April 29, 2013. A pilot oil tank car 15-5117 meant for transportation of light oil got assembled at Uralvagonzavod’s pressing and welding department. One of the new tank’s peculiarities consists in a light-weight platform framework and additional strength added to the tank, Uralvagonzavod Corporation’s press officer reports.

This is the second pilot oil tank-car 15-5117 assembled at the plant; the first sample is being subject to a mechanical run test at the moment. The new product from Uralvagonzavod’s pressing and welding department will soon undergo trial testing at the company’s experimental carriage-building department.

The wall width of the new pilot sample only comes to 9-11mm, while the series-produced tank-cars are made from metal sheets that are 10-12mm wide. The design is based on a two-axle bodywork with load of 23.5 t/s per axis. To make sure the tank remains strong and acquires additional hardness, special bends (developed by the Chief Designer for Carriage-Building Department) in the form of cross ribs on the tank body were attached to the tank. What is more, the contents of the tank will feel less heavy due to a special platform without a side beam. The lighter the contents, the more the tank’s capacity will be depending on the type of cargo. Also, the design of the center bearer and of the head stock has been modified.