The RA3 multiple unit (, named "Orlan", ) is a class of Russian diesel multiple units (type 2 railbus) built by Metrovagonmash between 2019 and 2022 in Mytishchi, Russia. Along with RA1 and RA2, the multiple unit is classified as a railbus by its manufacturer. The factory type of the multiple unit is model 753. It was developed by TMH Engineering LLC. The 2 car and 3 car variants were built.
As of 2025, the multiple units are operated by Russian Railways, Central Suburban Passenger Company, Northern Suburban Passenger Company, Sakhalin Passenger Company, Bashkortostan Suburban Railway Company, Severo-Western Passenger Company, and other companies.
History
Origins Between 2005 and 2015, the Metrovagonmash factory, part of the Russian railway rolling stock manufacturing holding company Transmashholding, mass-produced 2 car and 3 car RA2 class diesel multiple units (model 750.05), which are also officially classified as railbuses, producing a total of over 100 units, the vast majority of which were delivered to Russian railways, and from 2011 to 2016 — 2 car DP-S diesel multiple units (model 750.25) for the Serbian railways.
In 2015, following the end of RA2 production, new technical requirements regarding passenger safety and comfort for railbuses, which also included shorter diesel multiple units, were drawn up in Russia and a number of other post-Soviet countries, and came into force in early 2016. Under the requirements, all new multiple units of this type were to be fitted with crash resistant elements at the front and rear ends of the cars to absorb impact energy during a collision, whilst the passenger compartment was to be fitted with air-conditioning and climate-control systems featuring air purification, as well as spaces for passengers in wheelchairs and lifts to assist them in boarding and alighting from low platforms in one of the cars. Previously manufactured RA2 multiple units did not have crash resistant elements or specially designed spaces for disabled passengers, whilst only certain maintenance multiple units used for inspection runs were fitted with air conditioning.
At the same time, as of 2016, there was a shortage of diesel multiple units on Russia’s non-electrified railways. A significant proportion of commuter routes were instead operated by locomotive-hauled trains with coupled passenger cars, which made additional operational difficulties due to the need to re-couple the diesel locomotives at terminus stations. The use of powerful mainline diesel locomotives to haul small-scale commuter trains was inefficient due to their high fuel consumption; as a result, operators were forced to convert shunting locomotives for passenger traffic, thereby using them for purposes rather than shunting. By the late 2010s, the service life of the ACh2 railcars with APCh2 cars for passenger service was coming to an end, and they also needed for replacement with new diesel multiple units. Consequently, Russia’s largest suburban rail operators, Russian Railways (RZD) and the Central Moscow Suburban Railway (TsPPK), approached Transmashholding requesting to develop new short diesel multiple units that met modern requirements.
Development The development of the new RA3 model of diesel multiple units (railbuses) began in late 2017 by TMH Engineering LLC, which, along with Metrovagonmash, forms part of Transmashholding. The design and engineering work was carried out under the supervision of Chief Designer Yevgeny Bandurin at the "City Transport" Design Bureau, a separate division of TMH Engineering LLC, located in Mytishchi at the Metrovagonmash plant, where production of the new multiple nit model was subsequently organised. Representatives of the client (CSPC) were closely involved in the development of the multiple uit, contributing their wishes and suggestions regarding its design.
The design of the RA3 was based on the previous class of diesel multiple units RA2 and DP-S, which was revised to take account of new requirements regarding safety, comfort and the aesthetics of the exterior and interior elements. A new front end for the leading cars was developed, adapted to accommodate crash elements and providing improved visibility for the train crew; the body geometry was modified, making it possible to increase the aisle width between seats, and buffers and couplers with breakaway crash elements were fitted. The passenger compartment was also significantly upgraded: it featured spaces for disabled passengers, lifts and a spacious toilet in one of the cars; the number of seats in the cars was increased; and air conditioning system, CCTV, fire safety and power-saving lighting systems were installed. A new control panel was developed for the driver’s cab, and the multiple unit was fitted with a modern microprocessor-based system. The gearbox ratio was altered, which made it possible to increase the design speed to 120 km/h without significantly changing the engine power output. Based on an analysis of the RA2’s operational performance, a new train braking control system was developed to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance costs, utilising a combination of hydrodynamic and electro-pneumatic braking, and a number of multiple unit components were upgraded to improve operational reliability, resulting in the design service life of the new trains being extended from 25 to 40 years.
The RA3 railbus concept was first unveiled by Transmashholding in 2018. By the end of the year, the Central Public Transport Company (CPPC) had signed a contract with Transmashholding for the supply of 23 RA3 multiple units (17 2-car and 6 3-car sets), to be delivered in 2019–2020.
Production and test runs
The first RA3 multiple unit, numbered 001, was built in January 2019, and was unveiled in February at the Likhobory locomotive depot in Moscow. In March 2019, the second unit, numbered 002, was built. Both multiple units were originally painted in the signature white and grey livery of the Central Moscow Suburban Transport Company (CPPC) "Nashe Podmoskovye", which was used for the company’s ED4M and EP2D electric multiple units. In May 2019, a third ‘"Orlan" unit, numbered 003, was delivered to the TsPPK, featuring a new distinctive orange, black and blue livery. This livery has since been applied to all other RA3 multiple units supplied to the Central Moscow Region Public Transport Company, and the first two multiple units were also repainted in this scheme prior to handover to the customer.
