No. 2 (8) September 2018

PTimeartners’ corporate magazine of

No compromise on quality UWC expands on the global market and increases its exports

Towards Railcar Getting new horizons in detail on track How requirements An articulated The wide or the narrow 20 for freight cars vary 28 six-axle flat car 36 gauges: what the gold in different markets for the European market standard is 2 content No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 1

LEADING FREIGHT WAGONS MANUFACTURER

Dear Partners!

nited Wagon in order to ensure success on export Company markets. now ranks As of today, UWC is the only railcar second in building company outside the European the world Union which has the right to supply freight by output cars to the European market. We earned of freight this right by passing an audit carried out by cars. We are Deutsche Bahn, which gave us Q2 quality selling our equipment on markets in North status. The audit is an important milestone America, the Middle East, Europe and in the history of the Company and it will UAfrica, and we plan to expand our horizons send a positive signal to European customers even further. Getting this far has not been gaining acquaintance with our products at easy. We have discovered just how difficult the InnoTrans 2018 international exhibition. it is – even for a major manufacturer such At the exhibition we will present a new as UWC – to enter established markets Sggrs80 articulated container flat car for the successfully. 1435-mm gauge. The railway equipment industry has a This issue contains a lot of detailed reputation for conservatism. The attitude information on UWC’s export business and towards new suppliers is cautious, and we export projects implemented to date. The online read have to work hard to prove ourselves. But issue also shows UWC cars manufactured that only makes each new export contract for various countries for the first time more significant. and tells of our experience working with We view exports as crucial to the foreign partners. future of UWC’s business. The Company is committed to continuous improvement of We hope you find it interesting! its R&D and manufacturing competencies Editorial Team 2 content No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 3

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4 News round-up 18 Fact sheet A global map of the UWC’s product sales



20 Innovation in focus Towards new horizons Anna Orlova, UWC’s Deputy CEO for Scientific and Technical Development Кey topic and Head of the All-Union Research and 10 Interview Development Centre for Transportation No compromise on quality Technology, explained how requirements The UWC brand is now well-known for freight cars vary in different markets far beyond Russia’s borders, and the and described projects that have been 36 History Company has set itself the long-term carried out to date Getting on track goal of 20% of revenue from exports. Early railways used a broad Maxim Kuzemchenko, UWC’s Deputy range of gauges, all of different CEO for Business Development, 28 Railcar in detail widths. This caused a great deal explained how the Company has won a An articulated six-axle flat car of confusion until the wide reputation as a quality supplier on the for heavyweight containers and the narrow gauges were international arena for the European market introduced as the two most common gauge types worldwide Photo by Denis Eskov Denis by Photo

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30 Photo story Rail industry on

global scale The Magazine is released in participation with ЛЮДИPEOPLE High technologies, best Time of UWC. 12+ practices and modern Partners’ corporate magazine Editor-in-chief: Lilia Lavrova Bld. 16, 2, Energeticheskaya st., Moscow, Russia, 111116 production facilities Contact us: [email protected] allowed UWC to become Bld. 1, 7/11, Novokuznetskaya st., www.vashagazeta.com Moscow, Russia, 115184 CEO: Vladimir Zmeyushchenko one of the leading global Tel.: +7 (499) 999 15 20 Project Editor: Elena Ushkova manufacturers of railway E-mail: [email protected] Designers: Natalia Tikhonkova, freight cars and secure Elena Kononenko All rights reserved. Reprint by quoting link Publishing Director: Oleg Merochkin its place among the only. Circulation: 300 Photostocks: TASS, AKG, AFP TOP-3 companies in the Signed in print 20 August 2018 terms of production level “Time of UWC” is published for the information purposes. The provided information should not be considered as a guide to act. PJSC “Research and production corporation “United Wagon Company” is not liable for direct, indirect or unintentional damage caused by the use of information published in the journal “Time of UWC”. 4 news round-up No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 5

In 2Q 2018, UWC manufactured a total of 4.8 thousand railcars (there was a year-over-year upswing of 434% UWC maintains its annual production plan at a level of 19 to 20 thousand railcars. in the production of hopper cars). The 1H production comprised 9 thousand railcars.

tender audit Flat cars for heavyweight Optimal ratio United Wagon Company wins status as supplier containers to Poland for wood chips to Deutsche Bahn United Wagon Company became the winner UWC has successfully passed a assurance, warranty and service Jens Baselt, of an international tender to supply 200 flat quality audit by Deutsche Bahn to maintenance. In total, the audit Quality Engineer at Deutsche Bahn: cars for heavyweight containers to Laude act as supplier of freight cars to the covered more than 20 aspects of Smart Intermodal SA (Poland), one of the German company. Deutsche Bahn UWC’s business. The final score was We are happy to welcome UWC as our rapidly growing companies in the field of is the largest railway operator in the calculated as the sum of scores for potential vendor. DB has been seeking multimodal transportation services and European Union and the approval all criteria based on a 100-point scale partners that meet our criteria in logistics in Central and Eastern Europe. is a milestone in the development and was presented as a 360-degree terms of quality, security of supplies The equipment will be supplied in stages of UWC’s export strategy and chart. The railway holding received and pricing policy all over the world. by end of the second quarter of 2019. The expansion of its presence on scores in a range from 90 to 100 The audit conducted at UWC let us cars fitted with bogies having an increased the European market. UWC was points on 18 counts and from 80 to expand our pool of potential vendors axle load capacity of 25 t will be operating in assigned Q2 quality status based on 90 points on five counts. of freight cars and their components. the Russia-Poland-Russia transport corridor. United Wagon Company The cars will be built at the the audit results. In addition to the Deutsche During the audit, we saw a highly The 13-6851-01 flat car (40 feet long) has has signed a contract with UWC car building enterprise, The audit was carried out by Bahn audit, the Tikhvin Freight Car motivated company with modern an increased loading capacity (up to 80 tons), Kronospan, the world’s largest TikhvinSpetsMash. specialists of Deutsche Bahn, who Building Plant has successfully advanced infrastructure. I feel that which in combination with a decreased producer of chipboard, to The new gondola cars for reviewed the quality management passed certification to the EN 15085 UWC meets every prerequisite for tare weight facilitates transportation of all provide 80 gondola cars (Russian wood chip transportation have system at United Wagon Company Welding of Railway Vehicles and precise implementation of potential container sizes (20, 30, 40 and 45 feet). The Тпр (Tpr) clearance diagram) for unique technical features to and also at the All-Union Research Components European standard. projects with Deutsche Bahn. We UWC flat car is equipped with reinforced transportation of wood chips. maximise the rolling stock’s and Development Centre for The certification audit was carried wish that the existing positive center sill and stationary fitting twist locks The cars are to be delivered in cost efficiency. Optimal ratio Transportation Technology out by TÜV Rheinland, the German energy and the quality of UWC’s enabling transportation of heavyweight the first quarter of 2019. of payload capacity (70 tons) (VNICTT) and the Tikhvin Freight division of one of the world’s leading products become a solid basis for our containers. This sets the UWC car apart The car of 12-6995 model is to body space (211 m3) enables Car Building Plant (TVSZ) which certification bodies. successful partnership. from the counterparts operating within the a new product on the Russian carriage of up to 30 m3 more are both owned by UWC. The Status as a Q2 supplier to 1520-mm gauge space. The service life of the market. A prototype is now cargo compared with analogues. audit gave a high assessment of Deutsche Bahn and the EN 15085 UWC flat car is 40 years. undergoing tests for certification Hatches on the sides of the car the processes used by UWC for welding certificate create promising by “Register of Certification on make it easier to clean it after the design and production of new opportunities for UWC on the

the Federal Railway Transport.” unloading. new freight cars models, quality European market.

