The movement of trains on railway transport is carried out using traction rolling stock. This includes locomotives and motor-car rolling stock. The latter consists of motor and trailer cars.
Locomotives in which the conversion of thermal energy obtained by burning fuel into mechanical energy is carried out by an installation with a steam boiler and a steam engine are called steam locomotives.
Locomotives with internal combustion piston engines (diesels) are called diesel locomotives, and with gas turbine units – gas turbine locomotives.
Steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and gas turbine locomotives are autonomous locomotives.
Ulocomotives and motor-car rolling stock with non-autonomous traction(electric locomotives(Figure 2.55) and electric trains) primary (electric) energy is supplied to the locomotive and motor car from external sources (from contact traction wires).
With electric traction, the power of locomotives is not limited by the prime mover, so electric locomotives can have greater power compared to autonomous locomotives.
TO
Figure 2.55 – One of the first three-phase electric locomotives, created born in 1892
when powered by thermal power plants,
is 25–26%. Taking into account the share of hydro
power plants efficiency increases to 32%. The efficiency of diesel locomotives is 29–31%, and that of steam locomotives is 5–7%.
Based on the type of work, locomotives are divided into freight (powerful), passenger (high-speed) and shunting.
On electrified lines for the transportation of passengers in suburban traffic, electric trains, on non-electrified lines – diesel trains And railcars.
All locomotives in operation and under construction can be classed as:
c i r o v a t on the following grounds:
by type of service(work performed) – cargo (Figure 2.56), passenger (Figure 2.57) and shunting (Figure 2.58);
by number of sections– one-, two- (articulated) and multi-section (motor-car sections);
by transmission type– with electrical, hydraulic, hydromechanical, mechanical and direct transmissions.
E 
electric transmission is used in electric locomotives and in most diesel locomotives; hydraulic and hydromechanical – in diesel locomotives; mechanical – for low-power diesel locomotives (motor locomotives); direct (crank-rod) - in steam locomotives.
P
Figure 2.56 –
Freight electric locomotive VL80
electric motors makes it possible to use both individual and group drives. With an individual drive, each driving wheel pair is connected to its own traction motor by a gear transmission. With a group drive, the driving wheel pairs, located in one rigid frame, are connected to each other by intermediate gears.
R
Figure 2.57 – Passenger diesel locomotive TEP75
number of wheel pairs.
In the formula, the “–” sign means that
both bogies are unarticulated - not articulated, and the traction force from the driving wheel pairs in the locomotive's automatic coupler is transmitted through the body frame. The "+" sign indicates that the carts are articulated and the tractive force is transmitted through the cart frame. If the driving wheelsets have an individual drive, then the index “o” is added to the figure indicating the number of axles. 
Figure 2.58 – Shunting
diesel locomotive TEM7
The VL23 electric locomotive with the 3o + 3o characteristic is a locomotive with two articulated three-axle bogies and an individual drive of the driving wheel pairs.
Diesel locomotive with axial characteristic 2(3о - 3о) - two-section locomotive
motive, each section of which has two three-axle non-articulated bogies with individual drive of driving wheel pairs and can work independently. If the sections cannot work independently, then the axial characteristic has the form 3o - 3o - 3o - 3o.
A series means a locomotive of the same type and design.
For electric locomotives of alternating (single-phase) current, the following numbering is established: four-axle - from VL40 to VL59 (VL - Vladimir Lenin); six-axle – from VL60 to VL79; eight-axle - from VL80 to VL99.
DC electric locomotives are numbered: six-axle - from VL19 to VL39; eight-axle – from VL8 to VL18;
Passenger electric locomotives of Czechoslovak production on the CIS railways have a series of emergency situations. The ChS200 electric locomotive provides a speed of 200 km/h. The new electric locomotive ChS8 can drive trains of 23 passenger cars on a section with a rise of 25 o/oo at a speed of 85 km/h.
Modernized electric locomotives have the index "m" (VL22 m); electric locomotives with silicon rectifiers – index “k” (VL60 k); electric locomotives with regenerative braking – index “r” (VL60 r); electric locomotives with rheostatic braking - index "t" (VL80 t).
The design speed of modern electric locomotives is in the range of 100–220 km/h. The maximum speed for all electric locomotives of the ChS series is 20 km/h less than the design speed. Clock mode power – from 3150 to 9700 kW. (Hour power is the maximum power developed on the traction motor shaft at which the machine can operate for an hour, starting from a cold state.)
The series of diesel locomotives with electric transmission are designated TE, and those with hydraulic transmission are designated TG. The letter designation of the series includes the sign of the type of service of the locomotive: P - passenger (TEP60), M - shunting (TGM7). The number after the letters corresponds to the issue numbering. For example, diesel locomotives of the Kolomna plant are assigned a number from 50 to 99 (TEP60), diesel locomotives of the Kharkov plant - from 1 to 49 (TE3, TE10), Lugansk (Voroshilovgrad) plant - from 100 to 150 (2TE116) (digression: 2TE10V - Voroshilovgrad, 2TE10L – Lugansk).
About 20 series and modifications of electric locomotives and 25 series and modifications of diesel locomotives are in operation on the CIS railways. One of the most powerful is the two-section eight-axle AC electric locomotive VL80 r with smooth (stepless) speed control. Using a similar principle, an even more powerful 12-axle electric locomotive VL85 r was built to operate on lines electrified using a single-phase alternating current system with a voltage of 25 kV. It consists of two six-axle sections. Can drive trains weighing 6000 tons or more. Locomotive power is 10,000 kW, design speed is 110 km/h. Among the new locomotives is the VL15 electric freight locomotive for driving heavy trains on lines with a voltage of 3000 V DC. Its power is 9000 kW, design speed is 110 km/h. Among the diesel locomotives, the most modern is 2TE121 with a power of 5884 kW with AC electric transmission. A diesel locomotive 4TE10S with increased power was created for operation in harsh climatic conditions. The TE126 diesel locomotive was manufactured for driving freight trains in temperate and cold climates. The Bryansk Machine-Building Plant (1988) produced a TEM15 shunting locomotive with reduced fuel consumption.
