Sinara-Transport Machines (STM) has completed the preliminary tests of the 3ES8 Malachite electric locomotive prototype at the Ural Locomotives plant. The equipment and system inspection took place on the experimental ring of the Russian Research Institute of Railway Transport (VNIIZhT).
During the trials, the 3ES8 locomotive run 5,000 km at speeds of up to 120 km/h with a train weighing over 5600 tonnes. Within a month and a half, an assessment of electromagnetic compatibility and the interaction of equipment in the car and preliminary brake tests were carried out.
The prototype has also obtained approval for acceptance and certification tests which have begun in May and will be performed until September 2022.During this period, VNIIZhT specialists will check the dynamic strength, traction, energy and thermal performance, the operation of control and braking systems, conduct lighting, sanitary, chemical and hygiene tests, as well as checking the compliance with labor protection and functional safety requirements.
In addition to the VNIIZhT experimental site, a part of the research activities will take place on the Belorechenskaya – Maikop test site of the North Caucasian Railway, where the country’s only site for comprehensive tests on the impact on the track and turnouts of high-speed and heavy trains is located.
Upon completion of the full cycle of tests, an acceptance committee will decide on issuing Malachite electric locomotive a certificate of compliance with the technical regulations of the Customs Union.
“We always approach the release of new products very responsibly, first of all, they must correspond to the maximum level of reliability and safety,” Oleg Spai, the Director General of Ural Locomotives said.
When designing the cabin of the 3ES8 electric locomotive, the rolling stock manufacturer has applied the latest safety technology for the crew in the event of a collision. In addition, to numerous calculations, the designers carried out simulations of dangerous situations in a virtual environment, and the result was the introduction of a supporting frame and a passive safety system into the prototype locomotive,” Oleg Spai explained.
If all the required tests will be succesfully, the company will start the serial production of the new locomotive type.
The 3ES8 Malachite electric locomotive is equipped with a domestic asynchronous traction drive designed by the Ural Locomotives and is assembled with Russian components. It will become the base platform for creating a whole line of new domestic locomotives with different characteristics, including those for high – speed container traffic. The company has already started designing these models.
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