Pilot models of railcars have been already assembled, and acceptance tests with the participation of Russian experts has been completed. The certificate from Russian experts enables the plant to get access to orders from the perspective Russian market, and this document is also valid in Belarus and Kazakhstan as well," noted the Uzbek Railways representative.

Currently 6,500 wagons, including 1,800 gondola wagons and 3,500 covered wagons are being manufactured, and the major overhaul programme to prolong wagon service life for 10 years of 1,000 to 1,500 wagons per year is being carried out.

The Uzbekistan Government has accepted the Complex Programme for the Development and Modernization of the Railway Sector, which proposes the modernization of this sector at a cost of US$1.734 billion.

In particular, US$1.019 billion is planned to be invested to develop repair facilities and to update rolling stock, and US $465.5 million to build 2.525 units and to carry out the major overhaul of 6.650 freight wagons.

Financing of the programme will be met by US$1.264 billion of the company’s funds and US$421.5 million borrowed from international financial institutions and with US$48.8 million from the Uzbekistan’s Reconstruction and Development Fund.