LTG Tech, the rolling stock service division of Lithuania’s state-owned freight operator LTG Cargo, has completed a project to refurbish a TEM2UM-1000 (TEM2) shunting locomotive, which is offering dramatically improved performance at a fraction of the cost of a new unit.
The work involved modifying the underframe of the locomotive, which dates from the Soviet era, to support the installation of new components and assemblies, among them a new 900kW C32 Caterpillar diesel engine. The locomotive is also benefitting from new EMIT main and auxiliary generators, a new Airpol SK30 compressor, and a remote fuel metering system. In addition, control circuit wires and power cables have been replaced and video surveillance cameras installed.
The project also involved updating the locomotive cab to include multifunctional screens on the control panel, a new chair, HVAC system, and ultraviolet lamp that disinfects frequently touched surfaces to prevent viral infection.
LTG Tech estimates that the locomotive will offer a 30% fuel saving over comparable units while the European Union Stage V compliant engine will reduce harmful particulate and NOx emissions. The refurbishment project is also around 60% of the cost of buying a new locomotive, increasing the attractiveness of similar projects for other customers.
“More and more locomotive fleet managers are facing the problem that existing, older locomotives do not meet modern needs - they are quite polluting, and the costs of their use and maintenance are high,” says Mr Albert Bajorin, CEO of LTG Tech. “At the same time, there is a dilemma as to what to do with locomotives that are nearing the end of their service life - how to extend their use more safely and at the same time minimise environmental damage. Our team was looking for answers to these questions during the modernization of TEM2.
“The modernised TEM2 is so far the only locomotive in the Baltic region with a 900kW diesel engine, and we are already receiving interest from customers in Ukraine, Poland and, of course, Lithuania."
