RZD JSC addresses Rostransnadzor, Russia's Federal Transport Overseeing Service, to take drastic measures to prevent using cars' rejected parts

On March 4, 2013, Vladimir Yakunin, RZD's President, wired a telegram to Alexander Kasyanov, head of RF Federal watchdog agency, requesting to stop the dangerous use of cargo car manufacturers' products.

Mr. Yakunin says current measures to prevent fracture of large cast parts are insufficient to protect the railroad transport infrastructure against accidents. Last year saw 23 fractures of solebars of cargo car bogies. More importantly, 20 fractures have already occurred since the beginning of 2013.

Over the course of these three days alone, 3 derailments of cargo trains happened on the West-Siberian, East-Siberian and Transbaikal railways, of which 2 are classified as wrecks. Solebar fractures are found to be causes to said accidents. The solebars were manufactured by Altaivagon LLC in 2010 and Kremenchug Steel Works JSC in 2011.

RZD has repeatedly asked authorities to address the potential threat that further use of such manufacturers' products might impose. Car manufacturers however did not withdraw any of the poor cast parts.

RZD believes that the threat can be removed by adopting severe measures. In particular, said manufacturers should be banned from selling their dangerous products, with the latter to be withdrawn in a compulsory way.

The Company requested that Rostransnadzor banned Altaivagon and owners of rollings stocks with Kremenchug Steel Works' solebars from using potentially dangerous products.