Modern electric and diesel locomotives can travel up to 1,200 km between equipment, depending on the weight of the train and the track profile, and from 1,200 to 2,000 km between maintenance.
Forces acting on the train. A moving train is subject to forces varying in magnitude, direction and duration of action. For convenience of calculations, all external forces influencing the movement of the train are combined into three groups and designated: F – traction force; W – motion resistance forces; IN - braking forces.
In traction calculations, either the full value of these forces, expressed in kgf, or their specific value, referred to a unit mass of the train ( f, w, b).
Traction force created by the locomotive engine in interaction with the rails, applied to the driving wheels and always directed towards the movement of the train. Its value is regulated within wide limits by the driver driving the train.
Torque M engine (Figure 2.59) creates a couple of forces F And f 1 acting on the shoulder R, equal to the radius of the wheel in the rolling circle. These forces tend to rotate the wheel around its axis. To obtain translational motion, an external force is required to be applied to the driving wheels. This force is the horizontal reaction of the rail f 3 caused by force f 1 . Numerically strength f 2 and f 1 are equal to each other and directed in opposite directions.
Figure 2.59 – Scheme
formation of traction force
Thus, the reaction force of the rail f 2 balanced the power f 1 and thereby released the power F to carry out the forward movement of the locomotive. In practice, the traction force of a locomotive is usually called the horizontal reaction f 2 ,
applied from the rails to the rim of the driving wheels and directed in the direction of movement. Since this force is directed tangentially to the circumference of the wheel, it is called the tangential traction force. For the locomotive as a whole, the tangential traction force is defined as the sum of the tangential forces applied
attached to all driving wheels of the locomotive, and is designated f To .
With an increase in the torque applied to the wheels of the locomotive, the traction force also increases, but only until it reaches the maximum adhesion force between the wheels and the rails. With a further increase in torque, the adhesion between the wheels and rails is broken and the wheels begin to slip. The adhesion force depends on the adhesion coefficient Ψ k and the adhesion mass of the locomotive R sc, i.e., from the mass falling on the driving wheelsets. The greatest traction force of a locomotive, which can be realized under the conditions of adhesion of the wheels to the rails, is f k ≤1000Ψ k R sc.
The adhesion coefficient Ψ k depends on many factors, the most significant of which are: the type of locomotive engine, speed, condition of the surfaces of wheels and rails, meteorological conditions. The use of sand can significantly increase the adhesion coefficient and, accordingly, the traction force of the locomotive. The calculated values of the adhesion coefficient are established by the PTR depending on the type of locomotive and the speed of movement.
The values of traction force at various speeds are determined from the traction characteristics of locomotives, which are compiled on the basis of data obtained during traction tests. These characteristics are depicted in the form of diagrams that determine the dependence of the traction force f to from the speed of movement v under different engine operating modes. These diagrams show the specified clutch traction force limitation, as well as other traction force restrictions associated with the characteristics of the locomotives.
Calculation of the mass of freight trains. A moving train is subject to many constant and variable forces, varying in magnitude and direction: gravity of the cars and locomotive, traction force of the locomotive, as well as resistance forces to movement in coupling devices, from the interaction of wheels with rails in horizontal and vertical planes, inertia, etc. Under the influence of these forces, simultaneously with the rolling of the wheels on the rails, wobbling, galloping, sliding, and tilting of individual units of the rolling stock on the train take place.
The relationship between the resultant of these forces and acceleration is described by a differential equation called train motion equation.
When solving the equation of train motion, of all the movements of the rolling stock, only translational and rotational movements are taken into account, for example, the anchors of traction electric motors, gears and wheel pairs. These factors determine the nature of the train's movement.
When moving along sections and in curves, the force of resistance to movement changes, and in the braking mode, the brake also acts on the train.
In general, the traction force of the locomotive acts on a moving train F k, the total force of the main and additional resistance to movement W k and braking force IN t. Resultant forces applied to the train,
R = F to ± W To - IN t. (2.14)
The equation of train motion, reduced to 1 ton of its mass, has the form
(2.15)
whereξ – train acceleration due to a specific force of 1 kgf/t (for operational calculations ξ = 120 km/h 2 ; f To - specific tangential traction force of the locomotive; w k – total specific resistance to train movement; b t is the specific braking force of the train due to the action of the brake pads.
For special cases, the basic equation of motion (2.2) is simplified and for motion in traction mode with uniform speed it takes the form
b t = 0; 
;f k = w k, (2.16)
F k = W k = 
(2.17)
(2.18)
Where Q And R– the mass of the train and the locomotive, respectively, t; 
And 
– respectively, the main specific resistance to the movement of locomotives and cars, kgf/t; i p – design rise (the steepest and longest rise that cannot be overcome using the kinetic energy of the train. Determined taking into account additional resistance from curves, if any, on this rise), ‰.
Electric locomotive structure. The body of an electric locomotive (Figure 2.60) serves to accommodate electrical equipment and other equipment. It rests on bogies on which traction motors are installed, one for each axle. Using a gear drive, the torque from the traction motors is transmitted to the wheel pairs.
