VL85

The VL85 () is a Soviet (and later Russian) built electric mainline freight locomotive manufactured at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant (NEVZ) and designed under the management of V.Ya.Sverdlov (ru:В.Я.Свердлов).

==History== Designed by the Vsesoyuzny nauchno-issledovatel'ski i proektno-konstruktorski institut elektrovozostroeniya (en: USSR national scientific research and design-engineering institute of electric locomotive construction) – the VL85 was at the time of its introduction the most powerful production locomotive in the world. The first prototypes were built in 1983 and were tested on the experimental ring at the All-Russian Research Institute of Railway Transport (VNIIZhT). Further testing was performed on the North-Caucasian Railway. Full production began in 1985 and continued until 1994. A total of 270 units were built. All VL85 locomotives operate on the East-Siberian Railway and the Krasnoyarsk Railway, from depots at Ilanskaya, Taishet, Nizhneudinsk, and Ulan-Ude.