On 13 March 2019, certification tests for the RA3 model began. To this end, the first two prototype multiple units were sent to the test track of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Railway Transport (VNIIZhT test track, in the urban district of Shcherbinka). During test runs, the prototype completed a 5,000 km test run; parameters such as ride comfort, braking, average speed, track impact and the performance of the air conditioning system were successful. After leaving the EK VNIIZhT test track, on 1 June of the same year, the multiple unit arrived at the high-speed test track in Belorechensk for further testing. Tests were carried out on the safety margins against wheel derailment, the fatigue resistance margin of the structure under dynamic loads and other parameters; diagnostics were performed on the fire safety and air conditioning systems. This stage was completed slightly ahead of schedule. On 22 July, a certificate was received confirming the RA3 class complied with the requirements for railway transport safety and passenger services. In September 2019, the first 3 car RA3 multiple unit, numbered 018, was delivered, which was soon sent to the VNIIZHT test track together with the 2 car multiple unit numbered 013 for testing; following the completion of the test runs in February 2020, Metrovagonmash received a certificate for it.
In July 2019, the first batch of 2 car multiple units for Sakhalin Passenger Company JSC was manufactured and prepared for dispatch. Both three of the multiple units were numbered 024–026, as the first 23 numbers had been reserved for a batch of trains destined for the Central Pacific Passenger Company (CPPC), although most of them had not yet been manufactured at that time. The multiple units were painted in Russian Railways’ corporate livery of red, light grey and dark grey. Subsequently, all further "Orlan" multiple units not intended for the Central Pacific Railway continued the numbering sequence from 027 and were given a similar livery. In 2020, a batch of 9 multiple units was delivered to the Southern Pacific Railway; these were painted blue with white stripes and a wave-pattern design. In the same year, three multiple units numbered 044–046 (two 3-car and one 2-car) were built, equipped with premium class cars featuring second class seats.
Multiple unit production figures as of February 2023: +Build dateFormationNumber of multiple unitsMultiple unit fleet numbersNumber of carsMotor carTrailer car2019228001–017, 024–034581310182020217037, 039–043, 046, 049–055, 057–0596013313019-023, 035, 036, 038, 044, 045, 047, 048, 0562021211066—068, 073—0804210310060—065, 069—072202227081, 083, 085, 086, 088, 090, 09122434082, 084, 087, 089Total263001—017, 024—034, 037, 039—043, 046, 049—055, 057—059, 066—068, 073—081, 083, 085, 088, 098, 09118228328018-023, 035, 036, 038, 044, 045, 047, 048, 056, 060—065, 069—072, 082, 084, 087, 089 In the mid-2020s, Russian Railways purchased 10 additional trailer cars to increase the capacity of certain multiple units.
Perspectives for the project's development In 2019, Transmashholding's Chief Executive Kirill Lipa announced plans to develop a multiple unit based on the RA3 model, which would be fitted with hydrogen fuel cells instead of a diesel engine. The work was to be carried out in collaboration with Alstom. The project was initially planned to be implemented on Sakhalin, with the delivery of 13 hydrogen powered multiple units. Russian Railways, the Rosatom State Corporation, Transmashholding and the Sakhalin Oblast administration were working on this project. As of February 2021, operational and financial models were prepared, and a feasibility study for the passenger transport project on Sakhalin was drawn up. By way of comparison, a conventional RA3 multiple unit requires around 900 tonnes of fuel per year and emits 67 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, whereas a hydrogen-powered train emits just 223.4 tonnes, producing distilled water instead of diesel exhaust. The first multiple unit was scheduled to be built by 2024, with 13 multiple units to be delivered by 2030.
General information
Main purpose The RA3 was designed for suburban passenger services over distances of up to 200 km on non-electrified sections of Russian gauge railway lines equipped with both low and high platforms. The recommended service life of the multiple unit is 40 years, with a total mileage of 4.8 million km.
Composition Two types of cars were developed for the RA3 multiple unit: a motorised leading car (Mg (Мг)) and a trailing intermediate car (Pp (Пп)). The Mg car comes in two versions: a standard version without spaces for wheelchair users (model 753.10) and a version with a reduced number of seats, equipped with such spaces (model 753.11), whilst the Pp car is available only in the standard version (model 753.20).
The standard formation consists of three car (Mg+Pp+Mg). In addition, a single RA3 may consist of two leading cars (2Mg). A provision has been made for the operation of two multiple unitss (each with two and/or three cars) or three 2 car multiple units under the multiple-unit system (MUS); that is, the following train formations are also possible:
4 car, with a configuration of 2×2 Mg 5 car, with a configuration of (Mg+Pp+Mg)+2 Mg 6 car, with a configuration of 2×(Mg+Pp+Mg); 6 car, with a configuration of 3×(Mg+Mg).
Technical specifications