Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant, part of United Wagon Company, has started shipping large-size castings (Barber S-2-HD bogie Side Frames and Bolsters) to equip North American freight cars. These TVSZ castings have been approved by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) for unrestricted interchange service on all North American railroads, including the largest Class I railroads. The planned scope of supply is up to 5 thousand car sets per year.
In order to produce freight car castings for the North American market, TVSZ first had to pass a Quality Management System audit to confirm compliance with AAR Specification М1003, and also meet the foundry technical requirements for certification under AAR. Sample castings made in Tikhvin successfully met static and dynamic structural test requirements necessary for AAR approval of the casting designs. These tests were carried in North America at an AAR approved facility CTLGroup testing center under AAR observation.
Freight castings made in Tikhvin are intended for bogies such as the Barber S-2-HD and feature reduced weight design preferred by North American customers. Freight cars equipped with these bogie castings will be able to operate on the entire North American rail system, in the USA, in Canada and in Mexico.
These AAR certifications of TVSZ’s foundry and approval of the castings through testing are required to perform the decade-long export contract between United Wagon Company and Wabtec Corporation.
“Start of shipments to the mature and competitive market of North America confirms the highest quality level of our products and compliance with the world standards,” Maxim Kuzemchenko, Deputy CEO for Business Development at United Wagon Company, said.
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