Marcin Witzchak, CEO at Laude Smart Intermodal SA:

Our company is rapidly growing and moving forward with the aim of becoming the leading provider of logistics services in Central and UWC freight cars − under increased abrasive and railcar bogie with the axle Eastern Europe. That is why we focus on the corrosive wear typical of the load of 32.5 t is designed quality of our freight car fleet. When engaging now in Africa tropical African climate. The for the 1435-mm gauge. new rolling stock, we select the best suppliers hopper cars are manufactured The main characteristic of and product solutions only. The UWC flat cars United Wagon Company won from the world’s largest deposit at the TikhvinSpetsMash the freight car that makes fully conform to our high-quality standards, an international tender for the Dian-Dian (Boké Region). plant (part of UWC). it fundamentally distinct and the production capabilities of our Russian supply of freight cars to the The hopper car configuration The export version from market analogues is a partner allow to promptly build up the Republic of Guinea. The batch complies with the AAR of the hopper car for unique system of quick drop required scope of supply. of 114 hopper cars has already railroad standard, including its transportation of bauxite unloading onto the track been shipped. dimensions, bogie, coupling and has the carrying capacity (two hatches on each side The rolling stock is being brake equipment. The railcar of 101.5 tons and the cubic of the car, having the total used to transport bauxites is designed to be operated capacity of 54 m3. The length of 5.5 m). 6 news round-up No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 7

In 2Q 2018, UWC’s product line was expanded to include a total 55 railcar models In 2Q 2018, the freight cars supplies were made to State Transport Leasing Company, and modifications. Rusagrotrans, Uralkali, Operail, PhosAgro, Rhenus Logistics, etc.

AAR certification Tikhvin Freight Car Building requirements necessary for AAR Mickey Korzeniowski, Plant − a core manufacturing approval of the casting designs, GM Wabtec Freight Products: of quality facility that is part of United confirming the quality of the Wagon Company − supplies the product. These tests were carried in Wabtec seeks to partner with world large-size castings to equip the North America at an AAR approved class suppliers in order to deliver North American freight cars. The facility CTLGroup testing center highly engineered products to our planned scope of supply is up to under AAR observation. North American rail customers. five thousand car sets. Freight castings made in Tikhvin TVSZ, with their state of the art In order to produce freight car are intended for bogies such as foundry, fits that mold. Through castings for the North American the Barber S-2-HD® and feature our partnership with UWC we look Estonian timber market, TVSZ first had to pass a reduced weight design preferred forward to supplying high quality, Quality Management System audit by North American customers. The durable truck castings and other to travel on new to confirm compliance with AAR S-2-HD® is a standard 32.5 t axle products to the AAR market for Specification М1003, and also meet load bogie approved for general years to come. flat cars the foundry technical requirements use. So freight cars equipped with for certification under AAR. these bogie castings operate over United Wagon Company has supplied 162 flat cars for Sample castings made in the entire North American rail transportation of timber to the international railway Tikhvin successfully met static system, in the USA, in Canada and logistics company Operail (formerly EVR Cargo), and dynamic structural test in Mexico. founded on the base of Estonian Railways. The cars equipped with bogies with an increased axel load of 25 t will replenish the car fleet of WagonPro AS, a subsidiary of Operail, which specialises in providing rolling stock for rent. The award contract timber transportation flat cars have been produced at TikhvinSpetsMash car building plant (part of UWC) since 2016. The 13-6852-02 model has already proved itself Prize-winner of the The Company’s patent Eurosib to purchase in the Russian market among industrial enterprises International Innovation portfolio is larger than the high-capacity container flat cars and transportation companies, as it provides portfolios of other domestic increased efficiency in the transportation of both & IP Forum and Awards market players, and the The Eurosib company cars. Eurosib began to light and heavy types of wood, as well as significantly Company plans to make sure is purchasing 500 high- form its new generation lowers transportation costs by reducing the required United Wagon Company Transportation Technology the portfolio content reaches capacity container flat rolling stock fleet in 2014 flat car fleet size. This model has previously been has been recognised as (part of UWC), the railway the level of the biggest cars. The rolling stock with the delivery of 285 purchased by Kronospan, Mondi, ARKHBUM, DV Best IP Department in holding has created an international manufacturers, will be manufactured cars produced by TVSZ. Real Trans Group, Lokotrans, Sibirsky Krai and others. Russia & Central and effective system to support such as Amsted Rail and at a UWC’s production The increase in the The 40-foot platform differs from standard Eastern Europe 2018 at the product development. Wabtec Corp. facility – the Tikhvin fleet of container flat analogues thanks to increased payload capacity (up Innovation & IP Forum and By patenting technical The Innovation & Freight Car Building Plant cars is in line with a long- to 74 tons) and greater loading volume (increased Awards’18. solutions in key business IP Forum and Awards is (TVSZ). Under the terms term programme for the to 122 m3), which makes it possible to load up to In its business activity, areas, United Wagon organised by the Leaders by representatives of world- of the contract, Eurosib development of container 10 additional cubic meters of cargo onto the car. UWC places a special Company has formed a League rating agency as a renowned companies, such will receive 270 model transportation. At present, Thanks to bogies with an increased axel load emphasis on comprehensive strong patents portfolio, specialised international as IBM, Ericsson, AB InBev, 13-6903 freight cars before Eurosib has about 10 of 25 t, the flat car’s overhaul period has been protection of intellectual including abroad patents. patent and IP protection Airbus, Nestlé, Tata Group, the end of this year. domestic and export- increased to 800,000 km (eight years), compared property – the Company’s This let the Company forum. It is one of the Time Inc, Nokia, Dassault, The acquisition of the import routes, as well as with 210,000 km (three years) for the models widely key innovations, technologies become a leader among biggest business events Qualcomm, Airbus, Lindt, rolling stock puts Eurosib regular China – Europe – represented in the 1520-mm gauge area. There are and products. Thus, hand in Russian car building bringing together more than Orange, Škoda, Sanofi, among the largest China transit through several UWC’s service centres on the territory of hand with All-Union Research enterprises, including the 400 world experts. In this AT&T, H&M as well as the players in the market of Russia and Mongolia’s Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. and Development Centre for sphere of IP protection. year, the forum was visited WIPO. innovative container flat border crossings. 8 news round-up No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 9

The freight cars fleet of RAIL1520 (the common brand for UWC’s leasing companies) comprised In 2Q 2018, UNICON 1520’s tank-container fleet grew by 17%, reaching 908 units, 13 thousand units at the end of 1H. The share of cars fitted with bogies (25 t) while the growth in its car fleet under management stood at 44% to 560 units (including flat cars and tank was up to 77%. cars). UNICON 1520 is the transportation company of UWC.

cooperation

Raf De Schutter, Efficient rolling stock Director for Sales and Development at Rhenus Intermodal Systems: Rail heavyweights to Kazakhstan United Wagon Company has has successfully passed fatigue Working in the international transport logistics market shipped the batch of 84 heavy and endurance tests and is the in Europe and the CIS countries, we have established During this year, United Wagon Company is flat cars equipped with 25 t axle only 80-foot model on the high standards of work for ourselves and our partners. going to supply 64 box cars to Kazakhstan’s load bogies for the transportation Russian market with permission Our clients expect from us not only a variety of operators and manufacturers. The first batch of containers to the international to simultaneously carry two routes and the best ratio of tariff to transit time, but has already been shipped to the freight logistics service provider Rhenus containers with a gross weight of also high-quality and efficient rolling stock, in terms forwarder Asian Synergy Logistics. Logistics. up to 36 tons each. Combined of rail transportation. With the acquisition of UWC The freight car’s capacity stands at 175 m3, The model 13-6903 flat car is with the increased payload rolling stock, we intend to significantly improve the which, coupled with the increased axle designed for the transportation of capacity of up to 74.5 tons, this transportation economics. In addition, thanks to the load of 25 t, raises its payload capacity to light and large-capacity universal, allows up to 11 extra tons of new generation cars, the company plans to continue 73 tons. The car’s parameters enable six more specialised and refrigerated freight to be loaded on the flat developing the freight car fleet, increasing its reliability tons of cargo to be loaded (as compared to containers and tank containers car in comparison with analogues and efficiency. similar cars). The car’s distinguishing feature for non-dangerous goods. The in the Russian fleet. As a result, is four loading hatches enabling easy and car is equipped with reinforced this significantly reduces fast loading of loose goods, including grain. folding and fixed container fitting the required fleet of rolling The size of the doorway openings allows stops to accommodate containers stock while maintaining traffic for loading and unloading by all types of lift in various combinations. The car volumes. trucks. UWC box cars have the service life of 32 years, their repair interval amounting to 800,000 km (or eight years) versus 110,000 km partnership (or three years) for their counterparts operating on the local market. In 2013, UWC Hopper cars for mineral Dmitry Osipov, GATX Rail Vostok purchases service centres were opened in Kazalinsk, CEO at Uralkali: Karaganda and Pavlodar at the Kazakhstan fertiliser to Uralkali TikhvinChemMash tank cars railcar repairing facilities of Kamkor Vagon Under the contract, in 2019 United Our company has been using (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’s subsidiary). Wagon Company will supply to TVSZ hopper cars to carry The TikhvinChemMash freight car building The plan calls for using box cars Uralkali 500 hopper cars, model mineral fertilisers since 2015. plant (part of UWC) has supplied 20 tank manufactured by TikhvinSpetsMash (part of 19-9835-01, having an increased We opted for the new generation cars for the transportation of caustic soda UWC) for carrying foods, less-than-car loads carrying capacity. These cars fleet based on considerations and other chemical cargoes to GATX Rail and loose grain. In the conditions of cargo designed to carry mineral fertilisers. of economic efficiency as well Vostok (a subsidiary of GATX Corporation, growth arranging for highly efficient logistics as the possibility to raise the a leading global railcar lessor). is especially important for shippers, and it is traffic capacities of both the The 15-6900 model car has a bogie with cars fitted with bogies providing increased Russian Railways network and an increased axle load and the tank volume axle load of up to 25 t that could become the connecting tracks of our of 54.5 m3, which provides for the loading A GATX representative: an effective solution for transportation cost mines and port. This contract, of an additional five tons of cargo, making optimisation as there were no such cars implemented as a part of our it possible to reduce the required fleet of One of their most attractive features is the large overhaul period, among Kazakhstan’s fleet before. long-term fleet development cars. which will provide savings on maintenance throughout the life of strategy, will undoubtedly The thermal characteristics of the the car. Purchasing additional fleet with an increasing axle load strengthen the reliability and tank, which is equipped with a system cars is in line with our local strategy. stability of our supplies to of thermal insulation, allow the cargo to customers. remain in a liquid state at negative ambient temperatures for up to 10 days, which reduces the time spent on draining and provides energy savings on heating. Interview No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 11