T 
The carriage of an electric locomotive consists of a frame, wheelsets with axle boxes, spring suspension and braking equipment.
P
Figure 2.60 – Electric locomotive VL85 series
above 130 km/h use frame
traction motor suspension. In this case, the engine is located above the axis of the wheelset and attached to the bogie frame, but here the transfer of force from the engine shaft to the wheelset becomes more complicated. The location of the main equipment on the body of the electric locomotive is shown in Figure 2.61.
The transfer of electricity from the contact wire to the power circuit of the electric locomotive is carried out using a current collector (pantograph).
Electrical equipment of electric locomotives. Motors with
Figure 2.61 – Location of the main equipment on the body of an AC electric locomotive: 1
- Remote Control; 2
– driver’s cabin; 3
–
pantograph; 4
– control devices: 5,
7
– rectifier units; 6
–
transformer with step switch; 8
–
cooling system unit; 9
–
switchboard; 10
– motor-compressor; 11
– intersection connection
series excitation with nominal U= 1500 V. The main control device of an electric locomotive is the driver’s controller. The main handle of the controller is used to switch traction motors from one connection scheme to another and change the starting connections. Using the reversible handle, the direction of movement of the electric locomotive changes. Auxiliary machines – motor-fans, motor-compressors, motor-generator and control current generator, batteries (backup power source for control circuits).
P
Figure 2.56 – Basic design of an electric locomotive
At the junction of single-phase voltage 25000 V and direct U= 3000 V, electric locomotives with dual power supply are used (VL82, VL82 m).
Diesel locomotive design. The history of the creation of a diesel locomotive is as follows. December 20, 1921 in the newspaper " News"An article by A. Belyakov was published" New ways to revitalize railway transport", which talked about "trucks placed on rails." V.I. Lenin read the article and foresaw a new type of locomotive in a "truck on rails." On Lenin's initiative, the Council of Labor and Defense on January 4, 1922 adopted a resolution on the development of projects and construction of diesel locomotives, a bureau for the construction of diesel locomotives was soon approved, headed by Ya. M. Gakkel.
Design of the diesel locomotive began in December 1922. The first domestic diesel locomotive was built in Leningrad at the Baltic Shipyard. The chassis for the diesel locomotive was supplied by the Krasny Putilovets plant, and the traction electric motors were supplied by the Elektrik plant.
Less than two years later, the unique car was ready. On August 5, 1924, a diesel locomotive left the gates of the Baltic Shipyard. And on November 7, 1924, the world's first mainline diesel locomotive with a capacity of 1000 horsepower and electric transmission made its first trip along the Oktyabrskaya Railway from Leningrad to Obukhovo station and back.
This is what the newspaper reported on this matter: Evening Moscow": "The first test of the Gakkel diesel locomotive was made on the Oktyabrskaya Railway. The diesel locomotive took off quickly and smoothly. It is assumed that the diesel locomotive will be able to lift up to 80,000 pounds".
The construction of such a diesel locomotive was an outstanding victory. The whole world was surprised by the “metal miracle” that the Soviet people created in the incredibly difficult 20s, without having either experience or a special technical base. The Soviet Union became the birthplace of mainline diesel locomotives.
A diesel locomotive (Figure 2.62) consists of the following main parts: crew (frame, bogies, wheelsets with axle boxes, spring suspension), body, prime mover (diesel), transmission, auxiliary equipment (fuel system, lubrication system, cooling, etc. .).
U
Figure 2. 62 – Mainline diesel locomotive 2TE116
diesel generator set is located. The main frame houses the cabin, body, power and auxiliary equipment of the diesel locomotive.
Types of gears used on traction rolling stock. The most common is e electric transmission, in which the force is created by a traction electric motor connected by a gear transmission to a traction wheel pair. This transmission is used on electric rolling stock and in most diesel locomotives. The crankshaft of a diesel locomotive rotates the armature of the traction generator, which generates electric current that goes to the traction motors. In addition, the traction generator, powered by a battery, operates as an electric motor when starting the diesel engine.
Mechanical transmission is similar to a car and consists of a gear transmission (speeds), a reversing device and a clutch. However, when switching speeds, a sharp drop and increase in traction force occurs, which causes jerking in the train. Therefore, such a transmission is used only in motor locomotives, railcars and diesel trains of relatively low power.
Hydraulic transmission(Figure 2.63) does not have the disadvantages inherent in mechanical transmission; it is cheaper and simpler than electric transmission. The main elements of hydraulic transmission are torque converters and fluid couplings.
P Figure 2.63 – Scheme hydraulic transmissions
Locomotive facilities ensures the transportation operation of railways by traction means and the maintenance of these means in accordance with technical requirements. The facilities and equipment of this facility include the main locomotive depots, specialized workshops for the repair of individual locomotive components, maintenance points, equipment for locomotives and crew shifts, and locomotive reserve bases. Equipment is understood as a set of operations to supply them with fuel, water, sand, lubricant, and cleaning materials associated with preparing locomotives for work.
Locomotive depots – these are the main production units of the locomotive industry. They are built at precinct, marshalling and passenger stations selected on the basis of a technical and economic comparison of various options. Depots that have an assigned fleet of locomotives for servicing freight or passenger trains, locomotive buildings, workshops and other technical means for carrying out routine repairs, maintenance and equipment are called main ones.
Along with them, in order to improve the organization of repairs and For better use of production capacity on roads, repair depots are also being created, specialized in types of repairs and types of locomotives. For example, lifting repairs can be concentrated in the largest and most equipped depots, while the remaining depots are exempt from this type of repair. Such large repair depots may not have a registered fleet of locomotives.
