At the southern station of Zamin-Uud, a key hub for Mongolian exports and imports, the Russian-Mongolian joint stock company "Ulaanbaatar Railway" has opened a new locomotive depot. The decision was driven by the steady growth of transportation between Russia and Mongolia and the need to expand the service base for rolling stock.
Previously, only a structural subdivision of the depot from Sainshand operated at the station, which created an operational burden. The launch of an independent depot will relieve adjacent subdivisions and increase the overall productivity of the section.
UBZhD, founded in 1949 as a joint venture between Russia and Mongolia, remains the country's main transport corridor: it handles about 70% of freight turnover and more than 90% of all railway transportation in Mongolia. In 2026, the operator plans to increase freight volume by 1 million tons compared to 2025 – calculations have been agreed upon with representatives of the railways of Mongolia, Russia, and China.
Oleg Kazakov, First Deputy Head of UBZhD, emphasized during the opening ceremony that the growth in transportation volumes requires adequate infrastructure development and wished the team effective work in the new format.
The technical equipment of the depot allows for current and preventive maintenance of locomotives, which is especially important for a section with intensive traffic. Zamin-Uud borders the Chinese station Erenhot, so the regularity of cross-border deliveries depends on the uninterrupted operation of the hub.
