Railway Gazette reported that Mr Mikhail Myasnikovich Prime Minister of Belarus attended a ceremony on October 4th 2012 to launch construction of a factory at Fanipol near Minsk where a 40:60 JV of tram manufacturer Belkommunmash and Stadler Rail of Switzerland will jointly assemble rolling stock for market.

Mr Myasnikovich said that "We are planning to build a really high tech, world class facility."

State owned Belkommunmash said the Electric Transport JV would offer a wide range of products, including urban and inter regional electric and diesel train sets, metro cars, trams and trolleybuses. The first vehicles are expected to roll out in 2014.

National railway BC has acquired 10 Stadler Flirt EMUs and is at the final stages of negotiating an order for additional train sets which would be assembled in Belarus.

Source - Railway Gazette

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