Who Will Care for Wagons?
07.07.2008 (17:18)
The problem of rolling stock safety remains urgent. OAO RZD requires operators to develop the new contractual system of cooperation to solve this question, including financial support of wagon safety inspection.
Level of rolling stock safety is unsatisfactory. According to the OAO RZD’s Department of a wagon economy it is possible to see dynamics of growth of damaged wagons quantity (irrespective of their owners): in 2003 – 2.2 thousand, in 2004 – 2.6, in 2005 – 17.2. In 2006 this figure was 34.2. In 2007, OAO RZD registered 43.6 thousand damaged wagons.
In 2007 3.5 thousand private wagons were damaged, and 3.2 thousand wagons were damaged for 5 months of 2008. According to the Deputy Chief of Wagon Department Dmitry Perfilyev, 90% of damages took place on the tracks of industrial enterprises.
According to the OAO RZD’s Wagon Department, operators don’t give attention to the questions of their rolling stock safety. Owners of wagons, approach roads and consignors/consignees don’t have agreements on wagon safety providing. As a result wagon owners raise claims to OAO RZD’ affiliates but they don’t take measures to provide rolling stock safety. Operators don’t insure damage risk and prepare wagons for loading, unlike OAO RZD.
“Current regulatory documents don’t regulate in full rolling stock safety providing on private using railways. When railway workers find private wagons damaged on approaching ways, some enterprises don’t help them to investigate these incidents because they haven’t powers. Therefore the wagons owner has to collect necessary documents to find originator and the damage reason, and wagons don’ function”, D.Perfilyev comments on the situation.
On May 16, the Chief of OAO RZD’s Wagon department Nikolay Bochkarev approached with a letter to the president of Association of Carriers and Operators of Railway Transport Rolling Stock Vladimir Prokofiev with the request to make offers on technology of interaction in questions of private wagons safety providing.
He notes in document that the system of damaged wagons revealing became ineffective. OAO RZD has not powers to control wagons safety on approach tracks and process documents.
“In our opinion, wagon owners and OAO RZD should be interested in creating conditions which don’t allow receiving damaged wagons from enterprises carrying out freight operation. OAO RZD and owners should cooperate on the contractual basis regulating responsibility and order of work concerning wagon safety”, D.Perfilyev notes.
Thus, the department require “to existing bodies of OAO RZD” to provide services on technical condition control and work with clients to eliminate risk of wagon damage.
As a whole representatives of the companies agree with OAO RZD: private park safety is unsatisfactory and it is necessary to solve this problem. Everybody knows that rolling stock owners can’t control all steps. The chief of wagon department of BaltTransService Rafael Shamsiev notes that owner hasn’t rights when his rolling stock is damaged. He is interested in safety but he can’t participate in investigation of damage cases. According to regulations only carrier, consignor and consignee participate in this operation.
Operators note that prices for OAO RZD’s services are included in transportation tariff. When OAO RZD transports cargo and get money it engages to provide services including rolling stock control and damage factors revealing. Irina Chiganashkina, technical director of DVTG OJSC notes that when rolling stock owner pays for transportation, he pays for wagons safety.
Thus, many owners think that OAO RZD initiative on the conclusion of special contracts on rolling stock safety services is not correct, because they have to pay twice for the same service. “It is necessary to develop all rules concerning responsibility”.
At the same time, according to I.Chiganashkina, there is lack of means for the maintenance of special department (including wagon safety inspection staff) because of ineffective means allocation inside the company.
According to I.Chiganashkina, it is necessary to allocate these services in infrastructural constituent. Their price should be reduced. “Clients should not pay twice, they should be protected", technical director of DVTG OJSC says.
The president of National Association of Transport Workers Georgy Davydov notes that private companies should rely on insurance companies. It is necessary to create good system of rolling stock insurance.
by Nadezhda Vtorushina
Print version
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