Russia: The country’s largest locomotive service company announced that the Bort hardware-software complex, deployed by its depots, enabled the detection and prompt resolution of over 17,000 faults in diesel locomotive components and equipment. According to the company, 2,698 sections of diesel locomotives from various series are under maintenance, all fitted with this system.
Bort was developed by the Research Institute of Technology, Control, and Diagnostics, a subsidiary of TMH Smart Systems. The complex monitors fuel consumption and analyses the condition of diesel-generator sets by tracking diesel temperature, oil pressure, and rpm. The data allows depot specialists to identify and address defects in a timely manner.
Bort hardware-software complex. Source: LocoTech
Bort can detect over 20 types of operational and maintenance regime violations, such as unauthorised fuel drainage or the need for locomotive repairs. Statistical data helps pinpoint faulty standard sensors if their readings diverge from Bort’s.
Bort’s development will continue. The next phase will establish individual fuel consumption norms for each locomotive, accounting for wear and operational specifics. This will enable the detection of latent faults, such as diesel efficiency drops due to heat exchanger fouling.
ChME3 shunting locomotive in a depot. Source: LocoTech
It was previously reported that in 2025, its subsidiary, LocoTech Service, serviced and repaired over 93,000 locomotive sections, exceeding the targets of the national rail operator Russian Railways by 3%. Thanks to depots’ efficiency, locomotives failed 8.7% less in 2024. Such impressive figures were achieved, in part, through the rollout of a new quality and reliability management system across LocoTech, which encompasses 88 locomotive service depots.
LoсoTech is implementing other preventive rolling stock fault-tracking technologies. Currently, it is jointly testing onboard predictive diagnostic complexes for locomotives with TMH Smart Systems. These collect real-time data from wheel-motor bearing assemblies, traction motor electromagnetic systems, and batteries. The primary expected benefit is reduced repair costs through pre-empting equipment failures.