We come and we put down quality, high-performance cars at roots competitive prices. We don’t offer huge price discounts – we don’t try No compromise What is the UWC strategy on the to compete with the Chinese by that world market? measure, because our cars are much better built. We have been focused on export There are many different business since 2015. We make a standards applied in the world high-quality product, so success on today and we cooperate with strong competitive foreign markets was international railway equipment on quality only a matter of time. The change manufacturers, like Amsted Rail, in the exchange rate of the Russian Wabtec Corporation, Knorr-Bremse, International orders help to load production capacities and boost output of railcars currency was an immediate driver etc., which help us to comply with by UWC. The UWC brand is now well-known far beyond Russia’s borders, and the for our export initiative. We made those standards. This approach means Company has set itself the long-term goal of 20% of revenue from exports. a successful debut on the global that we can offer optimal solutions Maxim Kuzemchenko, UWC’s Deputy CEO for Business Development, explained market thanks to ruble devaluation on the global market, meeting how the Company has won a reputation as a quality supplier on the international and our ability to design and the needs of the most demanding arena and what steps are being taken to increase the share of exports. manufacture rolling stock, which customers. UWC also has a versatile meets the needs of international in-house R&D unit (All-Union customers. But we understood that Research and Development Centre Elena Romanova breaking into the global market for Transportation Technology), would not be that easy. We began by which works with industry forging relationships with some of the organisations in other countries. biggest railcar customers. Export business is important for The key regions for us today are UWC for several reasons. Firstly, it is North America, the Middle East, an extra source of revenue. Secondly, Europe and Africa. We are already exports help us to diversify our selling out products on those production programme and sales markets. We constantly monitor channels, and that is an excellent way demand on the global market and, of balancing supply and demand. The based on this analysis, we set up a Russian market is strong at present, network of agents and representative but it is cyclical, and saturation point offices where we see points of is bound to be reached at some point growth for UWC’s business outside in the future. Domestic demand is Russia. currently driven in part by large-scale As a universal manufacturer, write-offs of the old railcar fleet, and we can design and build cars for that demand is bound to drop off. any railway gauge, we can meet any So UWC is moving fast to develop regulatory standards. We offer high- export business that will compensate

As a universal manufacturer, United Wagon Company can design and build cars for any railway gauge 12 interview No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 13

mining projects and the development as an entry ticket to foreign markets. of new mineral deposits. Investments But they are offering railcars made of TOP-5 GLOBAL ROLLING STOCK MANUFACTURERS in transport are a priority when an domestic components using regional Output volume in 2017, thousand freight cars economy is experiencing rapid growth. technical solutions, which are suited for 1520-mm gauge, and they will need Competitors and partners to spend a lot of time and money in CRRC (China) 37.5 order to make products that match (Russia) What companies do you see as your international requirements. By contrast, UWC 19.1 main international competitors, what UWC is already working closely with Trinity (the USA) are their strengths and what competitive leading world suppliers of bogies, brakes 18 and other components, so we can design advantages can UWC offer? Greenbrier (the and manufacture cars to almost any USA/Europe) 15.5 I would single out three groups of specification in a short space of time. competitors. The first are Chinese For example, when we were UralVagonZavod Accoding to Research Agency 15 producers. It is hard to compete designing a car for use in Guinea, we (Russia) “INFOLine Analytics” with them on price, because they used a bogie with axle load of 32.5 t – have the advantage of large state much higher than in Russia. Thanks to subsidies and China is still a low- our international partnerships, we had cost country. But their weak point is no trouble manufacturing that car. America, transport can be a large set up a joint venture to design and quality. Many customers don’t want We have delivered the order, which part of our costs to meet the order. manufacture components for brake to buy Chinese or they put temporary has been accepted by the customer So local companies may win out on systems and other parts, including blocks on participation in tenders and our hopper cars are already price, although they sometimes can’t parts for heavyweight traffic. The by Chinese manufacturers, because transporting bauxite from African produce cars of appropriate quality range of products that we originally they have had negative experience fields. and in sufficient quantity. planned has now all been designed. Maxim Kuzemchenko, UWC’s Deputy CEO for Business Development of Chinese products in the past. By The third group of competitors But that is only one aspect of our contrast UWC already has a record of are local manufacturers in countries, What is the nature of your cooperation with Wabtec. supplying high-quality railcars to the where we offer our products. They cooperation with Wabtec The second aspect is the supply the decline of domestic orders, relationships and we have won new international market. have one indisputable advantage: they Corporation? of large castings for American Barber when it happens. We already have a contracts. The second group of competitors don’t need to include logistics in the S-2-HD bogies. This is a major project reputation on the global market: we The agent model works better are Russian companies, which are also cost of their products. If we have to We have been working together for and we have spent several million get invited to take part in tenders, in countries where demand is less trying to use the relatively low ruble dispatch our cars to Africa or South a long time – since 2010. In 2013, we dollars to launch the new products at including tenders for innovative predictable. For example, the market products. Sometimes we have to turn in Africa is highly fragmented, down export contracts, because our with about 30 countries buying main production facilities in Tikhvin rolling stock. This is a very diverse (the Leningrad Region, Russia) are and multicultural region, and new overloaded with orders for the transport arteries are developing domestic market. We use foreign very fast. It is just not possible to projects to learn and improve what hire one agent or even a company we do. Every such project makes that would represent our interests us more confident that we can be all over the continent. At present we successful in the world arena. have eight agents working in Africa, some of them are individuals and What agents and representative some are companies. We select them offices does UWC have abroad and very carefully, constantly supervise what role do they play? their work and, if they don’t live up to expectations, we look for a We currently have two foreign replacement. Our network of agents offices, one in North America in Africa is still taking shape. and one in Europe. It’s a natural In South America, we recently strategy: if you want to sell your signed an agreement with TMH products, you have to get close to International AG, which is a foreign the customer. We go where there subsidiary of the Russian company is an attractive market, and we Transmashholding. It represents put down roots. It’s an approach our interests in Argentina and that has fully justified itself. Since neighbouring countries. We expect Hopper cars produced by UWC are transporting bauxites from the world’s opening the offices, we have had these markets to grow strongly in the largest deposit Dian-Dian (Boké Region) in the Republic of Guinea breakthroughs in our customer future in a context of rising output in 14 interview No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 15

