Penza, 4 April 2013. PenzaNews. Cargo locomotive L-series, which was produced in 1954 and restored after over 30 years of storage, was delivered to Penza on Wednesday, April 3.

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“The decision to bring the locomotive to operation was made in connection with the initiative of JSC “Russian Railways” to preserve and restore historic steam locomotives in reserve. Factory repair lasted for five months. During this time technical examination of the boiler and some reconstruction were made,” the press secretary of Kuibyshev railway of the Penza region Alevtina Goldinova told news agency “PenzaNews.”

According to her, it is expected that after the completion and test-running, the locomotive will operate in a retro-train between stations “Penza-I” and “Pachelma.”

“This line, where Kuibyshev Railway was founded, was not chosen by chance. In Pachelma infrastructure for steam locomotives is still maintained, in particular reversing triangle,” the agency interlocutor pointed out.

Locomotive L-series, known by the name of the chief engineer Lev Lebedyansky, is a soviet mainline cargo locomotive, manufactured during 1947–1955 in Bryansk and Voroshilovgrad factories.

It is one of the best and mass soviet locomotives that could be used on the entire railway network of the Soviet Union, which was the reason its constructors were awarded the Stalin Prize.