The World's First Food Train for the De-Occupied Territories Was Created in Ukraine with the Support of an American Foundation

The Ukrainian State Railway Company, "Ukrzaliznytsia," in collaboration with the foundation of American billionaire and philanthropist Howard Buffett, has developed the world's first kitchen train – the Food Train. Ukrzaliznytsia reports that it will be used to provide food to people in reclaimed territories of the country, in cities with damaged infrastructure, and in the event of prolonged blackouts that may occur due to Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The Food Train consists of six wagons that have undergone extensive refurbishment and modernization to meet the project's requirements. It has a length of 150 meters and includes the following components:

• A generator wagon that provides electrical power of up to 400 kW and has its own refueling station inside.
• A refrigerated wagon with a freezer chamber for storing food products.
• Two wagons with cold and hot kitchens for on-site food preparation.
• A staff wagon for train personnel and chefs, equipped with showers and washing machines.
• A baggage wagon that can hold 27,000 liters of water and features filtration and pumping stations.

The Food Train has successfully passed testing and can operate autonomously for 5-7 days, producing over 10,000 portions of food daily. To manage the train's operations, it requires a team of 14 chefs and 7 railway workers. The construction and operation of the train are fully funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

The equipment allows for the preparation of various dishes, including soups, porridge, salads, and meat. Special thermo-boxes facilitate the transportation of ready-to-eat meal boxes from the train to the end consumers. During the test launch of the train in Kyiv, the Food Train chefs were able to prepare a thousand hot meals in just two hours.

"Railway workers continue to rescue the civilian population and are among the first to provide assistance where it is needed most. The Food Train has already undergone successful testing, and in the near future, a joint team from Ukrzaliznytsia and the foundation will commence permanent duty in the most challenging front-line areas of Ukraine, where warmth and food are critically important for survival," noted Evgen Lysenko, the CEO of Ukrzaliznytsia.

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, The Howard G. Buffett Foundation has provided over $200 million in aid to Ukrainians. Howard Buffett himself has visited Ukraine multiple times, including reclaimed territories, and is considered one of Ukraine's largest private donors.