More Six-Axle Articulated Tank Wagons For TEXOL

In August 2021, OVK (UWC) has sent its first six-axle articulated tank wagons (the number was not disclosed) for light refined products to TEXOL Group, one of Kazakhstan's largest railway operators and wagon owners. 

The Model 15-629 represents a new batch production in the OVK portfolio. It is a unique transport solution with the total volume of the two tanks 160 m³ and a payload of 108 t. The design ensures maximum utilisation of the payload of light refined products with low density (up to 0.84 t/m³), such as gas condensate, some grades of diesel fuel, etc. Due to this advantage, the Tikhvin-built wagon provides a reduction of up to 20 % of transportation costs per tone, depending on the freight density. By reducing the tare weight, the number of bogies, and the resulting reduced impact on the track, the infrastructure also benefits from the operation of such wagons.

The articulated wagons can be operated as part of mixed trains with four-axle tank wagons and is compatible with existing discharge and loading terminals. Parameters and design of operating equipment, including 1.7 times higher setting pressure of the applied safety valves than the standard one, allow safe transportation of refined products with a high degree of danger. The service life of the Model 15-629 wagons is 40 years.

The aforementioned batch is the third such order for TEXOL (the latter is the only operator of the OVK-built six-axle tank wagons for the moment). OVK started investigating the articulated wagon design with its Model 12-6877 two-section gondola („poluvagon“), the prototype built in 2016 at TVSZ. Also in 2016 an LPG articulated tank wagon was built, at the TikhvinKhimMash factory. It was a Model 15-9541 vehicle, designed for a 25 t axle- load, forming part of OVK’s strategy for a whole new generation of tank wagons, being the very first of its kind in the CIS. The prototype was exhibited at Expo 1520 in 2017.

At Pro//Motion.Expo 2019 another six-axle tank wagon of this design was exhibited. However, this time it was a Model 15-9541-01, one of a batch of 400 LPG tank wagons ordered in January 2019 by the TEXOL group, one of Kazakhstan's largest railway operators and wagon owners. In March 2019 OVK started deliveries, these becoming the very first order for these wagons. Deliveries were completed in December 2019.

On 28 August at Pro//Motion.Expo 2019 TEXOL signed a new agreement with OVK, for 400 more identical tank wagons. Deliveries were to run from March 2020 until the end of the first quarter of 2021. These are also designated Model 15-9541-01, are 24,040 mm long over couplings, and consist of two frameless tanks, which are connected together using a maintenance-free joint, which ensures that the wagon can negotiate tight curves of a minimum radius of 60 m. The tanks have an internal diameter of 3,104 mm and each has an internal volume of 81.55 m3. Payloads of up to 90 t can be carried, the tare weight being 58.5 t. The wagons are mounted on Model 18-9855 bogies, designed for a top service speed of 120 km/h.