Based on the type of traction, diesel locomotive, electric locomotive, motor-car, diesel and mixed depots are distinguished. In large railway junctions with specialized stations (passenger and marshalling stations), separate locomotive depots are provided for freight and passenger locomotives.
IN turnover points locomotives are waiting for trains to travel back with them. During this time, as a rule, their maintenance is carried out, combined with equipment.
Team change points are provided mainly at local stations and are placed based on the condition of ensuring the normal duration of work of the teams.
Equipment items located on the depot territory. Sometimes outfitting devices are placed directly on the receiving and departure tracks to carry out operations without uncoupling the locomotive from the train.
Locomotive maintenance points placed both in locomotive depots and at locomotive turnover and equipment points.
The placement and technical equipment of locomotive depots, locomotive maintenance points, workshops, outfitting devices and other structures and devices of the locomotive economy must ensure the established size of train traffic, the efficient use of locomotives, the high quality of their maintenance and repair, and high labor productivity.
All locomotives assigned to a road or depot and on their books constitute the so-called inventory fleet, which is divided into operated and non-operated. The operating fleet consists of locomotives that are in operation, in the process of outfitting, maintenance, acceptance and delivery, as well as awaiting work. The non-operating fleet consists of locomotives that are under repair and in reserve.
In the coming years, the Belarusian Railway will continue to carry out large-scale renewal of traction rolling stock. In 2016–2020, it is planned to purchase 18 electric freight locomotives, 3 passenger electric locomotives, 22 electric trains and 6 diesel trains.
As of September 2016, the inventory of traction rolling stock of the Belarusian Railway is 773 locomotives and 163 multiple units. Among them are 79 electric locomotives, including 64 freight and 15 passenger, 694 diesel locomotives (263 freight, 85 passenger, 346 shunting). The fleet also includes 53 electric trains of the ER9 series, 92 diesel trains, and 18 electric trains of the EP series.
In recent years, there has been a significant renewal of rolling stock on the Belarusian Mainline. As part of the State Program for the Development of Railway Transport for 2011–2015, 17 electric trains manufactured by Stadler Bussnang AG (Switzerland) were purchased, of which 6 four-car electric trains EPG urban lines, 4 four-car EPR regional lines, 6 five-car EPRII regional lines, 1 seven-car electric train EPM interregional.
In addition, the fleet was replenished with 6 one-car diesel trains DP1 produced by OJSC UKH Belkommunmash (Belarus) using technology from PESA Bydgoszсz SA (Poland), 3 three-car diesel trains DP3 (produced at the Polish enterprise). The Belarusian Railway also acquired 12 BKG1 freight two-section electric locomotives from the Datong Electric Locomotive Plant (China), 7 TEP70BS passenger diesel locomotives produced by Kolomensky Zavod OJSC (Russia).
On the basis of the Lida locomotive depot, together with the Czech JSC CZ LOKO, the assembly of 49 six-axle shunting diesel locomotives TME1 and TME2, as well as 20 two-axle TME3, was organized.
This year, 2 freight single-section electric locomotives BKG2 of the Datong Electric Locomotive Plant, 2 three-car diesel trains DP3, 1 seven-car electric train EPM of interregional lines have already been delivered.
According to the contract with PESA Bydgoszсz SA, by the end of 2016 it is expected to receive 2 more three-car diesel trains DP3. Under the contract with the Datong Electric Locomotive Plant, another 16 BKG2 single-section freight locomotives will be delivered by the end of 2017.
The locomotive depots of the Belarusian Railway carry out all types of maintenance, current, medium and major repairs of their own assigned fleet of locomotives and multiple unit rolling stock. We also provide repair services to foreign companies.
Thus, in 2016, a major overhaul of the TEM18 diesel locomotive, owned by the Russian JSC Sodruzhestvo-Soya, was carried out at the Volkovysk locomotive depot. In addition, the Lida locomotive depot overhauled equipment for two more Russian clients: they updated the TGM4 shunting diesel locomotive for Dumpkar Railway Transport Enterprise LLC and the D1 diesel train for UralRemMash LLC. In the locomotive depots of Lida, Molodechno, Baranovichi they provide repair services for wheel pairs of traction rolling stock for Šviesos Spektras, UAB (Lithuania), Pasazieru vilciens, AS (Latvia) and the Russian JSC Experimental Plant "Matallist-Remputmash" and LLC ZhD Retro- Service".
Currently, the locomotive service is developing cooperation with foreign partners to organize, on the basis of the Baranovichi, Lida, Kalinkovichi locomotive depots and the Minsk multiple unit depot, medium repairs of EP series electric trains, DP diesel trains, BKG electric locomotives and TME series diesel locomotives. Future plans include the development of capital repairs of this rolling stock.
As Artyom Ledenev, director of public relations at Transmashholding CJSC, told Gudka, TEP70BS diesel locomotives produced by the Kolomna Plant were sent to warheads as part of the execution of a contract signed in 2009.
In total, last year the plant supplied 4 TEP70BS diesel locomotives, 21 1A-9DG diesel generators for the modernization of 2TE10 freight diesel locomotives, 8 5-26DG-01 diesel generators for the modernization of M62 freight diesel locomotives. In addition, spare parts for the above equipment were regularly supplied.