And what about your partnership with There is a queue for castings Timken? from Tikhvin: we have more When we opened the Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant in 2012, we understood export requests than we can that Russian component manufacturers couldn’t guarantee component supplies respond to of the quality and in the quantity that we needed. We decided on a vertical integration strategy and began investing in component production. At first all of the bogie components were brought from abroad, but now we make them ourselves. We invited the Timken company to open a joint venture in Russia so that we could work together producing up-to-date bearings (tapered roller bearing cartridges), which hadn’t been used in Russia before. This was consistent with our concept of vertical integration, and it suited Timken, which was keen to enter the Russian market. For the moment, bearings made Tikhvin. It is a very exciting opportunity, global procurement and tenders. by the joint venture are only being because we not only load our foundry Wabtec has long-established presence used for cars built for the domestic capacities, but also acquire unique on a lot of railway equipment markets market. But we use a number of The representatives of Deutsche Bahn visited the Tikhvin industrial site experience producing components for and offers solutions for almost any high-tech solutions that will be of international markets. brake system specification. This helps interest on external markets, so the The third aspect of our cooperation us to implement new projects more potential for component sales is with Wabtec is joint participation in quickly. quite large. When the JV reaches capacity, we will be ready to think of service even in remote regions. Thirdly, we have a multi-level about exports. Also, after 2020 we UWC is an international company, so quality control system. It begins at expect growth of the domestic market we need to be ready and willing to individual workplaces, where sub- for components in order to carry out provide service not only in the “1520 standard products are not tolerated repairs and our installed capacities for space,” but also in countries with and are not allowed to go further bearing production will give us a major narrow gauge. along the production line. Also we advantage. have special services that monitor and Reliability as a guarantee ensure compliance of products with How are UWC cars serviced in other of success regulatory requirements and design countries? documentation. Finally, we never skimp You said that you compete not so on materials: they always meet all of It all depends on the region. In much on price as on quality. What are the basic design parameters. It’s no some places we hire a permanent the key aspects of quality in a UWC secret that when demand is strong, representative ourselves, who product? some companies cut corners by using looks after the cars during their cheap materials. We never compromise service life, makes sure that all the There are several key aspects. Firstly, on quality. technical operating requirements are the technologies at our Tikhvin And, fourthly, we have a strong observed, and provides emergency production site are quite unique. We engineering base, which can design back-up in unforeseen situations. take great pride in the foundry. There is railcars to any international standards In other places creation of service a queue for castings from Tikhvin: we and any customer requests. centres or of at least of two or three have more export requests than we can depots is a tender requirement. We respond to. You have spoken about various already have enough experience to Secondly, we product high-quality exciting projects on markets outside understand how many depots are products thanks to robotics and the former USSR. But how active are needed to maintain a certain fleet automation, which minimise human you in the ‘‘1520 space’’ and in the CIS size, what equipment is required and error. Although it is also important countries? what sets of spare parts need to be to emphasize that skill levels and Tapered roller bearings assembly line at the JV Timken UWC available. With these basic solutions production culture of personnel at our Our target markets in the “near- we can organise a satisfactory level industrial site are improving all the time. abroad” are Kazakhstan and Belarus, 16 interview No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 17

and we occasionally have projects What other plans do you have for the other types of rolling stock – for new suppliers. Nobody had heard of America, for example, the selection means risk. The most innovative in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, immediate future, what other new transportation of gases, bulk and UWC, even though, objectively, we procedure is transparent. Customers region is probably Australia, where but these regions haven’t yet fully markets will you enter? other cargoes. We are open to are one of the largest companies in on these markets take a very rational railways aren’t just a part of national recovered from the recent economic suggestions and requests, but we the world by production capacity and approach to the selection of suppliers infrastructure, but a key part of shocks, so we expect most of the The European market is very interesting. think that flat cars will be the best- output volumes. We had to spend although, there too, we have to the technology chain for mineral demand there to be realised in the We recently passed an audit and won seller in the near future, so it is a lot of time promoting the UWC face powerful lobbies, protectionist producers. If you extract ore or coal, future. We are taking part in all status as a quality supplier to Deutsche important to get established in this brand in the global market. We made frameworks and duties that support you need to get it to a port along a projects in the ‘‘1520 space’’ that are Bahn, which is the biggest railway segment as soon as possible. ourselves known at trade and industry domestic manufacturers. So the railway line, which you have to build. led by our partners. We are currently company in Europe and has a reputation It’s important that we are already fairs around the world, at one-on- principles, procedures and tools In Australia, high-tech solutions are negotiating a contract to supply for being very strict about quality. We in compliance with EU regulations and one meetings, using direct emails vary a lot, and we spend a lot of time in demand: they have the highest several hundred articulated gas hope that approval by Deutsche Bahn standards, so we can develop almost shots with information about our learning the rules on each specific axle load in the world (40 t) and trains tanks to Kazakhstan and we expect will serve as a signal to the rest of the any type of car quickly and bring it into production capabilities. These efforts market and figuring out how to work of up to 250 cars weighing as much this to be a breakthrough project. European market, because UWC today production it at our facilities. are bearing fruit today. Of course, efficiently with these rules. as 40,000 tons. The same applies to It’s a fact is that many near-abroad is the only railcar manufacturer outside sometimes we lose tenders, but we other regions where there is a large countries are very cautious about the European Union that has the right to Was it hard to make your mark as a are philosophical about it. We are Comparing different standards and mineral extraction industry and increasing axle load, even up to 25 t, supply cars to Europe. new player when you first came to the learning and developing. approaches to manufacturers, which dedicated railway lines. For example, let alone beyond. If these projects international market, and has it got As for bureaucracy, it depends region, in your opinion, appreciates Saudi Arabia also appreciates are successful they will represent a What products will you bring to Europe easier now? How bureaucratic are the on the region. There are some local innovation the most? innovations as a way of making new departure, setting a precedent first? tender procedures? markets where they choose the transport more cost effective. But all for use of our new generation 1520- supplier first and hold a tender just You will be surprised by my answer. markets, without exception, focus on mm gauge cars outside Russia. The Multimodal transport is the fastest It was hard at the beginning. We to comply with formal procedures. It’s a fact that the railway industry safety as much as on cost efficiency. project with Kazakhstan is attractive growing segment in Europe today, so were surprised how conservative the Coming from Russia we don’t stand is very conservative the world over, So a global supplier has to confirm the both commercially and as regards we plan to enter this market with our markets are, how reluctant they are much chance in competitions like and attitudes to innovation are quality and reliability of its cars. This image. flat cars, but we are also discussing to embrace new opportunities and that. But in Europe and North usually cautious, because innovation is the key to success.

An articulated LPG tank car produced by UWC 18 fact sheet No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 19

market St. Petersburg Tikhvin UWC Globalactively increases its global presence in the regions that have functioning railways or that are building railways, and that use freight rolling stock. Head office: phone: +74999991520 Regions of operation e-mail: [email protected] Moscow The freight car market in North America is the largest in the world, with the fleet reaching 1.85 mln units. Izhevsk The region employs unified AAR standards for railcars1 and 1435-mm track gauge zone. A growth in demand is expected despite the current market downturn, and a tendency is being seen Russian Federation to shift production of rolling stock and components (including casting) North to outside of the USA in order to cut America Europe Central Asia costs. UWC has potential on the market thanks to a low product price as a result of depreciation of the rouble. In relation to this, the Company opened Uniwagon Middle East NA, a representative office in the USA that has successfully begun to supply Office components to major players in the railway market. Regions of Africa Southeast Asia The freight car fleet in theMiddle operation East consists of 35,000 units. American and modified Russian standards Promising regions prevail in the region, and the track Other regions gauge zone is 1435 mm. The market is South actively developing thanks to railway America construction; by 2021, it is planned Railcars to construct more than two thousand kilometres of railroads as a part of a railway construction project that Components connects six countries in the Persian Australia Gulf. Additional several thousand freight cars will be required for this project. To participate in this project, gauge zone and also narrow 1000-mm There are about 120,000 freight Prospective regions railways, meaning that growth in market is increasing and is expected to the Company initiated negotiations with and 1067-mm track gauge zones will be cars now in use on 1520-mm track in the demand for freight cars is expected, reach 4,500 railcars per year. potential customers. at around five thousand railcars a year. Central Asian countries. These countries Southeast Asia’s freight car fleet which will amount to several The freight car fleet in Australia The freight car market in Africa is Europe has a freight car fleet are industrially developed and have comprises 30,000 units. There are no thousand units a year according to consists of a total of 66,000 units. characterised by high growth rates, and consisting of 860,000 units. This region good railway infrastructure, which makes common standards; both American estimates. The highest demand is for railcars the total fleet volume is about 170,000 is characterised by high requirements them an attractive long-term market and European requirements are The total freight car fleet in with 1435-mm track gauge zone, which units. The applied standards and for quality and product certification. TSI for rolling-stock manufacturers. UWC used. At present, the narrow track South America currently consists of meets ARA standards; track gauge technical requirements for railcars differ standards are in effect in Europe, and the sees much potential for its products gauge zone (1000 and 1067 mm) around 145,000 units. AAR standards zones of 1000, 1067 and 1600 mm are significantly from country to country. predominant track gauge zone is 1435 in the region. Contracts have been predominates; a railway with standard prevail in this region, with track gauge seen much less frequently. A large number of railway construction mm (track gauge zones of 1520, 1524 and signed this year for supply of all types track gauge zone (1435 mm) is under zones ranging from 1000, 1067, 1435, The region is appealing in terms of projects with 1435-mm track gauge 1668 mm are seen much less frequently). of cars manufactured by the holding, construction. 1600 and 1676 mm. Thanks to the offering the most innovative solutions zone are implemented in the region; In recent years, the demand reached five including articulated cars. A network of Countries in this region invest construction of railways for export for super heavy haul railcars with it is therefore predicted that the level thousand freight cars per year and will maintenance centres for UWC cars is massively in developing infrastructure of raw materials and agricultural an axle load of 40 t and more. The of demand for standard 1435-mm track remain at this level in the near future. being created. in relation to the development of products, demand on the freight car predicted demand is 2,500 railcars.

