The case of the Russian locomotive gets more and more curious. Russian media report two were sold to Ulaanbaatar Railway and one is not working in the Mongolian winter, suggesting that old and substandard equipment was passed on to Mongolia. An official of the railway says only one locomotive came from Russia and there is nothing wrong with it. Mongolian workers say there were two locomotives but one has not been seen for some time and they do not know where it is.

The Chief of the Locomotive Engine Shed of Ulaanbaatar Railway,  N.Khuyag-Erdene, told media that they have a new locomotive in the shed and it is working well. Its bearings are made of metal and can withstand the cold without problem.Denying that two locomotives had come, he also said that, contrary to media reports, there is no agreement to buy a fixed number of locomotives from any Russian factory.

He agreed that a Russian specialist was here, but denied media reports that a team had come, or that they had come to repair any damaged locomotive. He said the Russian had come to train Mongolian workers in maintenance, and not to repair anything.