Artyom Ledenev noted that for many years the products of the Kolomna Plant have been successfully used on the railways of Belarus. In particular, the TEP60 passenger diesel locomotives, supplied to warheads in the 60–80s of the 19th century, have proven themselves well. Some of them are still actively used now, many years later. Kolomna Plant has been supplying TEP70BS passenger diesel locomotives for the needs of warheads for several years now. In addition, to modernize the country’s diesel locomotive fleet, the plant supplies diesel generators 4-36DG and 5-26DG, as well as spare parts and other products. Currently, the BC locomotive fleet has 12 TEP70BS diesel locomotives at its disposal. The first TEP70BS diesel locomotives were delivered to Belarusian railway workers in 2006, Artyom Ledenev recalled.
As the deputy head of the locomotive service told Gudk
Belarusian Railway Valery
Mazec, as of January 1, the average technical wear and tear of warhead locomotives is more than 50%. To maintain traction rolling stock in technically sound condition on the road, a repair base for locomotives and multiple unit rolling stock was created, buildings, workshops and repair areas were built, reconstructed or updated: electric locomotives ChS4T, VL80S, electric trains ER9 at the Baranovichi depot; diesel locomotives 2TE10M in Vitebsk; diesel locomotives 2M62 in Volkovysk and Brest; diesel locomotives ChME3 and 2TE10U in Zhlobin; diesel locomotives TEP70 in Orsha; diesel trains in Lida, diesel locomotives TEP60 in Minsk. In addition, contracts have been concluded and work is being carried out to extend the service life of diesel locomotives 2TE10U(M), M62, ChME-3, and electric locomotives ChS-4t. All this made it possible to refuse to carry out repairs of traction rolling stock outside of Belarus, he noted.
In order to update traction rolling stock as efficiently as possible, the locomotive service regularly conducts research into the locomotive construction market in Russia, Ukraine, and neighboring and non-CIS countries. The most adapted to operating conditions on the Belarusian Railway are locomotives and multiple unit rolling stock produced by locomotive-building enterprises in the CIS and Baltic countries.
The greatest interest, according to Valery
Mazetz, are attracted by the developments of specialists from JSC Russian Railways, locomotive-building plants, scientific institutions and a number of leading foreign companies, samples of fundamentally new equipment, including the AC freight electric locomotive 2ES5K Ermak, passenger diesel locomotives of the TEP70BS series, freight diesel locomotives 2TE25A Vityaz with asynchronous drive. In the future, this locomotive can be considered as an alternative to the currently existing 2M62 and 2TE10U(M) freight diesel locomotives.
Valery Mazets also said that Belarusian Railways plans to continue cooperation with Kolomensky Zavod OJSC. In particular, after approval, contracts will be signed in the near future for the supply of 5 TEP70BS passenger diesel locomotives by the end of 2010 to replace the exhausted TEP60 diesel locomotives and 38 modern diesel engines of the D49 type for the modernization of diesel locomotives of the 2TE10 and 2M62(U) series.
Currently, almost any business activity is related to cargo delivery services. The number of types of cargo transportation is large - from courier services for delivery within one locality to several types of transport traveling from one continent to another.
Transport, serving almost all types of international economic relations, is the most important source of foreign exchange earnings in the Republic of Belarus, which acts on the international market as an exporter of transport services.
In the total volume of exports of services, 70.4% is the export of transport services, including railway transport - 20.7%, road transport - 16.3%, sea transport - 10.2%, air transport - 4.7% and pipeline transport - 18. 4%.
In the Republic of Belarus, all types of transport are included in a single transport system, which has a very complex structure. All cargo transportation carried out in the country and abroad are classified according to the delivery method (mode of transport):
· Road transportation;
· Air transportation;
· Rail transportation;
· Sea and river (water) transportation;
· Pipeline transport.
Automobile transport. The main reasons for the active use of vehicles in logistics systems are their inherent maneuverability, flexibility of delivery and high speed of intercity transportation. In addition, trucks can carry most cargo and successfully compete with railroads when transporting valuable and perishable goods.
Motor transport is also distinguished by relatively small investments in terminal equipment (loading and unloading facilities) and the use of public roads.
Road transport occupies a leading place in the transport and logistics system of the Republic of Belarus. This is predetermined by the geographical location of the republic as an inland landlocked state, and the advantages of road transport, which is the optimal and efficient means of delivery and distribution of goods both domestically and on international routes.
By delivering goods without overloading and intermediate storage “from door to door,” road transport is the connecting link of all modes of transport, ensuring the movement of marketable products to the consumer, and contributes to achieving the main goal of logistics – delivery of goods “just in time,” just in time.
Currently, over 27,500 entities are registered in the Republic of Belarus that have a license to carry out cargo transportation and freight forwarding activities.
International road carriers deliver goods to 44 countries in Europe and Asia, providing the budget with foreign currency from the export of services (in 2008 - amounting to about 700 million US dollars). The competitiveness of Belarusian international road carriers is supported by the positive dynamics of updating the rolling stock fleet as domestic ones. So also with imported vehicles (the fleet was renewed by 14% in 2008).
Highways are the most important element of the state’s transport system. The highway network in the republic has a length of 85.7 thousand km. including about 74 thousand km of paved roads. The territory of Belarus is crossed by two trans-European transport corridors, defined according to international classification II (West - East) and number IX (North-South).
The M-1/E30 highway Brest - Minsk - the border of the Russian Federation is a section of the trans-European transport corridor Berlin - Warsaw - Minsk - Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod. This transport corridor has been given the highest priority by the European Union, as the most important among the trans-European transport corridors. Currently, the M-1/E30 highway meets international standards in terms of technical parameters; the most modern technologies and means of traffic management are used on it.
The M-8/E95 highway border of the Russian Federation - Vitebsk - Gomel - border of Ukraine is a section of the trans-European corridor IX, which connects Finland, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece.
