The ВЛ85 (VL85) is a heavy two-section freight locomotive built for the 25 kV AC network in eastern Siberia. Electrically it had similarities with the ВЛ80C, but each section stood on three two-axle bogies. Like this it has a top speed of 110 km/h, but a higher axle load and an hourly output of more than 10,000 kW. Between 1983 and 1994, 270 were built at Novocherkassk. They got the nickname “Buk”, what stood for “Bull”. Almost all are still in regular service, with the exception of some which were damaged in accidents or fell victim to fires. In parallel to the ВЛ85, the ВЛ15 was built as DC variant with a reduced output.