Need for perfection

Railways demonstrated an innovative approach and commitment to modern technologies

The President of OAO RZD, Mr Vladimir Yakunin and the Governor of the Samara Region, Mr Nikolay Merkushkin took part in the official opening ceremony of a reconstructed wagon-washing complex of the passenger depot Samara. Here, for the first time in Russia the two-stage carriage washing technology will be used.

The symbolic START button was the signal for the wagon-washing launch, which was pressed simultaneously by Mr Vladimir Yakunin, Mr Nikolay Merkushkin, the General Director of OAO FPC, Mr Mikhail Akulov and the President of ZAO Wagon-Service, Mr Yoram Ben-Israel producing the long sounding horn.

The grandparents’ methods are now just a thing of the past. Literally within 9 minutes three carriages appeared crystal clean with the help of water and special acid and alkaline solutions.

The President of ZAO Wagon-Service, Mr Yoram Ben-Israel announced: “Investment in modernization and reconstruction of bead-blasting/painting and washing complexes will be done throughout the net of railroads. I am proud to be able to take part in the modernization of Russian infrastructure in my field of activity and would like to thank OAO RZD’s management for understanding my business model and supporting it.”

Notably, the circulation water supply system of the wagon-washing complexes, which uses 70% recycled water, cleanses source, circulation and sewage water from admixtures, hard particles and harmful substances in compliance with all ecological norms.
Reconstruction of the complex has been carried out with the assistance of outside investments amounting to 515 mln. RUB. This is the pilot project of the rail network modernisation programme which includes 15 wagon-washing and 7 bead-blasting/painting complexes.

“FPC’s main objective is to improve passenger service, – said Mikhail Akulov – And our strategic tools to achieve this are investments in new locations and modernization of existing infrastructure”.

Further introduction to scientific achievements continued in the motor-car depot Bezimyanka, where mobile Expo Centre of OAO RZD was placed, represented by trucks, cars and other purpose-built vehicles which can go on rail and off-road track.
For example, based on KamAZ, “letuchka” thanks to the special suspended equipment is transformed to a real rail current repairs complex.

The depot itself was spotless; everything gave an impression of ideal order – not instantaneous, but well-running and habitual. This is the result of two-year work by the staff on the introduction of the lean manufacturing principles on the site.

Participants of the Assembly walked through spacious light pavilions, spoke to the workers, listened to a short report of the depot’s Head, Mr Sergey Romanichev, which concluded that economic effect from using the lean-technology for the rolling stock repairs only in the first half of the year 2012 came to 600 000 RUB.Innovative and advance technologies applied shows that RZD is a serious player in the transportation market.