The Transport Inspectorate of the Ministry of Transport exercises control over transport activities around the clock at 34 road checkpoints across the State Border of the Republic of Belarus.
In total, 2.6 million freight vehicles were transported in 2008
Railway transport. The length of public railway tracks is currently 5.5 thousand km, including electrified ones - 897 km. To carry out loading and unloading operations on railway transport, 247 stations equipped with the necessary technical means have been opened. The Belarusian railway has 16 container terminals for processing heavy-duty 20-foot containers, of which 7 have the ability to process 40-foot containers.
The Belarusian Railway, being at the junction of railways of different gauges, has developed freight potential. Its transshipment capacities currently have sufficient reserves to increase the volume of freight rail transportation by 60-70%.
Being one of the links in the transport conveyor, the Belarusian railway takes all possible measures to ensure the unimpeded movement of cargo flows between the countries of Europe and Asia, to create favorable conditions for the development of transit cargo transportation, to satisfy the interests of cargo owners and freight forwarding companies for the supply of goods.
The Belarusian Railway has established competitive tariffs for the most important areas, ensures accelerated processing of containers and wagons with cargo at transfer stations, and their passage through the territory of the republic in a short time and on a firm schedule. Confirmation of the above is the fact that in the 1st quarter of 2008, 13.7 million tons of transit cargo were transported by rail through the territory of the republic, which amounted to 108.9% compared to the same period last year. The share of transit in the total volume of transported goods is 35%, and its share in road revenues is 38%. However, over the 5 months of 2009, due to the negative impact of the financial and economic crisis, the situation changed. During this period, the Belarusian Railway transported 53.1 million tons of cargo, which amounted to 87.1% compared to the same period last year.
On the Belarusian Railway today, special attention is paid to such factors as transportation cost, delivery time, information support, safety, minimum number of intermediaries, service, etc., however, special attention is given to transport logistics. It is becoming the main tool for solving a complex of transport problems and represents the junction of supply and demand, including for transport services. If marketing creates demand, then logistics realizes it. Therefore, one of the most important tasks now facing the railway is the use of elements of transport logistics in marketing work, which will help maintain existing and attract additional freight flows.
As for the tariff policy of the Belarusian Railway, it is aimed at stimulating domestic and international trade and economic relations, supporting socially significant transportation, and the availability of vital transport services. Particular attention is paid to improving tariffs in international traffic for the most bulk cargo of the main range, such as coal, ferrous metals, petroleum products, mineral fertilizers, construction, timber and other bulk cargo.
The Belarusian Railway is open and ready to cooperate with interested partners on mutually beneficial terms and guarantees a high level of transport service.
A good example in the transport services market was the East Wind container train, which has been running on the route Berlin - Brest - Moscow since 1995. The train includes containers destined not only to the stations of the Moscow hub, but also to other CIS stations located further than Moscow.
Since August 9, 2002, a block container train Brest-Aktobe has been formed at the Brest-Severny station. The train includes containers destined for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
On July 22, 2005, the Mercury container train began operating on the Kaliningrad/Klaipeda – Minsk – Moscow route.
In the direction of Germany - Poland - Belarus - Russia and Russia - Belarus - Poland - Germany, accelerated freight trains "Russia-Express" and "Europe-Express" run, which include all cargo sent by carload.
Air Transport. Air transport is considered the fastest, but most expensive mode of transport. According to its functions, it is highly specialized; it has a great advantage in transporting valuable, perishable, urgent cargo and mail, but their share is very low. Air transport is indispensable in hard-to-reach areas of the planet, for example, in the mountains or the Far North.
Although air travel is not limited in distance, it still accounts for less than 1% of all intercity freight traffic (expressed in ton-miles). Air transport capabilities are constrained by the carrying capacity and cargo capacity of aircraft, as well as their limited availability.
Civil aviation of the Republic of Belarus is a multifunctional system that includes 4 airlines, 7 airports, 2 aircraft repair plants, 2 educational institutions, as well as a number of other aviation organizations that provide a unified production and technological process for the safe performance of air transportation and aviation work.
The connecting link, the administrative center of all civil aviation of the republic is the Department of Aviation - a structural unit of the central apparatus of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus, which exercises the powers of the National Aviation Administration.
The role of the airspace of the Republic of Belarus increases every year. Today, it serves as the shortest air route from Japan, Australia, and Singapore to Europe, and from America to India and Indochina. Close interaction with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association, the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) and aviation organizations of neighboring states allows Belarusian aviators to increase the attractiveness of the country.
Taking into account the interest of users, 55 routes are currently served in the airspace of Belarus. According to information from the Ministry of Transport of Belarus, the total length of the network of international air routes exceeded 25 thousand kilometers.
The main thing that attracts foreign airlines is the reliability and quality of air navigation services and radio technical support, the high level of training of specialists, and the admission of all seven airfields of the republic to service international flights.
The classification of Belarusian airspace has been brought into line with international standards, reduced vertical separation standards have been introduced, and a number of other significant projects aimed at increasing flight capacity have been implemented.
By increasing technical characteristics, the level of aviation safety, and the quality of passenger service, Minsk National Airport, the main air gateway of the country, is developing dynamically. Certified under ICAO category II, it can accept aircraft of all types without take-off weight restrictions (with the exception of the A-380).
Minsk Airport is the home base of the national airline Belavia and the country's main cargo air carrier, Transaviaexport.
The airport parking lots can simultaneously accommodate 58 aircraft. There are also places for servicing “heavyweights” of the AN-124 type with a maximum take-off weight of 365 tons.