1 With the exception of Cuba, which has similar standards to Russia. Innovation 20 in focus No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 21

Choosing between weight is flat cars. The main efficiency and speed indicator for that type of transport and what makes it competitive with What trends are we seeing today on road transport is speed. the world market for railcars? But, looking objectively, you Towards get the impression that European There are two main trends. In railways haven’t decided yet which transport of bulk goods, like coal, way they will go. Some of the cars ore and crushed stone, the trend now in service have axle load of 25 t is towards higher productivity by and speeds up to 100 km/h, while increasing the carrying capacity of others have 22.5 t loads at speeds of railcars. The USA, Australia and South up to 120 km/h. It’s not clear which of new horizons Africa are designing heavyweight these will win out and rolling stock Development of export business has huge strategic importance for United Wagon Company. cars with axle loads between 32 manufacturers are building both Success on export markets depends, to a large extent, on careful research and development and 40 t. At present Australia is the types of cars. work, in order to manufacture rolling stock that meets the needs of foreign operators. leader in this field – the Australians There is heavyweight traffic on Anna Orlova, UWC’s Deputy CEO for Scientific and Technical Development and Head of are experimenting with cars that have some limited sections of the European the All-Union Research and Development Centre for Transportation Technology (part of 40 t axle load. If these cars show good rail network – in places where coal or UWC), explained how requirements for freight cars vary in different markets and described technical and economic performance, ore is transported. Sweden and Norway projects that have been carried out to date. other countries with heavyweight rail are increasing axle loads: the Kiruna- freight will follow Australia’s example. Narvik and Kiruna-Lulea lines, between The second trend, mainly in the mine and the ports, were designed Elena Romanova Europe, is for greater speed. Freight from the start for axle loads of 30 t car design is getting closer to that and after three years of monitoring the of passenger cars. Speeds of up to load has been stepped up to 32.5 t. But 120 km/h are now standard for freight that only applies to a few routes where trains in Europe, while countries heavy loads are usual. And they are

There are two main trends. The first trend is towards higher productivity by increasing the carrying capacity of railcars. And the second trend is for greater speed

with heavyweight traffic are still at unusual for the European network as a maximum speeds of 80 km/h. Greater whole. speed is an alternative way of making freight traffic more cost effective, Would it be fair to say that in Russia and it also helps to synchronise we have both trends: development of freight and passenger operations. heavyweight traffic for bulk cargoes and increase of speeds, particularly Are European customers more for container transit between Europe interested in speed? and Asia?

Photo by Denis Eskov Absolutely. The greater part of rail Yes, we have to address both issues. freight in Europe is container traffic, The efficiency of bulk transportation so the main type of rolling stock grows with increase of carrying 22 innovation in focus No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 23

getting closer to that of passenger being developed to reduce the brake What are the other specific cars: double spring suspension1, disc response time. requirements for railcars that exist in 2 brakes , use of non-metal elements Strict requirements for noise different markets? 1Spring suspension on for supporting the car body on reduction are another important bogies consists of all the 3 the bogie frame , and work is being factor for railways in Europe: they The railway industry is very elements that provide carried out to reduce unsprung pass through densely populated conservative, and as a rule all of elasticity (leaf and coil 4 mass by the use of lightweight wheel areas, so much attention is paid to the safety requirements for rolling springs, shock absorbers, sets. We are seeing a similar trend reducing levels of noise pollution stock and components are clearly vibration dampers) and in continental Europe, but there is a from rolling stock. Noise-absorbing spelled out in the standards. Many ancillary components lack of clear economic incentives for coatings are being developed for countries follow the standards of the (spring suspensions, rollers, creating track-friendly cars. wheels and wheel sets, brake pads Association of American Railroads brackets, etc.), which A lot of work is being done on use materials that do not squeal (AAR), which are quite close to connect wheel sets to the new brake systems for freight cars when the brakes are applied, Russian standards. Europe previously frame or body of the railcar. that run at high speeds. Double brake elastomer bushings and gaskets are followed standards of the Union Spring suspension affects shoes per wheel are standard for being installed in car suspensions Internationale des Chemins de Fer the running performance Y25 bogies used. Further increase in to prevent knocking (elastomers (UIC, International Union of Railways), of the car and reduces the braking efficiency can be achieved are good at absorbing high sound but they are now being replaced by dynamic impact of the track by the use of disc brakes. Electrical frequencies due to their viscosity – the new system of European Norms on the car and the car on and electronic control systems are Editor’s note). (EN). UWC is monitoring all these the track. Suspension can be single (primary or secondary) or double (both primary and secondary), depending on the number of consecutive connected systems of elastic elements. Double suspension gives smoother oscillation of the car, empty or loaded, compared to single suspension.

Anna Orlova, UWC’s Deputy CEO for Scientific and Technical Development and Head of the All-Union Research and Development Centre for Transportation 2Compared with shoe brakes, Technology disc brakes offer more efficient braking, especially capacity and volume of the car, but assuming that the track was in good at high speeds (160 km/h and typical track construction (particularly condition. But the actual state of the above), prevent overheating bridges, etc.) puts limits on the extent track doesn’t permit speeds above of the wheels, abnormal to which axle load can be increased, 80 km/h for freight trains. So the main impact on wheel surfaces, and it will take a lot of time and money thing that needs to be done in order etc. to modernise or replace infrastructure. to increase speeds is to improve the To keep within regulatory limits for infrastructure. Freight cars are ready impact on track and bridges, axle for higher speeds today. load must not exceed 27 t. Cars with 3Non-metal elements in the that axle load are now being used Different solutions for side bearings between the on the Sverdlovsk Railway and their different markets body and the bogie frame impact on infrastructure is being suppress lateral rolling. monitored. Use of 27 t axle load on You said that in Europe freight car lines with limited capacity is another construction is getting closer to step towards the development of construction of passenger cars. How heavyweight traffic in Russia. does that work? 4Unsprung mass is the Mixed cargo and passenger traffic mass of all parts of the on the same tracks is a driver for Most of all it relates to bogies. For bogies located below the equalising the speeds of cargo and example, in the UK they have a suspension (wheelsets, passenger traffics. Cars on the latest long-standing system of track access adapters, frames, brakes, bogies, such as the 18-9855 model charges based on impact on the as in the 18-9855 bogie (built by UWC) could travel at up track and, in order to reduce that Ore unloading at the Port of Dampier (Australia) manufactured by UWC). to 100-105 km/h with 25 t axle load impact, design of freight bogies is 24 innovation in focus No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 25

