Russia: New machines should enhance efficiency of snow-plow on the Russian Railways network.
The Vereshchagin plant “Remputmash”, a part of Sinara Transport Machines, received approval for serial production of PSS-2P snow-plow trains late in December 2022. As RZD’s Directorate for track machines operations representative Dmitry Platonov noted in his Gudok article in 2021, the main difference between the new train and the currently operated PSS-1K model (in production since 2013) is self-propellency so it does not require a traction module as a separate unit. In addition, the ability to abandon the escort car is provided as the maintenance crew break rooms have been integrated into the train.
The production rate of PSS-2P should be up to 13 km/h, and the additional capacity will increase output by 24%. STM itself reported that the vehicle will have more economical fuel consumption rate. The established service life is 30 years. STM estimated RZD’s annual demand for such trains to be at least 10 units per year.
In its turn, V.V. Vorovsky Tikhoretsk Machine Construction Plant (TMCP) approved new USMn snow-removing machines. The certificate for its serial production was received by TMCP late in December 2022. The producer reported ROLLINGSTOCK that snow-removing moldboards of a non-self-propelled USMn can handle snow up to 1.5m high.
It employs a compressed air cleaning unit based on VM-18 mill exhauster fans that generate a powerful air stream to clean the inter-rail space and switches. One of the modules has a rest area for crew members, allowing them to remain in the vehicle for several days at a time. TMCP claims that USMn can profile ballast bed shoulder during track maintenance in summer. The established USMn service life is 35 years. The certificate is given for 5 years.
