United Wagon Company and American company Timken have signed a Partnership Agreement
During the 4th International Rail Salon of Engineering and Technologies “EXPO 1520” United Wagon Company (UWC) and Timken Company (USA, Ohio), the global leader in cassette bearings production, have announced starting a long-term cooperation.
Under the Agreement the new generation freight cars produced by the Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant (Russia, Leningrad Region) and fitted with Barber S-2-R bogies with axle load of 25 tf will be equipped with Timken box cassette bearing and will be included in the OJSC “RZD” managed maintenance program.
The Parties agreed on supply of 800 Timken bearings with dimensions of 150x250 mm to fit the drop-bottom gondola model 12-9853 with axle load of 25 tf produced by the Tikhvin plant.
Managed maintenance program provides commission inspections of the rolling stock equipped with Timken bearings and the owner and manufacturer of railway technics by representatives of OJSC “RZD”, OJSC “NVTs “Vagony”, LLL “Timken-Rus Service Company” (Timken). More over service areas will be organized for bearing set-down on a network.
It is expected that managed maintenance results will allow confirming the improved parameters of non-failure operation of Timken bearings and starting its mass appliance at the Russian railcar building market.
Timken bearing units are included in the base Barber bogie configuration in the global market and it provides an increased lifetime of wheel set, high safety and reliability of car operation.
Commenting on the agreement, Roman Savushkin, General Director of United Wagon Company – managing company of Tikhvin plant, said: “The issues that face the industry today can’t be solved without mass implementation of innovative technologies. We strive for providing the market with commercially and technically attractive cars by use of advanced design solutions. Introduction of Timken bearings to the Russian railcar market is one more important step in this direction”.
Mikhail Gorokhov, General Director of LLC “Timken-Rus Service Company”, Timken’s branch in Russia, added: “Brand Timken has incorporated more than 100 years ago and now it is known internationally as a leading supplier of bearings. Today Russian market of cassette bearings is rather limited, but growth of interest of railway industry in the development of innovations will inevitably lead to modernization of the rolling stock and increase in the need for new generation components. The Timken Company is pleased that wide experience and knowledge can be useful and will help to solve effectively the difficult issues facing the railway industry.”