changes. When we start work on the of our rolling stock customers or we also took account of features that Initiatives are always design of a new car, we don’t just take requirements imposed by the railways would optimise performance of the welcomeD There is a special account of the standards, which are where the rolling stock will operate. cars in the African climate. What is in place now. We also try to forecast These usually refer to suitability of important for Russian customers is What other major international excitement about work on possible changes during the period the cars for loading and unloading tolerance to cold, but what matters projects has UWC implemented of project implementation (i.e., in the infrastructure, and aspects of for a customer in Africa is reliability recently? foreign projects next one or two years). We can do this maintenance and repair. of the braking and loading equipment because UWC is a member of the AAR at high temperatures and high levels We have a major partner programme and has a permanent subscription to One recent UWC’s export project was of humidity. Another important thing with North American companies. EN standards, so we take part in the for hopper cars to transport bauxite was to make sure that the loading and Our partner is Wabtec Corporation, market last year after completing The Sggrs80 model (European public review of new documents or in Africa. What were the design unloading system on the cars would be a global supplier of high-tech a certification procedure by the railcar designs are designated by amendments to existing documents. challenges in that project? compatible with existing infrastructure. products for railways. Tikhvin AAR. We are now producing and letters, unlike the Russian system, As well as meeting safety We even designed a special rig for Freight Car Building Plant (TVSZ, supplying large-size castings to which uses numbers – Editor’s standards, we have to take full This was a typical example of a project testing performance of the lower UWC’s production centre) won design drawings by Wabtec: side note) can carry various load types. account of the specific requirements carried out to AAR standards. Naturally, discharge hatches. access to the North American frames and bolsters. We started with It is an 80-foot flat car, so it can a few dozen casting sets per month, accommodate two 40-foot containers, and now we are supplying hundreds or four 20-foot containers, and heavy of sets per month. The American containers can be placed at the ends, market appreciates the quality of distributing the load on the outermost our products, which are made at bogies. This car can also be used for TVSZ using V-process molding, and transporting swap bodies (20 to 40 the number of our North American feet long). customers is growing steadily. What is special about our design We have another large American is that we have adapted the frame customer, the company Trinity, to structure to match manufacturing which we supply various individual equipment at TVSZ, which has a high components for freight cars. These level of automation and robotics. products don’t require certification. We prepare steel sheet ourselves for They include various assemblies and making profiles and angles. As a result components that can be produced at the frame has best-possible quality, the request of a specific customer at complying with all European welding an attractive price. standards. Our engineering centre is always We will present the articulated flat pleased to work on export projects. car for the first time at the InnoTrans The staff are highly qualified and a lot exhibition. It is our own design, created of them have experience on markets on the basis of an analysis of the market with standard gauge, and not just in situation in container business and the the ‘‘1520 space.’’ They are a young needs of European carriers. The car is team and very keen on new projects, specially made for 1435-mm gauge, and which help them to improve their comes in two variants – with 25 t axle skills, develop and get familiar with load and maximum speed of 100 km/h, or the latest technologies. There is a 22.5 t axle load and maximum speed of special excitement about work on 120 km/h. We expect the second variant foreign projects. to find the most demand in Europe.

Can you give a few more details about What are the prospects for the Sggrs80 articulated container articulated cars in Russia? flat car, which will be presented at InnoTrans 2018? For Russia, we are designing articulated gondola cars, hopper cars and tank cars As I already said, Europe has high as well as articulated flat cars. Their volumes of container transport and advantage is that you can carry a larger articulated container flat cars are cargo mass for the same train length increasingly popular because they than with standard four-axle cars – you make it possible to achieve full load increase the load per unit of length. capacity and therefore maximise Articulated car technology has been Tikhvin’s castings are ready for shipping to Wabtec Corporation economic efficiency (the containers tried and tested in the USA, where they themselves are rather lightweight). sometimes use up to five articulated 26 innovation in focus No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 27

sections (not just two). Six-axle articulated operations. We hope to complete cars, with two sections and a shared bogie the work and proceed with closely in the middle, have proved most efficient monitored operation of articulated Surface hardening is in Russia and Europe. gondola cars, flat cars and hopper 5applied when the part is There have been several attempts cars next year. close to completion. A at manufacturing articulated cars in hardened part has a more Russia, but they were unsuccessful Are cargo owners and operators robust surface and better due to lack of the necessary regulatory interested in this project? resistance to wear. The framework. The first successful project part also goes through was implemented by Russian Railways Yes, these cars have good technical and additional volumetric heat jointly with Tatravagonka (a major economic specifications, so the project treatment to make it less manufacturer of rail freight cars for the attracts the audience. And not just in brittle after hardening. European market, located in Slovakia – Russia, but also in other countries with This makes the part highly Editor’s note). A small batch has been 1520-mm gauge. In particular, Kazakhstan resistant to wear on its manufactured and is being operated and is very interested in articulated cars surfaces that are exposed closely monitored. All the necessary for transport of liquefied hydrocarbon to friction, while the regulatory mechanisms have been put in gases because the economic impact is rest of its metal remains place as part of this project, so we now particularly strong with tank cars. Liquefied sufficiently elastic to have an understandable procedure for gas is lightweight, and articulated cars can withstand impact loads. implementation of articulated cars and carry the same volume on three bogies it will be possible to develop this sort of instead of four, and on two sections with rolling stock further. an articulated connector. Also the rolling stock owner saves on repairs. The Sggrs80 articulated container flat car is getting ready for shipping to 6Ductile cast iron differs Is that something UWC plans to do in InnoTrans 2018 (The Tikhvin production site, August 2018) from ordinary cast iron the near future? What are the prospects for because it contains transportation using swap bodies? graphite inclusions with As a first experiment, we have run an spherical shape. This gives articulated gondola car to Far East European-style swap bodies are not have very small dimensions – width by the narrower 1435-mm gauge. example, we were the first to use very high strength and ports with loading and unloading fully suited to Russia. In Europe, they and height of the body are limited Also, European swap bodies are surface-hardening technology on performance properties intermodal, i.e., they are designed for the production line to improve (hardness and wear use in both railway and sea transport. the wear resistance of automatic resistance). For Russia, we are now working coupler parts, and of centre-plate on a technology for specialised castings5 . Surface hardening works railcar swap bodies that would allow faster than an anti-wear welding and us to fully exploit the wide-size further grinding. 7This material has high specification (Tpr clearance diagram) Another successful application strength, wear resistance and the loading height that our of new materials is the use of ductile and impact viscosity in a standards allow. So it is the same iron with spheroidal graphite in wide temperature range, technology, but with much greater the friction parts of bogie from -200 to +100 °С, as 6 load and volume capacity, which suspensions . We have installed well as very high chemical should be suited to axle load of 25 t. isothermal hardening equipment at resistance to aggressive It is possible that our technologies the Tikhvin Plant, which produces environments. for specialised swap bodies with ductile iron with a Brinell hardness enhanced technical and economic over 500. In Russia monitored performance will be of interest to operation of cars with friction European customers as a way of wedges and side bearings made of improving the cost efficiency of flat ductile iron have shown that they In tank cars, we have replaced car transport. last for more than one million km, wooden bars, which were previously which is a very good result in any used as supports for the tanks of railcars, What progress has there been in the use market, including the USA and with special polyurethane bars that of new materials? Europe. Our bogies also use ultra- enables more accuracy in assembly work high molecular polyethylene7, which at the TikhvinChemMash production We have a major research does not deform under long-term facility (part of UWC holding). Research programme for the use of new static loads and is effective in and development is an ongoing task. materials and we are developing protecting friction surfaces from Some of the best solutions, which Heavy haul transport in Russia. Monitored operation of technologies to improve the wear. We are considering application offer the biggest efficiency gains, are UWC gondola cars on bogies with axle load of 27 t performance of components made of this material in other aggregates found “unexpectedly,” in the course of from traditional materials. For and components. implementing orders. 28 railcar in detail No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 29

80-foot six-axle flat cars for transportation of heavyweight containers on 1435-mm gauge The car comes An articulated in two Tatravagonka VTG Railcar Legios Loco Astra Rail UWC versions: (Slovakia) (Germany) (Czech Republic ) (Romania) (Russia) Payload capacity, tons 107.5 107.0 108.0 108.8 107.5 Bogies six-axle flat car with 25 t Tare weight, tons 27.5 28.0 27.0 26.2 27+-0.5 and speed of up to 100 km/h Estimated static load of wheel set for heavyweight on rails, kN (t) 220.5 (22.5) 220.5 (22.5) 220.5 (22.5) 220.5 (22.5) 220.5 (22.5)

