The Shandong Lutong LT58 wheel-rail tractor's drive axle allows Russian equipment manufacturer KPT to modernize its shunting systems on railways.
In Russia's extensive railway network, efficient and reliable shunting equipment is key to ensuring the smooth flow of freight.As general-purpose railway shunting vehicles, wheel-rail tractors are primarily used to tow trucks, flatcars, and tank trucks to loading points, as well as for grouping and positioning railway vehicles. Their performance directly impacts the efficiency of freight handling in railway transport.As a key player in the Russian railway industry, KPT OEM has long supplied shunting equipment to local railway hubs. The stability and adaptability of the drive axle, the core component of a wheel-rail tractor, have always been key to the competitiveness of its products.Equipment manufacturers Shandong Lutong and KPT have established close cooperation in customizing the drive axle of the LT58 wheel-rail tractor, solving equipment problems in low temperature and heavy load conditions, and jointly opening a new chapter in railway equipment cooperation. Chapter.
Opportunities for cooperation: “pain points” and expectations of the Russian market for railway shunting operations
Russian railway transport has characteristic regional features: extremely low temperatures in Siberia and the Urals in winter can reach -40°C, and the average daily shunting operation of railway junctions exceeds 200 trains, including heavy-duty vehicles, chemical tank trucks and other models, which imposes stringent requirements for low-temperature start-up - increases productivity, constant load capacity and impact strength of the leader bridge of wheel-rail tractors.Previously, the imported drive axle used by KPT manufacturers often encountered three major problems: First, the viscosity of the transmission oil increased sharply in low temperature conditions, and the tractor was difficult to start. One launch took more than 15 minutes, which seriously delayed the execution of the maneuvering plan; secondly, when when towing heavy trains (with a total weight of more than 5000 tons), the drive axle differential often jams, and the failure rate reaches 15%; thirdly, after-sales service is carried out with a delay, and the supply cycle for spare parts is up to 45 days, which leads to long-term downtime of faulty vehicles and also affects the efficiency of rail freight transportation.To solve this problem, KPT equipment manufacturers have launched a global selection of suppliers. Shandong Lutong stood out among 12 international suppliers with 32 years of R&D experience and reliable product quality in the field of railway equipment drive axles.
Custom Solution: The LT58 Drive Axle's "Targeted" Technological Breakthrough
Considering the key needs of KPT equipment manufacturers, as well as the application features of LT58 wheel-rail tractors (high-frequency maneuvering, heavy-duty traction and low-temperature operation), Shandong Lutong has formed a dedicated R&D team to upgrade the LT58 drive axle using three key technologies to create customized products with high degree of adaptability.：•Optimized adaptability to low temperatures•Increased traction characteristics in difficult operating conditions•Compliance with requirements and ease of operation and maintenance.
Terms of cooperation: effective interaction from checking samples to delivery of the batch.
The cooperation between Shandong Lutong and KPT OEMs is based on “fast response and accurate selection of equipment.” The entire process from plan confirmation to equipment delivery took only 3 months to meet the peak procurement season of Russian railway equipment.：1.Sampling stage (15 days): The development team completes the preliminary design plan within 72 hours, produces 2 sample bridges within 15 days and sends them to KPT equipment manufacturers. Both parties jointly conducted field tests at the Chelyabinsk railway junction. The LT58 drive axle ran continuously for 100 hours without failure, and the success rate of starting at low temperatures was 100%, and all performance indicators were in accordance with the standard. 2. Certification and production stage (45 days): Shandong Lutong has a special staff member who initiates the certification process and prepares the Russian version of technical documentation (including assembly drawings, hydraulic system diagrams and fault diagnosis manuals) in advance 20% reduction in normal cycle time. At the same time, run an intelligent production line with robotic welding and precision machining on CNC machining centers to ensure product dimensional tolerance control within ±0.02mm and guaranteed assembly accuracy. 3. Delivery and training phase (30 days): The first batch of 30 LT58 drive axles arrives directly at the OEM KPT warehouse, and the entire process is carried out by transportation to ensure performance products. Shandong Lutong has dispatched a technical team of 3 people to provide backup technical support for KPT assembly, covering major issues such as matching and debugging of drive axle and traction system, troubleshooting under severe operating conditions, and reducing after-sales service time to 48 hours.
Results of the collaboration: Data indicates a win-win scheme
The KPT wheel-rail tractor, equipped with a Shandong Lutong LT58 drive axle, has entered production. Market response has far exceeded expectations, with key results reflected in three dimensions.：•Increasing product competitiveness: the failure rate of wheel-rail tractors equipped with LT58 drive axles has been reduced; startup time at low temperatures has been reduced, shunting efficiency has been increased by 25%, and the average daily number of trains towed by one tractor has increased from 12 to 15. The product received the title of “Innovative Shunting Equipment of the Year” at the Russian Exhibition of Railway Equipment.•Optimization of customer costs: High reliability of the drive axle reduces the after-sales service costs of KPT equipment manufacturers by 60%, and the efficiency of using spare parts in the warehouse by 40%; Shandong Lutong's cost-effective solution reduces OEM supplier costs by 18%, helping KPT products win 3 consecutive shipments in the Russian Railways procurement tender.•Deepening long-term cooperation: Based on the superior performance of the LT58 drive axle, the two sides signed a strategic cooperation agreement for 2025, agreeing to increase annual deliveries to 2,000 units and planning to jointly develop wheel-rail drive axles for heavy-duty tractors adapted to extreme cold operating conditions. zone (-50℃) to expand the market for supporting rail transportation on Arctic routes.
Conclusion: Combine the global market for orbital equipment with core component reliability.
From Tai'an, Shandong Province to Kemerovo, Russia, Shandong Lutong uses the LT58 wheel-rail tractor drive axle as a link to achieve win-win cooperation with KPT equipment manufacturers.This case not only successfully practices Shandong Lutong's "customization + internationalization" strategy, but also proves its technical capabilities and service capabilities in the field of railway equipment drive axles.In the future, Shandong Lutong will continue to focus on research, development and innovation in the fields of construction machinery, agricultural machinery, mining machinery and railway equipment drive axles to provide more competitive solutions to global customers and open a new chapter in China's marine transportation equipment industry.