RS FZhT Certification For OVK’s Second Articulated Tank Wagon Model
posted on 27th Aug 2020 10:52
On 21 August 2020 OVK (UWC) announced that it has received RS FZhT certification for its Model 15-629 six-axle articulated tank wagon for the transportation of light oil products, running on the 25 t axle-load bogies. Its certification process started in June 2019. To date, this is the sixth certified six-axle model in the OVK portfolio for use on the 1,520 mm gauge network, following a Model 15-9541-01 LPG tank wagon, as well as two Model 12-6877 and 12-6877-02 gondolas and two Model 19-6978 and 19-6978-01 hoppers for grain and mineral fertilizers.
The 120 km/h Model 15-629 six-axle tank wagon is unique, offering the most efficient use of the payload when transporting light oil products with a density of up to 0.84 t/m3, thus solving the problem of underloading when standard four-axle wagons are used. At present, when the light oil products are transported by Russia’s current tank wagon fleet, there exists underloading of up to 15 % per wagon, affecting the transport efficiency.
The Model 15-629 tank wagon consists of two sections connected by a spherical articulated link. The total volume of the two tanks stands at 160 m3, and the payload is 108 t, ensuring that a quantity of freight is similar to that in two standard tank wagons with the 100 % axle-load usage. Thus the use of an articulated design also allows for a reduction in the fleet size. The empty weight is 38.8 t, the width 3,254 mm and the height 4,671 mm above rail top.
Existing infrastructure restrictions were taken into account. The Model 15-629 tank wagon has length over couplings 24,040 mm, while the length of one section is 12,020 mm, which is comparable to the length of a standard four-axle tank wagon. The loading and unloading valves and fittings are placed so that they coordinate with the spacing of the loading and unloading facilities. Thus, the Model 15-629 tank wagons can serve the standard terminals.
The tanks and their equipment can withstand a pressure 1.7 times higher than that of the tanks currently being used, allowing for the safe transport of highly hazardous petroleum products. The wagon is mounted on Model 18-9855 bogies, with separate brakes for each bogie.
OVK expects that the use of the Model 15-629 articulated tank wagons will boost export volumes of light oil products significantly, increasing the rail network throughput and enabling consignors and operators to see additional economic benefits.