The
first trainload of coal from the Mongolian Gobi left on Thursday on a trial run
all the way from Choir to the Vostochny port in Russia.  The coal will first go to Naushki, 638 km
from Choir, where Russian Railway will take over from Ulaanbaatar Railway for
the final 4,041 km of the total 4,679-km journey. The Infrastructure
Development LLC is responsible for the epoch-making run.

Among
those who watched the train leave Choir were D.Jigjidnyamaa, Acting Head
of  Ulaanbaatar Railway; V.I. Yakunin,
President of Russian Railway; V.V.Morozov and L.Khangai, respectively Executive
Director and  Managing Council Chief of
the Russia-Mongolia joint venture, Infrastructure Development;  Russian Ambassador

V.V.Samoilenko; South Korean Ambassador John Il, and Japanese
Ambassador  Takyo Kidokoro. The last two
represent countries that are likely to be the end buyers of Mongolian coal.

The train carries 2,000 tons of coal from Tavantolgoi. After a year of talks
Russian Railway has agreed on a 52% discount on freight tariff, making it three
times cheaper than the rates charged by China. Ulaanbaatar Railway, however,
has not lowered its rates that were raised on September 25.

The
trial run is to check if international transportation regulations can be met,
and to try out the loading and unloading process, and to see how much time all
the paperwork takes. Altogether  one
million tons of coal will be transported this way every year.

Yakunin noted that the locomotive being used for the trial
is of the most advanced type. Upgrading of Ulaanbaatar Railway will be needed
to allow easy rides for 30 such locomotives planned to be used for coal
transportation. The upgrading work will be done by Russian Railway once it gets
loans for this from Russian banks.  Once
Russian Railway has laid new tracks over a 108-km stretch, the train could
travel 120 km an hour between Mandal and Davaa.

Yakunin yesterday called on Prime Minister S.Batbold, who referred to the
significance of the trial run, and stressed the need to overhaul the entire
technology used by Ulaanbaatar Railway so that its operations can reach
international standards. Yakunin informed the Premier of plans in this respect.
He also hinted that the next head of Ulaanbaatar Railway could be a Mongolian
and mentioned three names from which one could be chosen. They are L.Khangai, a
former Ambassador to Russia; L.Khaltar, 
Deputy Director for Social Issues with the railway, and T.Ochiukhuu,
Deputy Minister of Finance.