Bogies containers with 22.5 t Car length (buffer to buffer), mm 26,390 26,700 26,390 26,700 26,700 and speed of up to 120 km/h Container size, feet 20, 30, 40 20, 30, 40 20, 30, 40 20, 40 20, 30, 40

Transport capacity

Flat car suits for the transportation of ISO containers, tank containers and swap bodies with length of 20-40 feet. Articulated railcar

Articulated cars are an effective solution for container transportation, since they achieve maximum payload capacity.

equipment holding, United Wagon Company, at its production site in Tikhvin in the Leningrad Region (north-west Russia). Thanks to its articulated structure, the 80-foot flat car has a payload capacity of up to 107.5 tons, which allows it to safely transport various ISO container sizes, tank Heavyweight containers containers and swap bodies with gross mass of up to 36 tons. For Heavyweight containers can be transported example, the car can transport four in variuos configurations sitting on standard 20-foot universal containers or two corner fittings. 40-foot containers, as well as other combinations. The car is equipped with hinged container twist locks in Model Sggrs80 for transportation on 1435-mm gauge compliance with European standards for the accommodation of containers in various combinations. The car also meets the requirements of TSI — EU In Russia the use of containers as redistribution of production capa- increased the importance of cost that offer an optimal quality-price The articulated flat car for technical specification 321/2013 (13 an intermodal means of transport cities over the last 30 years and the and speed as key criteria when balance will be in strong demand. transportation of heavyweight March 2013) for interoperability of for consumer goods is a young Chinese “economic miracle“ have selecting providers of logistics The current exchange rate of the containers was developed by the All- rolling stock. market with high growth potential given absolute dominance to east- services. As a result, intermodal Russian currency strengthens Union Research and Development Russia’s UWC railway equipment of up to 10% each year. But in west transport of containers by sea. transportation using railways has the competitive positions of Centre for Transportation Techno- holding is thus presenting a railcar Europe containerisation has already However, intense global competition become increasingly popular. This, all exporters from the Russian logy (St. Petersburg, Russia) to for the highly competitive European reached high levels: containers between sea carriers, limitations in turn, generates strong incentives Federation, including manufacturers European standards specifically for market, which is fully competitive are now the principal means of on vessel capacity and economic for developing new, more efficient of rolling stock and railcar operation on 1435-mm track. The with analogues in terms of technical goods transportation. The global slowdown on local markets have rolling stock designs. Railcars components. cars are manufactured by the railway characteristics and build quality. 30 photo story No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 31 1 The manufacturing centre of UWC is Tikhvin industrial Rail industry site (200 km away from St. Petersburg, Russia). The aggregate production capacity of the Company’s freight car on global scale manufacturing facilities is up Only several years were required for United Wagon Com- to 22,000 cars and 30,000 pany to become one of the leading global manufacturers casting sets per year. The of railway freight cars and secure its place among the manufacturing unit of UWC TOP-3 companies in the terms of production level. High also includes NPC Springs technologies, best practices and modern production (Izhevsk, Russia) with an annual facilities allow UWC to produce a wide variety of production capacity of up high-quality car products demanded all over the world. to 30,000 car sets of railway springs. Over 55 models and modifications of different freight car types are produced by UWC, including gondola cars, tank cars, flat cars, hopper 2 cars, box cars, etc. The integration of car assembly lines and casting lines into a single technological complex Manipulator by Clansman provides high production Dynamics removes the remains of capacity and flexibility. sand and rods from the castings The majority of freight car components are produced 6 at the industrial site, which together with an extensive use of automated lines and robots, as well as optimised plant logistics ensures a high and stable product quality level 4 Manufacture of moulds for subsequent casting of components on Heinrich Wagner Sinto automatic V-process molding 3 line Over 100 industrial robots and 20 automated lines are engaged in the manufacturing processes. The Company’s quality management system complies with the international standard for the railway industry ISO/ TS 22163:2017. 5 7 The industrial site and products Drawing of rods Series production of of Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant (essential mould components made of are certified in accordance with the elements) from the isothermally ductile iron requirements of the AAR (Association assembly rig for provides a freight car of American Railroads) and Deutsche installation in the mileage of 1 million km Bahn with a Q2 status awarded to the mould before scheduled repair Company 32 photo story No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 33

8 Treatment and assembly of a wheel pair on Danobat automated line 11 Robotic bending module cell 13 Gondola cars 9 12 assembly line Wabtec inspectors noting Freight car sidewall the high quality of castings assembly area manufactured by Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant 14 Hopper cars assembly line 10 KUKA line for automatic sidewall welding in the area for assembly and welding of gondola bodies 34 photo story No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 35 19 Timber flat cars assembly line 15 Installation of a molten sulfur tank on a hydraulic test bench 17 Accelerated stamping of a tank bottom

18 Welding in the manipulator (turning mechanism for heavy and large components) 16 of a box car sidewall 20 Automated tank Over 11,000 highly skilled employees work at UWC. Continuous professional training is provided welding line on the basis of both the Company’s internal resources and external educational organisations

36 Hishistorytory No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 37

Evident progress

The first prototypes of iron railways Getting appeared in 1767 in England. R. Reynolds realised that if you cover the lateral beams with concave cast-iron strips, then the rolling surfaces will become firmer. Just a few years later, his fellow countryman J. Curr added rims to the design to keep the wheels on track. For durability it was decided to lay rails on on track sleepers made of stone, and later the In ancient Egypt, India and the Ottoman Empire, rutways were built to facilitate transportation. They looked rather primitive − stones laid out in blocks were replaced by wooden beams. Yefim Cherepanov the form of parallel deep grooves. Many centuries later rails, by that time- The rapid technological boom of wooden, descended into mines, and they were replaced by cast iron plates the 18th century and the increasing with ruts. The history of railways is the history of the development of hu- importance of mining and metallurgical mankind, and, as in any good story, it has its fair share of antagonists. production pushed Russia to develop railways. Petrozavodsk engineer A.S. Yartsev was the first to optimise the Varvara Fufaeva process of moving heavy loads from workshop to workshop. This took place in 1788 at the Alexander cannon factory − it was here that the first cast- iron track appeared. Almost 20 years later, engineer P.K. Frolov presented to the mining department a railway project in which a horse pulls a cart. The idea was proposed Miron Cherepanov to be realised at the Altai silver smelting plant. The calculations were simple: every year 1,078 people were required to transport raw materials from the mine Interestingly, the Russian engineer to the plant (a distance of 3 km), while also came up with a way to optimise the according to his design, only a couple loading and unloading of ore. Frolov of horses and a couple of people would located the beginning of the railway in be needed. Moreover, the delivery time the lowland under four bunkers, the of the annual cargo volume would be volume of each bunker was equal to the reduced by half. The figures pleasantly volume of the hopper cars. They were surprised the department, and in the called cabriolets. Boxes of 110 pounds same year, the project was approved. were delivered to the bunkers. Their It was decided to make the track bottom opened mechanically, dropping gauge 1067 mm, and the rails themselves the ore simultaneously into three or four 1.35 m long and 76 mm and 64 mm cabriolets fastened together with iron thick. The thicker ones were stacked on rings and pulled by horses. The project mounds, and the thin ones had grooves. If did not last long, and after a while, the we represent the upper part of the rails in management of the plant stopped using cross section, then it is an ellipse, created such a method of moving cargo. specifically for the concavity of the wheel. Russia’s first railroad along which a Such ‘‘curvatures’’ contributed to full motor vehicle traveled was constructed fixation and smooth movement. In 1809 in 1834 in Nizhny Tagil. The locomotive, the workers finished the railway. Its length like the railroad itself, was the result of was 1,867 m. The surface had a difficult the work of the Cherepanov family. For terrain, so in some places the maximum this idea and its implementation, the gradient reached 15%. Implementation father and son received emancipation of the project cost 13,700 rubles – that is, certificates. The locomotive was 7,600 rubles per 1 km of the railway, which launched near Mount Vysokaya on an was one-fifth of the cost of the English area between the mine and the smelting railways of that period. plant especially for industrial purposes.

