In the new year with fleet renewed

25.01.2010 (11:54)

The first stage of the locomotive fleet upgrading program will be completed on the Yakutia Railways (ZHDYA) in the first quarter of 2010. Shuhrat Tashpulatov, Head of The ZHDYA Locomotive Facilities Department, is sharing his plans to renew ZHDYA's traction rolling stock.

- Shuhrat Isakzhonovich, how did your company come to the current ZHDYA locomotive fleet upgrading scheme?

- It started very simply. In 2005 and 2006 ZHDYA operated 2TE10M locomotives with the 10D100 diesel generator unit. RZD had started upgrading its TPN earlier (replacing the DGUs by new electric power units produced in Russia, traction control systems and using new generation accessories). We also decided to do this way. ZHDYA leaders met regularly with representatives of RZD and TMH, asking them to include our fleet in the modernisation line, in order to solve the problem of deteriorated assets and to update them within the following two or three years. Unfortunately, we did not receive a satisfactory answer. As a company with small capacities, the best we could hope was to expect it in 2010-2012.

As a result, we had to solve this problem differently. We took a pattern of our colleagues, in particular Kazakhstan Railways, where economic indicators were shocking (in a good sense of this word). So, after our working visit to Kazakhstan, we took a decision to do one year tests comparing the performance of different types of locomotives at the ZHDYA site, such as: locomotives equipped with DGU D49 type, our current 10D100 type, and the DGU 7FDL used on Kazakhstan's railways. The result impressed us quite a lot: fuel consumption, maintenance and repairs idling time, the number of malfunctions and the complexity of work were obviously in favour of the 7FDL engine. After testing, it was decided to upgrade the main line locomotive fleet using the 7FDL diesel generators.

By the way, today Kazakhstan has not only upgraded its locomotives, but they have also improved the insulation of the current ED 118B traction electric engines, which allowed for increasing the train weight and making this unit more reliable. A factory to produce the Evolution series locomotives was built together with GE company in Astana. By the way, now we are negotiating on the issue to organise operational trials of these locomotives on our test site in the Far North. Both parties are interested. I think the test is to take place in the 1st quarter of 2010.

- What was the main headache for the ZHDYA Locomotive Facilities Department in the past year?

- It certainly was the shunting locomotive fleet and its technical state. Our locomotive infrastructure is so poor (shortage in production sites, technological equipment and spare parts), that it creates many problems. Therefore, in terms of the development of ZHDYA locomotive depots in 2009, we focused on the program for TEM-2 shunting locomotives upgrading. In November we received the first machine upgraded at the Ussuri Wagon Repair Plant. Then the locomotive was sent for the trial operation and certification tests. We shall be the first company in Russia who upgraded this type of locomotives using power components of the company General Electric. Why did we choose GE? We want to host a single line of repair facilities and supplies. This will simplify the staff training, as well as the repairs and supplies to those locomotive depots where the upgraded machines will be maintained.

- Did the crisis affect these plans?

- Doing our upgrades, we follow the leasing scheme. At first, we planned to upgrade four shunting locomotives in 2009, but only one unit was done as a result, because of the financial difficulties. The remaining three locomotives will be upgraded later, within the next few years. Then we are going to renew shunting locomotives, thus gradually upgrading the whole of our park until 2013. And generally speaking, the crisis has taught us to work differently, which means raising efficiency without dismissing the staff.

- Why are not you looking into purchasing new locomotives? Is it too expensive?

- The question is rather delicate. Here I can only express my own opinion. As I see it, the domestic engineering industry simply does not exist. This is about aviation and automotive industry too. Look, basically all the equipment we have is made by foreign manufacturers. Just about five to ten types of locomotives were released on Russian territory and offered by "Transmashholding" over the last few years, not mentioning the fact that the current level of diesel production facilities is not developed enough to renew the entire fleet of diesel locomotives which belong to railways, industrial plants and other proprietors. Furthermore, this production does not meet the customers' requirements in most of cases. For example, why should I buy a powerful engine from those proposed to me, if the work required can be done in full with such a capacity as TGK-2 or TGM-23 can make? Probably, our manufacturers do not study market requirements, because they have quite enough from the only one big customer - RZD.

Interviewed by Nadezhda Vtorushina
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