-stage spring suspension ensured a smooth ride and passengers' comfort. Electric train was equipped with electric, electric pneumatic, pneumatic, and manual brakes, as well as an automatic fire alarm system, an aerosol fire extinguishing system, and an on-board computer that could quickly notify the driver of a passenger stuck in the door and possible technical malfunctions (Basov, 2005, p. 134; Dumkevich, November 2, 2010).

For the first time, the idea of creating locomotive-haul diesel trains by using trailer cars of dismantled diesel trains of the DR1 series and sections of two-section diesel locomotives 2M62 in order to save money arose in the mid-1990s. Since the power of the two-section freight locomotive was redundant, instead of one of the sections, a modified main car of the DR1 diesel train was used with a control cabin and a passenger cabin in place of the engine compartment. In 1998, the Demikhovo Machine-Building Plant (Russia) created DDB1 diesel trains, for which, according to a similar scheme, modernized sections of 2M62U diesel locomotives and trailer cars of its own production were used (Demikhovo Machinebuilding Plant. (2006). Diesel train DDB1 (DPSAA3)). At the same time, HC “Luhanskteplovoz” developed own suburban diesel trains of locomotive traction of permanent formation, which consisted of 97% of details of domestic manufacture. (Segodnya - Today. (July 31, 1998). Instead of an electric train - a commuter train).

Figure 3 Diesel trains of locomotive traction DPL2 at Luhansk station (Diesel train DPL2-002 at Lugansk station, January 5, 2014)

Luhansk permanent formation diesel trains, 1st type (with modernized diesel locomotive section 2M62, power 1471 kW, main and 2 trailer cars - DPL1) and 2nd type (with modernized diesel locomotive section 2TE116, power 3060 hp, main and 3 trailer cars - DPL2 presented in figure 3), intended for suburban transportation of passengers on non-electrified railway sections, were equipped with three intermediate cars and one main car. The brake was electro-pneumatic and manual. DTL1 (based on DPL1) and DTL2 (based on DPL2) diesel locomotive traction trains equipped with 3, and sometimes 4 trailer cars and 2 locomotive sections were also created (Basov, 2004, p. 100, 101). Diesel trains of the DPL1 and DTL1 series have arrived for operation at the Kolomyia and Kovel depots of the Lviv Railway, and the DPL2 - at the Rodakove depot of the Donetsk Railway (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 272).

As of 2001, the level of wear and tear of rolling stock of all types of properties of Ukrzaliznytsia exceeded 57%, in particular, diesel trains - 82%, and electric trains - 72%. During the period 1991-2001, the average annual number of purchases of rolling stock was: electric trains - 9.1 units, and diesel trains - 0.6 units. (Fedyushin, 2001, pp. 7-8). In 2001, a total of 577 100 000 UAH (over 108 000 000 USD) was raised by Ukrzaliznytsia for the modernization of rolling stock, which was 2.3 times higher than similar costs in 2000. (Kirpa, 2004, p. 32). In 2001, the specific weight of electric trains in the product nomenclature of HC “Luhanskteplovoz” was 49.3%, diesel trains - 15.5%, and diesel locomotives - only 14,2%. During the year, the growth rate of production was 151.3%, and the volume of manufactured products - 89 500 000 UAH (over 16 700 000 USD) (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 300-301). According to the testimony of the General Director of Ukrzaliznytsia H. Kirpa, the preparation and organization of the production of rolling stock at that time allowed to ensure their production of up to 200 units per year (Kirpa, 2004, p. 34).

However, already in the middle of 2002, the volume of financing of Ukrzaliznytsia's orders for the production of rolling stock was significantly reduced due to both the drop in transit of rail transport and the simultaneous participation of Ukrzaliznytsia in higher priority investment projects. In addition, in 2002, the management of the Donetsk Railway unexpectedly ordered 4 ED2T trailer head cars from the Russian Demikhov Machine-Building Plant (Abramov, 2015b, p. 350). HC “Luhanskteplovoz” felt an acute shortage of its own working capital. Attracting investments and bank loans was unrealistic at that time. In connection with the decrease in the amount of financing from Ukrzaliznytsia, the company planned to increase the volume of orders for a specific type of product - diesel locomotives, as well as to resume the production of trams (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 306 - 307).

Meanwhile, the preliminary test results of the DEL-01 diesel train showed that the implemented technical solutions basically confirmed the correctness of the selected design parameters. In 2000, work was carried out on its improvement: revised design documentation of the main car, metal constructions of the body, interior, salon, chassis, developed drawings of bodies, the interior lining of the salon taking into account the updated ergonomic shape of the cabin, introduction of block windows and hidden fastening of the cabin. Based on the results of the tests, the control systems and equipment were updated and modernized. In 2001, on the basis of the DEL-01 diesel train, the development of the design documentation of the three-car DEL-02 diesel train with a new design of cars and underbody location of the POWER RACK power module (diesel generator set) manufactured by the German company MTU Aero Engines was started (Tsygankov-Serebryakov, 2006, p. 282).