Sokol (train)

{{Short description|Prototype Russian high-speed train}}

{{Infobox Train

| name = ES250 (Falcon)

| image = Museum of the Moscow Railway at Rizhskaya station in Moscow (07).jpg

| imagesize = 300px

| caption =

| family =

| manufacturer = RAO VSM

| operator = Russian Railways

| formation = 6 cars

| lines = Moscow - St Petersburg

| service =

| weight = {{Convert|356|t|lk=on|abbr=on}}

| carlength = {{convert|26|m|ftin|frac=8|abbr=on}}

| width = {{convert|3.12|m|ftin|frac=8|abbr=on}}

| height =

| capacity = 350

| maxspeed = {{convert|250|km/h|0|abbr=on}}

| poweroutput =

| gauge = {{Track gauge|1520mm|allk=on}}

| electricsystem = 3 kV DC
{{25 kV 50 Hz}}
(dual voltage units) Overhead catenary

| powersupply = (?)

| collectionmethod = Pantograph

| safety =

}}

Sokol (Сокол, Russian for "falcon") was a planned high-speed train in Russia.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070707010928/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_8_41/ai_81104152 The all-Russian high-speed train - World Report] from International Railway Journal, August 2001, via www.findarticles.com It was to be a successor of the ER200 for use on the Moscow–St. Petersburg mainline, and was designed to operate at a cruising speed of 250 km/h. A prototype was built in 2000 and tested by Russian High Speed Railway Shareholding Co.{{cite web| url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//sokol-can39t-fly-yet.html| title=Sokol can't fly yet| work=Railway Gazette International| date=1 October 2001| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616060732/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/sokol-can39t-fly-yet.html| archive-date=16 June 2011}}

The Sokol project was cancelled in 2002.{{citation|url = http://guryevandrey.narod.ru/VSMbookpapka/VSM.pdf|quote = 2002, март — прекращение со стороны МПС по инициативе министра Г.М. Фадеева финансирования проекта «Сокол»| pages= 352| script-title=ru:Андрей Гурьев И какие же русские не любили быстрой езды? История обреченного проекта| author =Андрей Гурьев| language = ru| year= 2009}} Instead of a Sokol-based design, high speed trainsets (named Sapsan) based on the Siemens Velaro were procured from Siemens in Germany.{{cite web | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//broad-gauge-ice3-in-sight.html | title=Broad gauge ICE3 in sight | work=Railway Gazette International | author=Murray Hughes | date=1 June 2005 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809082515/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/broad-gauge-ice3-in-sight.html | archive-date=9 August 2011 }} The Sapsan trains have been operating on the Moscow–St. Petersburg line since December 2009.