Ukrainian steel pipe and railway product producer Interpipe has announced that it has supplied its first wheelsets based on the newly developed ULT35 design, created specifically for heavy-duty freight railcars.
The products will be used in the construction of heavy-haul wagons for a Northern European railcar manufacturer, with the final customer being a steel plant in northern Sweden.
New wheelset designed for 35-ton axle loads
The ULT35 wheelset was developed by Interpipe’s R&D specialists as part of the company’s ULTIMATE product range for demanding freight transportation applications. According to the company, the new design can withstand axle loads of up to 35 mt, significantly above the more common 20-25 mt axle loads typically used in freight rail transport.
Railcars operating with 35 mt axle loads are used only in a limited number of countries and for specialized transport applications because of the need for reinforced railway infrastructure. Such operating conditions also require higher wheel and axle strength, improved wear resistance, and enhanced durability under extreme loads.
Design intended to extend wheelset service life
Interpipe stated that the new wheelset design will become the standard solution for its long-term Swedish railcar manufacturing partner specializing in heavy-duty wagons.
The company noted that although the wheelset was developed for 35 mt axle loads, the design can also be used in wagons operating at lower loads.
According to Interpipe, this flexibility could:
- extend wheel service life,
- reduce maintenance requirements,
- lower the customer’s needs of spare wheels and wheelsets for wagon repairs.