Power type Electric Total produced 2,881 UIC class Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ | Build date 1961–2005 AAR wheel arr. B-B + B-B | |
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Builder Soviet UnionTblisi Electric Locomotive Works, Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant | ||
The VL10 (ru: ВЛ10) is an electric two-unit mainline DC freight locomotive used in the Soviet Union and is still operated today by the state owned Russian rail company RZhD and Ukrainian Railways. The initials VL are those of Vladimir Lenin (ru: Владимир Ленин), after whom the class is named.
History
The VL10 series was built as a replacement for the ageing VL8 which, by 1960, no longer met Soviet rail requirements. The VL10s were manufactured at the Tblisi Electric Locomotive Works (ТЭВЗ) between 1961–1977, as well as the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (НЭВЗ) during 1969 and 1976. It was also there that all the mechanical components for the series were produced. The first prototype of the VL10 series was built in the Tblisi works under the designation Т8-001. It was built in 1961 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Soviet rule in Georgia.