m ash hold ing ▁( TM H ) ▁was ▁seeking ▁a ▁foreign ▁partner ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁for ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁locomot ives . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁T M H ▁entered ▁into ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁with ▁Al st om ; ▁the ▁co operation ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁was ▁later ▁extended , ▁leading ▁to ▁Al st om ▁taking ▁a ▁ 2 5 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁T M H ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁R Z D ▁placed ▁an ▁order ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 ▁EP 2 0 ▁locomot ives , ▁to ▁be ▁supplied ▁in ▁the ▁period ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁The ▁first ▁locomot ive ▁was ▁presented ▁at ▁Ex po ▁ 1 5 2 0 ▁in ▁Moscow ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Trans m ash hold ing ▁and ▁Russian ▁Rail ways ▁signed ▁a ▁ 4 0 - year ▁contract ▁for ▁maintenance ▁of ▁the ▁EP 2 0 . ▁ ▁Production ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁production ▁series ▁of ▁the ▁EP 2 0 ▁was ▁official ▁handed ▁over ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁at ▁a ▁ceremony ▁attended ▁by ▁D mit ry ▁Med ved ev , ▁and ▁high ▁officials ▁of ▁Al st om , ▁Trans m ash hold ing , ▁R Z D ▁and ▁V . ▁Gol ube v , ▁Governor ▁of ▁the ▁Rost ov ▁region .