Analysis of the influence of the locomotive sand systems’ technical condition upon the number of unplanned repairs of traction rolling stock and ways to improve their design

Abstract

The article points out the important place of railway transport in the economy and ensuring the security of the Russian Federation. The problem of increasing the productivity of railway transport is considered. One of the solutions to this problem may be the increase in reliability and reduction of the number of traction rolling stock failures. The implementation of measures aimed at reducing the number of failures and downtime of traction rolling stock will have a beneficial effect on the functioning of railway transport by increasing its productivity. It is especially important to note the need to improve the quality performance of traction rolling stock. Of great importance among the qualitative performance indicators of locomotives is the local speed. This indicator is one of the fundamental parameters that determine the transportation activity of railway transport. Violations of the traffic schedule cause temporary losses. These violations are quite often caused by failures of rolling stock. The quality of the traffic schedule is characterized by a speed coefficient, which depends on the ratio of local, technical and running speeds, as well as on some other factors, including the downtime of the rolling stock. The article presents statistical data on the number of «descents off the circle » of locomotives at the Taishet station. The cause typology of «descents off the circle» and the algorithm of the processes at the «descent off the circle» are given. The statistics of the sand system elements failures in electric locomotives of the East-Siberian railway fleet are indicated. It is noted that the irrational supply of sand from the sand system of locomotives leads to long downtime of rolling stock. The sand systems of AC electric locomotives of the East-Siberian railway fleet are considered. Their purpose is indicated, the design and principle of operation are considered on the example of the sand system of the electric locomotive 2(3) ES5K «Ermak». The methods of controlling the supply of sand in the sand system of locomotives are given. The main directions of improving the sand supply systems of locomotives are identified and some existing examples of their implementation are considered. The conclusion is made about the need to improve the sand supply systems of locomotives or replace them with alternative ones.