Russian factories delivered only 9,300 freight cars to the network in the first quarter of 2026. This is 45% less than in the same period last year, according to the Union of Car Builders. The collapse affected almost the entire range, except for covered models.
The most massive segment — gondola cars — fell the most: minus 54%, to 3,734 units. At the same time, the share of innovative rolling stock with a load of 25 ton-force (tf) in the production of gondola cars reached 91%. The production of tanks decreased symbolically — by 5%, to 3,609 units, due to the stable petrochemical base. Covered wagons showed an increase of 34% (1,213 units), while the production of hoppers collapsed by 71%, and platforms — by 93%, to a negligible 159 units.
Experts at Rolligstock Agency explain the demand for "innovation" by the lack of carrying capacity of the Eastern Polygon and the regulatory squeezing out of standard wagons. The annual forecast has been expanded to 37–45 thousand units against 52.9 thousand in 2025. In fact, the industry is returning to the level of loading of a decade ago, when the surplus of the fleet put pressure on the rates of operators, and car builders cut shifts. Currently, the fall is restrained only by the conflict in the Middle East, which has fueled demand for energy resources, but this impulse will affect the contracting of new wagons with a lag of at least six months.