OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2012. Braynsk Engineering Plant (BMZ) (a part of CJSC Transmashholding) transferred for the experimental operation the shunting locomotive TEM18DМ №581, which is the first ever in the practice of the Russian diesel locomotive building equipped with traction electric motors with rolling bearings of the Russian production.

 The use of rolling bearings instead of sleeve bearings is the priority guideline of the Russian Diesel Locomotive Engineering both for the new locomotives and for modernization of JSC RZD locomotive fleet in operation. Rolling bearings application reduces locomotive’s resistance to motion, which leads to efficiency improvement and increase of traction power. Exclusion of the permanent maintenance of rolling bearings significantly reduces operational costs for maintenance and repair of this locomotive assembly.

 Rated life cycle of a rolling bearing is more than 5 million kilometers, ensuring more reliable operation of this locomotive assembly. First inspection of the rolling bearings is defined after 18 months of locomotive operation with addition of lubrication into the bearings. Full replacement of lubrication is provided during regular maintenance 3 after 36 months of operation.

Operation of the diesel locomotive ТEМ18DМ № 581 with new bearings will be executed during one year at the operational locomotive depot of Sverdlovsk – Passjirskiy station. Actual technical and economic effect from the application of rolling bearings in operation will be defined on the basis of results of the locomotive experimental operation and JSC RZD will make a decision concerning serial deployment of the rolling bearings in the newly built diesel locomotives ТEМ18DМ and 2ТE116U. At the same time the issue concerning modernization of the locomotives type ТEМ18, М62, ТE10 и 2ТE116 with the use of the rolling bearings will be considered.