2TE-121 diesel - electric locomotive was designed in 1978 in Lugansk as a radical new generation of the freight locomotives for Russian railways. It was destined for using in the extremal conditions of Arctic and Siberia. The large researches in VNITI scientific centre (Kolomna city, near Moscow) with this locomotive has given a lot of important information for the locomotive designers. For example, this researches has given the possibility to reduce of 20-30% the vertical oscillation of bogie's frame toward boxes in comparsion with the standard 3-axle bogie. The subject of locomotve driver's admiration was the large comfortable driver cabin with low noise and vibration; some compared this locomotive with luxurious car. 2TE-121 was successfully tested in various road and climatic conditions. Now the Northern railroad used the party of this locomotives.
The main technical data: axle formula 2*(C-C), power 2*4000 hp, traction power 2*30 t, max. speed 100 km/h, axle load 25 t/axle, electric brakes.
At the photo: 2TE-121 N 003 with dynamic laboratory car and convoy locomotive in the VNITI
yard before next testing race, 1982.
Photo and scan by Oleg V. Izmerov,