The article presents the necessity to perform reliability evaluation of railway traction system with respect to the current status and plans for further development of high-speed railways in Russia. Basing on the statistical data provided on failures for various units of electric trains, the traction system was selected. A complex analysis of the traction system was carried out, and a model for the interconnection of system components was compiled. The reliability chart of traction system of

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... high-speed train was constructed based on the FMEA modelling approach using TARAS software. The calculation has resulted in a total failure rate of the system equal to 4,46% or 580 hours of suspended operation of the train. Also, the most vulnerable element of the traction system was identified-a traction system motor. Basing on these outcomes a set of recommendations has been made in order to increase the performance efficiency of the high-speed trains.