First trainload with coal for Asia-Pacific reg leaves Mongolia.

MOSCOW, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - The first trainload with coal
intended for countries of the Asia Pacific Region left on Thursday
Mongolia for Russia's Far East.
The train of 30 freight cars left on Thursday the Ulan-Bator station
heading for the Russian port of Vostochny, from where the coal from the
Tavan-Tolgoi deposit will go by sea to the points of destination.
This is the first train from Mongolia that will travel in transit via
Russia in the eastern direction. Earlier, all cargo flows from Mongolia
traveled across Russia in the western direction, sources from the Russian
Railways Company told Tass.
The president of the company, Vladimir Yakunin, took part in a
ceremony in Ulan-Bator. He called it "an historic event preceded by
colossal joint work". "Together with Mongolian colleagues we worked on the
whole transport chain - from designing a modern powerful locomotive,
reconstructing infrastructure to ensuring competitive tariffs," Yakunin
said.
He said this route "will make it possible to transport coal from
Mongolia's deposits to Japan and South Korea via Russian Far Eastern
ports, and in the prospect - via the developing port of Rajin. Thus,
Mongolian cargoes will be able to safely reach the sea shore, he stressed.
The first 2TE-116UM locomotive, specially designed for operating in
Mongolia's climatic conditions and capable to pull 6,000-ton trains, pulls
the first "pilot" trainload.
-0-zhe/gor