The locomotive depot is the point at which the maintenance or repair of trains is carried out. It is also called the traction part.
General information
Locomotive depots are divided into two categories. They can be basic and negotiable. The first are intended for registration of locomotives. Secondly, the preparation of locomotives, which follow to the main (operational) locomotive depot. The turning point is intended for the maintenance of steam locomotives. They also inspect the second volume. There are holiday homes for staff. Currently, the repair locomotive depot also stands out in a separate category. Objects of this type do not have an attributable fleet of locomotives. At the same time, major repairs are being carried out in such depots, which are aimed at meeting the needs of one or more railways.
Historical information. Construction Features
The operational locomotive depot has always been an integral part of the railways. The construction of such an object depended on many factors. For example, the complexity of the profile section of Russian Railways. The locomotive depot was to be built at a certain distance from the neighboring one. As a rule, between them was fifty to one hundred kilometers. Traction units were located in a special way on the line connecting the capital of Russia and St. Petersburg. The main locomotive depot was located next to the reverse. The estimated traffic intensity in the area determined the number of locomotive stalls. At the initial stage, car repair was also carried out at the depot. A few years after the opening of the railways, changes were required. The workshop and the locomotive depot became independent enterprises. Until 1933, a single rolling stock service managed all the elements of the system. Later, the government decided that the carriage industry would become an independent railway industry.
New classification
Locomotive depots had this name until the transition to the use of diesel and electric traction. After that, the points received at their disposal several types of locomotives. Diesel locomotives and electric locomotives were delivered here. Then the name changed. Each item became known as a “locomotive depot” after several electric locomotives, diesel locomotives and steam locomotives were made available. Motor cars began to be referred to as those points that had an ascribed park. They also carried out repair and operation of diesel and electric trains. As a rule, there were several maneuverable diesel locomotives. These items were also called "electro depot." The general term used to name these objects is a locomotive farm.
Further development
In the 70s. the number of locomotive parks increased, as the volume of traffic increased significantly. Some of the large items totaled more than two hundred compounds. Depots could no longer provide high-quality service for all types of locomotives. At that time, the points began to specialize in the maintenance of individual series. Some depots carried out "lifting" work to meet the needs of locomotive points along the entire length of the road, and in certain cases even several. Uninterrupted operation required equipping with the necessary equipment, such as bench and machine. Priority was given to the supply of spare parts.
Introducing New Categories
The combination of the above factors and the site where this or that locomotive depot was located, became the reason for the next units. Traction parts were divided into the following categories according to their purpose: maneuverable, motor carriage, passenger and cargo. The latter were located at large sorting and junction stations. Passenger depots were located on the corresponding sections of the railway. Few items have a narrow specialization. The main locomotive depot in most cases can play the role of a negotiable. It can also perform other functions. For example, many locomotive points of Sennaya, Rtishchevo and Petrova Val are negotiable for Saratov. Most depots perform several functions. For example, locomotive points can simultaneously be maneuverable, cargo and passenger. Those in the 80s. were locomotive depots in Moscow, Rtishchevo, Saratov, Volgograd and Orenburg. The latter operates in this mode to this day.
Functioning during the USSR
At that time, a preventive maintenance system was operating in the locomotive depots. This structure involved the implementation of appropriate work, taking into account the standards of the overhaul mileage. The locomotive depot faced many tasks. For their timely resolution on the territory of points required to place the following elements.
- Fuel depot. It is designed to store stocks of various lubricants, oils and fuels.
- Service Center. It is needed to equip locomotives and repair them.
- Swivel triangle or circle. It is intended for carrying out a technological or periodic turn of a locomotive.
- Equipment point. Most often, it is combined with a technical service center for locomotives.
- Repair shop. It is intended for major reconstruction works.
- Auxiliary items. They are necessary for the repair of individual units and components of the locomotive.
- Center for rheostatic tests. It is designed to carry out appropriate work.
- Holiday House. It can be used by members of locomotive crews during inter-cruise time.
- Administrative building. It is designed to accommodate locker rooms, showers, offices and engineering staff.
Many other elements may be located at locomotive points. For example, wastewater treatment plants, boiler houses, rooms for washing compounds and other production units.
Territory layout
There are several options for the internal structure of items. For example, the first depots according to the plan had a round shape. The locomotives were set up at these points by moving them along one of the through tracks with further installation on the desired ditch. The latter was carried out by means of a turntable in the center of the barn. The fan layout of the depot began to be applied later. Turntable options were also used. At the beginning of the 20th century, after construction work and reconstruction of the depot, the rectangular-stepped structure of the repair facilities became widespread.
Point of the Nikolaev railway
This locomotive depot is one of the oldest in Russia. This is a cultural monument. The object is included in the ensemble of structures of the Nikolaev station on Komsomolskaya Square. It, in turn, is also a historical territory. This depot has a round structure. It began to be built in the middle of the XIX century. The project was run by architect Konstantin Andreyevich Ton. Nine locomotive depots were built on the line. The Nikolaev station was near a reservoir, unlike the others. The engine depot was located on the banks of the Red Pond. This factor influenced the introduction of major changes to the project. The construction was on a high foundation, and the workshops were built separately. This was due to the fact that the locomotive depot had the shape of a circle. A reservoir building was erected near it, which was built according to an individual project. The architectural elements of the structure made it look like a fortress tower.