The first locomotive was the result of the work of the Cherepanov family, 1834

38 history No. 2 (8) september 2018 Time of UWC 39

spread by word of mouth. ‘‘Railways invited famous Franz Anton Ritter from snow drifts. The width of the prevent cows from grazing, chickens stop von Gerstner, an Austrian engineer, gauge was 1829 mm. carrying eggs, smoke-poisoned air will professor of the Vienna Polytechnic The train speed could reach kill flying birds... houses near the railroad Institute, to visit St. Petersburg. 60 km/h, and the estimated passenger will burn... in the event of an explosion Nicholas I was genuinely interested in traffic was 300,000 people a year. But the locomotives will be torn to pieces an expert foreign appraisal. here the Austrian miscalculated: in the along with all the passengers,’’ wrote So Gerstner went to explore Russia first year of its launch more than 600,000 British newspapers. An indisputable through Moscow to the Urals. passengers traveled on the railroad. argument was also put forward by a ‘‘...There is no such country in the This was due to the convenience of this German medical company: ‘‘The speed world where railroads would be more form of transport and the comfortable of the movement must undoubtedly beneficial and even necessary than hotels specially opened at the stations develop brain disease in the travelers... in Russia, as they make it possible to of Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk with the audience... at the sight of a fast- cut long distances by increasing the entertainment in them. At that time, the running locomotive can get the same speed of movement,’’ he wrote to the word ‘‘vokzal’’ appeared in the Russian brain disease.’’ emperor. He also included a request language as the designation of the final All this was discussed for several to give him a 20-year monopoly on point, concerts were held there too, and years, and finally in the summer of 1826, the construction of railways on a at one of the stations even a racetrack the railway department first analysed joint-stock basis with transfer of the was built. this issue at its meeting. The result lines he would build into perpetual Monument to Franz Anton Franz Anton Ritter von Gerstner was The advert of railway transportation, the UK, 1857 was rejection due to lack of economic possession. In addition, he asked for Ritter von Gerstner at awarded state privileges, but considered benefits and the inevitable difficulties of the state privileges necessary to start Vitebsk Rail Station that his merits were underestimated maintenance in the winter. construction. in St. Petersburg and went to seek happiness in America, The mining department found this where two years later he died. Rails 2.13 m in length were laid on the Let us quote the words of Minister A ‘‘modest’’ proposal request ‘‘very modest’’ and realised that railroad, which was 854 m long, with a of Finance E.F. Kankrin, who could not they were being taken for savages who To the neighbors for ideas 1645-mm gauge. The rails had a cross even entertain the idea of creating Five years later, in spite of the tabloid could not think. Despite the growing without a date from which to count the section in the shape of a mushroom and a network of railways in Russia, and reports in newspapers about the dissatisfaction with him in the higher birth of railways in Russia. Even in spite of the success of the first were terribly heavy: 1 meter weighed the construction of just one line he dangers and inexpediency of railways, circles, the Austrian made a proposal to On the railroad from St. Petersburg passenger railway, some departments 30.6 kg. considered to be an event that was in England and the United States their the emperor for construction of a short to Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk, were still cautious about it. To overcome far ahead of the time, capable of mass construction began. Nicholas I section in the form of an experiment 2,000 tons of iron rails were used. these fears, Lieutenant Colonel Confrontation of the ruining the state: ‘‘Steam traction (the Russian Emperor) was always to look at the benefits of the railway The maximum gradient was 2%, P.P. Melnikov and Captain S.V. Kerbedz century can in no circumstances be allowed interested in the development of and show by example the reliability of and the only curve was a radius were sent to Europe. In their reports to on the railways, because due to the neighboring countries. As early as operation in winter. of 448 m. The roadbed itself was the Minister of Railways − Count Toll, By that time, the first sections of the absence of coal in Russia, it will result 1813, when he was a prince, he saw a Three months later Nicholas I, located on a mound with a height they reported on the prospects and railways appeared in England and the in the destruction of forests. For the wondrous train on the Middleton coal despite the discontent of the nobility, of 3.7 m and a width of 5.3 m. benefits of such railroads. However, United States. Those engineers who saw transportation of troops, railways are line: the locomotive pulled 27 wagons gave the resolution to the Austrian, but These parameters, according to the Toll still remained in doubt about the them with their own eyes argued with ardor also considered unsatisfactory, since at a speed of 5 km/h along cast iron without a date. Thus historians are left Austrian engineer, could save it idea and insisted on the alternative that the railways were also very necessary they must have a huge number of carts rails. The spectacle so impressed for Russia. They were opposed by a (wagons), which in ordinary times are the future emperor that he carefully number of officials – transportation chief not at all necessary. The duty-free followed this mode of transport, but K.W. Toll, State Property Minister – Count import of cast iron and rails will entail did not undertake any significant Kiselev, Finance Minister E.F. Kankrin, War the withdrawal of capital from the attempts to develop it. Minister − Count Chernyshev, Minister of state, and, finally, the expropriation of The main lobbyists for railways the Imperial Court − Prince Volkonsky, lands under the roadbed and various at that time were ministers and Chairman of the State – Council Prince structures will require enormous engineers of the mining department, Vasilchikov, Minister of Internal Affairs expenditures.’’ who understood the profitability L.A. Perovsky, Head of the Commission for The transport operators’ guild of investments for the industry. Projects and Estimates of the Ministry of opposed the innovations as well. Therefore, in August 1834, knowing Railways M.G. Destrem, and others. Fragments of foreign press articles were the interest of the sovereign, they ‘‘Railways prevent cows from grazing, chickens stop carrying eggs, smoke- poisoned air will kill flying birds..,’’ wrote British newspapers The Tsarskoye Selo Railway, 1837

40 history

Freight transportation on the Liverpool - Manchester rail sector in the 1830’s, the UK

development of navigation along the There are two explanations for the everywhere. For example, it was common rivers and seas of Russia. Only after choice of this dimension. The first is practice to use narrow gauge tracks in an annual trip to America Lieutenant that American engineers suggested difficult areas with complex terrain or Colonel P.P. Melnikov and Colonel 1524 mm to Melnikov and Kraft, and when laying railroads along towns and N.O. Kraft succeed in presenting the indeed such a gauge existed in the villages – wherever there were obstacles right arguments in favour of a railway southern part of the United States. that could not be overcome by pickaxes connecting St. Petersburg and Moscow. Another theory is that in calculations or explosives. All through 1841, discussions it is easier to use round numbers, that A wide track at that time was were held about the feasibility of is, in this case, 5 feet (60 inches). In considered an attribute of tranquility construction, and finally, in January addition, Russian engineers were sure and reliability. However, a turning of the following year, an affirmative that the width of the thiner European point for unification into one network decision was adopted at a special did not provide for rapid movement of of railroads was when the Europeans meeting. In addition, following the vehicles. realised that a single standard was example of Belgium, the money was On 1 November 1851, on the needed, since different gauges create allocated by the state treasury, and as railroad which four years later would enormous inconveniences in the the main builders P.P. Melnikov and be called Nikolaev, the first train from transportation of goods and the changing N.O. Kraft were appointed. Each was in St. Petersburg to Moscow set off. In the of trains. charge of his own segment. Melnikov next half-century, Russia, like the rest of Therefore, the most common gauge oversaw St. Petersburg – Bologoye, and the world, actively built steel railways. in Europe – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1435 mm) – Kraft was responsible for Bologoye – was chosen as the main standard. Such a Moscow. Gauges are not all created standard is still used by most countries, The first sleepers were laid in the equal including European ones. This width was summer of 1843. The railbed was laid chosen by George Stephenson in 1830 to for two simultaneously. American In Russia, the standard gauge width was launch his locomotive on the Liverpool – technology was used to speed the established during the laying of the Manchester section. Historians still can process. At a width of 1524 mm, sleepers of the Nikolaev Railway. In the not find the engineer’s calculations that the gauge was narrower than that rest of the world, engineers were guided would explain these figures, but legend of the Tsarskoye Selo Railway. For by their own calculations, and since the has it that this width was observed all subsequent railroads, the width railways were mostly built by different between the axel part of the wheels of of 1524 mm became the standard. investors, the track width was different English carriages, the spare parts of which were used to construct the first steam engines. Historians still can not find The Russian standard is 1520 mm, or more precisely, 1524 mm. The difference the engineer’s calculations is so small that train wheels do not need to be changed. This is exactly what that would explain the sizes happened in 1970. The USSR, the CIS countries and Mongolia began to use of track gauges a width of 1520 mm. 20