A strong position in the field of transport services is occupied by Transaviaexport, an operator of aircraft of the Il-76TD type, intended for the transportation of large-sized cargo with a total weight of up to 45 tons and a volume of up to 190 m3. Transaviaexport acts as a reliable and mutually beneficial partner for many companies. Cargo heavyweights with the state flag of the Republic of Belarus on board take off and land at 250 foreign airfields in more than 120 countries.
The cargo complex of the Minsk National Airport allows processing over 400 tons of cargo per day and has warehouse facilities for storing various types of cargo.
It is planned to build a transport and logistics center on the territory of the Minsk National Airport.
Water transport. Water transport is capable of transporting very large loads. A division into deep-sea (ocean, sea) shipping and inland (river) shipping has been accepted. Maritime transport mainly carries out external, export-import transportation. If it is necessary to transport cargo across the sea or ocean, water transport is beyond competition, since air transportation is not affordable for everyone.
Inland (river) transport transports individual goods, both short and long distances. Quite often it turns into a specific type of transport, which is designed to transport mainly construction and fuel materials.
The main disadvantages of water transport are limited functionality and low speed. The reason is that railroads or trucks must be used to transport goods to and from ports unless both the origin and destination are located on the same waterway.
Along with other modes of transport, inland waterways meet the needs of the economy for the transportation of passengers and goods.
Navigation in the republic is carried out along such rivers as the Dnieper, Pripyat, Berezina, Western Dvina, Sozh, Neman, as well as along the Dnieper-Bug Canal. Water transport mainly transports mineral, construction and timber cargo in the republic. The republic's river ports annually process more than 12 million tons of cargo. The main cargo carrier is the Belarusian River Shipping Company, which carries out both cargo transportation and handling at ports.
The construction, repair and maintenance of the fleet is carried out by three shipbuilding and ship repair plants in Pinsk, Rechitsa and Gomel.
In order to develop the fleet in the Republic of Belarus, the Program for the Development of Inland Water and Sea Transport is being implemented. The program provides for the development of river and sea transportation and the reconstruction of hydraulic structures of the Dnieper-Bug Canal. The reconstruction of shipping locks to European standards is being carried out, which will significantly improve navigation conditions and in the future will contribute to the inclusion of Belarusian waterways into the pan-European water transport system.
In the first half of the year, the volume of cargo transportation within the republic increased by 3% compared to the level of the corresponding period in 2008. The volume of cargo transportation by sea, organized by Belarusian freight forwarding companies, amounted to 800 thousand tons.
A lot of work has been done to develop sea transportation by Belarusian freight forwarding companies. A regulatory legal framework has been created to ensure maritime transportation. Belarusian transport companies are increasingly successfully chartering ships and transporting Belarusian foreign trade goods, thereby making a significant contribution to the transport component of the country’s development.
Pipeline transport. Pipeline transport itself is unique: it operates around the clock with breaks only for changing pumped products and maintenance. But unlike other types of transport, it is so far intended only for pumping crude oil and liquid petroleum products, natural gas, liquid chemicals and dry bulk products converted into an aqueous suspension.
The disadvantages of pipelines are their lack of flexibility and their limited use to transport only liquid, gaseous and soluble substances or suspensions.
The total length of main pipelines in the republic is 12.2 thousand km, of which the length of oil pipelines is 3 thousand km; oil product pipelines – 1.5 thousand km; gas pipelines – 7.7 thousand km.
An extensive network of main oil and gas pipelines passes through the territory of Belarus. Oil pipelines are represented by powerful, high-performance systems: "Druzhba" (Kuibyshev - Unecha - Mozyr - Brest, Unecha - Polotsk, Mozyr - Brody - Uzhgorod, Polotsk - Ventspils); Surgut - Polotsk. The Druzhba oil pipeline supplies crude oil to the Polotsk, Mozyr, and Mazeikiai oil refineries. This oil pipeline includes the Unecha - Polotsk, Polotsk - Ventspils, Polotsk - Biržai - Mazeikiai main oil pipeline systems with a complete technological cycle. The Druzhba oil pipeline is currently the main pipeline for pumping Russian oil to Western European countries
Currently, work is being carried out in the Republic of Belarus to technically improve pipeline transport, automate the control of pumping stations, increase the aggregate capacity of pumping and power equipment and compressors, automate pumping technology, and reduce the distance between pumping stations.
In general, the transport infrastructure of the Republic of Belarus has a sufficient reserve of technical and technological means to handle the upcoming freight and passenger flows, without reducing the quality of transport services.
A section of the Yamal - Europe main gas pipeline passes through the territory of the Republic of Belarus, which supplies Russian gas and oil to Poland, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, as well as the Russian Kaliningrad region. The share of Belarusian transit in ensuring Russian gas supplies to Europe has shown significant growth in recent years due to the increase in the capacity of the Yamal - Europe gas pipeline. Thus, if in 2005 27% of Russian gas exports were transported through the Republic of Belarus, then in 2009 the share was more than 33%.
Thus, the transport industry of the Republic of Belarus has a fairly developed infrastructure and is ready to meet the growing needs of the economy.
Related information.
Railway infrastructure and rolling stock are extremely capital-intensive, so the life cycle of cars and locomotives is significant. The practice that developed back in the USSR determined the service life of rolling stock on railways to be around 30 years without major overhaul. When carrying out deep repairs, the service life could be extended several times, and this, again, is a long-standing practice. In addition, conceptually, railways in the territory of the former USSR have remained virtually unchanged since the post-war years; speeds and traffic volumes have not increased. This means that there is no need to update the rolling stock, which “can” do what the road requires of it. In general, these two reasons are enough for the system to be maintained by real dinosaurs of retirement age - locomotives and cars with a huge length of service. Look at what old cars Belarusians drive.
Yes, I know that the rolling stock in Belarus is being renewed little by little. Basically, of course, we are talking about freight cars and locomotives, but the supply program also concerns the passenger part. Stadler electric trains and Pesa diesel trains have appeared, there are relatively new trains from RVR, and diesel locomotives from the Kolomna Plant. All this is wonderful, but it’s not enough – very little so far, so little that a trip by train in Belarus is most often still like a trip to a museum. In general, the economy is aging much faster than it is being updated, and for some items (passenger electric locomotives, diesel freight locomotives) it is not being updated at all.
I won't touch the freight part of the railroad because it doesn't affect most of us. I will also not try to understand the fleet of passenger cars, since there are many of them. Just know that it’s still quite possible to ride in a reserved seat car from the seventies;)
Let's start with electric trains.
The main part of them is presented in the form of classic compositions produced in Riga, model ER9 and its modifications. Here and below are photographs from trainpix.org.
The oldest train serves the Minsk hub, this is the ER9M-566 train, built in February 1981. Thus, he is already 37 years old.
His colleague in the workshop is ER9M-574, produced in January 1982. Thirty-six year old:
Finally, third place went to the ER9M-580, built in March 1982.
It is curious that Minsk was lucky with the renewal of the rolling stock of electric trains in the 80s and the first half of the 90s before the collapse of the USSR. Since the electrification of the suburban sections of the capital began back in the 60s, the electric train station of the previous generation was serviced, which by the 80s had not yet exhausted their service life, but were sent to different depots throughout the USSR and replaced with new ones. The concept of the BSSR as a showcase of the entire Union probably played a role.
The last large batch of Eroks produced in Riga arrived in the first months of 1991. BZD bought two more trains in 1995 and 1996 (these are ER9T-737 and ER9TM-801). Thus, they are the “youngest” of the Riga squads (23 and 22 years old, respectively). The main fleet has a service life of about three decades.
In 2011, Swiss “Stadlers” began to arrive on the railway. At the moment, there are 18 of them in operation - in urban and suburban versions.
Now about diesel trains. These hard workers, also manufactured in Riga, serve the main non-electrified nodes of the Belarusian Railway: Mogilev, Krichev, Vitebsk, Lida, Grodno, as well as partially electrified ones (Baranovichi, Orsha, Brest, Gomel, etc.). There are still many diesel trains of the DR1 model and its modifications in operation in Belarus.
Probably the oldest is the train assigned to the Mogilev depot. In the 90s and 2000s, the Belarusian Railways, in dire need of updating its fleet of commuter trains, with the help of engineers from the Riga plant, formed many prefabricated trains from serviceable cars from different “parents”, giving the newborns special names, in particular DRB1M, DDB (formed by the Demikhovsky plant in Russia).
The DRB1M train is made from carriages of the DR1-040 and DR1-048 trains - all manufactured in 1969 (!). That is, next year this handsome man will celebrate his half-century anniversary of working for the benefit of Belarusian workers:
There are entire trains that have come down to us unchanged, and their age is also very respectable. Here is DR1A-124 (operating in Baranovichi): built in 1976, it has been in use for 42 years.
Most fully operational diesel trains are no older than 40 years; only a few examples have crossed this threshold. It should be noted that the Belarusian Railway is the largest operator of this model and received new trains from the Riga plant until 1995. Thus, there are no diesel trains of type DR1 under 23 years old in the country, but in general they have a service life of 33-38 years.
At the same time, renewal of their fleet occurs much more slowly than the fleet of electric trains. A few units of modern PESA rail buses and diesel trains were delivered to the depot; in the 2000s, a batch of the renovated DR1B model was delivered. However, there are still many “home-made products” of the DRB1M/DDB1/DDB2/MDP type in operation, and formally their service life is still far from retirement, although they are already sent one by one for recycling.
What about passenger locomotives? The legendary TEP-60 diesel locomotives produced by the Kolomna Diesel Locomotive Plant are still operating on the Belarusian Railways. They work in the plural - this is said with a stretch, because it seems that only TEP60-0429 manufactured in 1971 remains alive. Another one has not been formally decommissioned, but has been retired from service, and a couple of others are simulators.
So, the famous “slipper” TEP-60, 47 years old (Vitebsk):
In addition, in Minsk there are two cars left from the separated 2TEP-60, both of them are from 1979, which means they are 39 years old.
Also, Belarus was and is one of the main operators of the next model from Kolomna - TEP-70 and its modern modification TEP-70BS. We are not interested in the modification because of its “youth” (the cars are mostly 13-16 years old), but the old Soviet diesel locomotives are interesting.
The oldest machine is TEP-70 205, produced in 1990 (28 years). Unlike many other cars, these “sneakers” were delivered regularly until 2002, and after that their modified version with the BS suffix was also supplied.
Finally, the Belarusian Railways fleet has 15 passenger electric locomotives of the ChS4T model (manufactured by Skoda). All of them were delivered in 1983 and all are still in use. Each of them is 35 years old. The car with number 545 stands out a little, since it was produced several months earlier than its counterparts:
The situation with freight diesel locomotives and electric locomotives is generally similar. The average age of locomotives is probably about 30 years, there are almost half a century old ones, but there are also brand new Chinese trucks.
What are the results? Well, none in particular :) It is not surprising that with the preservation of low speeds and volumes of transportation, the Belarusian Railways “mothballs” very old trains and locomotives on the lines. Our doors are always open for lovers of antiquities!
