OJSC Tver Carriage Building Plant (TVZ) is an enterprise with a century of history, but modern production. Here, they are able to assemble 1,200 wagons of two hundred models and modifications a year - record highs for Russia. The company is part of the Transmashholding structure.
Prerequisites for creating
In the middle of the 19th century, rapid construction of railroads began in Russia. Over 1,500 km of tracks were introduced annually. However, at that time in the empire there was only one large steam locomotive and car building plant in St. Petersburg - Aleksandrovsky. He also engaged in the repair of rolling stock. Naturally, his capacities were not enough; he had to buy cars and railway equipment abroad.
As practice has shown, wagons of a Western European type were not suitable for Russian conditions. They had an unsuitable design, and were not insulated. Some even lacked brakes. In 1890, the government passed a series of laws encouraging railway workers to purchase rolling stock from domestic companies. Favorable economic conditions were created for the development of this line of business; foreign investments poured into the country.
Birth
On September 23, 1896, French and Belgian industrialists entered into an agreement with the Tver authorities to lease a plot of land for the construction of the Tver Carriage Works. The city of Tver, located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, was an ideal place for a new enterprise. Two years later (08.25.1898), Director Liebka was awarded a certificate of the right to work, this date is the birthday of the plant.
At the time of opening, it was one of the most advanced industries in Russia. Foreign industrialists were not stingy: the best equipment and tools were purchased, powerful steam engines made it possible to achieve high productivity. New cars of the Tver Carriage Works were of high quality and enviable technical characteristics. Thanks to the launch of the enterprise in Tver, electricity appeared - one of the steam units provided citizens with electricity.
Pre-revolutionary period
By 1899, the first batch of 13 covered freight wagons capable of transporting up to 12.5 tons of cargo each was ready. It was a product of the so-called dual-use. In the event of war, they were easily converted to transport personnel (40 people or 8 horses) or military cargo.
With the onset of the 20th century, the Tver Carriage Building Plant switched to the production of passenger cars of all possible classes: from double-deckers for migrants traveling to explore the expanses of Siberia and the Far East to chic 26-meter “salons” for the elite, including the royal family. The main products were sleeping cars for high-speed trains. In 1915, the Tver and Riga plants merged.
Time for a change
The October Revolution thwarted enterprise development plans. In 1918 it was nationalized, and in 1921 it was mothballed. The work of the plant resumed in 1925. Instead of two-axle freight cars, the assembly of four-axle cars has begun, which has significantly increased their carrying capacity.
In 1931, Tver was renamed Kalinin, respectively, the Tver Carriage Works was renamed Kalininsky. A year later, the construction of a huge workshop with a length of almost a kilometer began, where the assembly of rolling stock was subsequently arranged. By this time, over 6,500 workers were working in production, and productivity was 10 times higher than in 1913. In 1937 alone, the enterprise produced 418 passenger and 5736 heavy freight wagons.
War
After the German attack on the USSR, the plant switched to the production of purely military products: sanitary compounds, ammunition, mortars. However, the city was soon occupied by the German army; they did not manage to take out the equipment. Most of the workshops were destroyed.
01/03/1942 after a successful counterattack, the city of Kalinin was liberated. Immediately, a resolution was approved on the urgent restoration of production. By the fall of 1943, Kalinin Carriage Building became one of the largest operating plants in the Central region of the country. It produced 18 types of products for the front.
Post-war development
Even before the war, engineers at the Kalinin (Tver) Car Building Plant developed a unique comfortable all-metal passenger car for long-distance trains. In 1950, work in this area was resumed, and already in 1951 the enterprise switched to their manufacture.
The introduction of new products required a major change in the technological process, the requirements for the quality of welding work increased many times over. For welding for the first time in the USSR, for the first time in the USSR, a special portal automatic welding machine was developed for welding arc roofs of cars, flooring and side walls.
By 1965, the plant had already produced 11 modifications of passenger cars (instead of one in 1959). For some models, for the first time in the practice of railway workers, air conditioners were installed that were powered by electricity generated by a special power station that was part of the train. Such systems were used in the south of the country, mainly in Central Asia.
At high speeds
By the 60s, the question of increasing the speed of movement of trains was ripe. In 1965 an express train of the Aurora series was built. He was able to deliver passengers from Moscow to Leningrad in less than 5 hours - speeds inconceivable at the time. However, experts did not stop there. Together with scientists, a project was developed to build a turbojet train driven by two aircraft engines.
For many years, the experimental sample was tested on public routes, developing speeds of up to 250 km / h. It turned out that he was able to move much faster, but the state of the railways did not allow to accelerate above a given limit. The data obtained subsequently made it possible to design the RT-200 express called the Russian Troika. Although its operating speed was 200 km / h, it was also ideally able to accelerate to 250 km / h. This train became the pride of the factory workers.
Today
In the 90s, Tver Carriage Works OJSC experienced stagnation. The volume of orders decreased many times, but the factory workers found their niche in the market: for the first time in their history, they began to produce compartment cars that were previously purchased in Germany. The first model 61-820 product was introduced in 1993. Demand for traditional products gradually warmed up: passenger, postal, baggage, staff, freight, special wagons, wheelsets , etc.
Along the way, other products are also produced. For example, the trams of the Tver Carriage Works are moving around Moscow and other major cities of the country.
Since the 90s, work has been underway to design and improve high-speed cars (over 200 km / h) with a flat sidewall. For the centenary of the enterprise in 1998, the first model 61-4170 was manufactured. The design used new developments:
- Strength and durability are increased due to the steel corrosion-resistant frame;
- improved ride;
- many processes are automated and controlled by a central computer;
- dry closets are installed.
These cars were used in the formation of branded express trains "Red Arrow", "Petrel", "Nevsky Express" and others.
Today in the railway sector there is a rise. Russian Railways is updating the fleet of locomotives, wagons and special equipment. The main burden of responsibility lies with TVZ, as an industry leader. In 2008, after many years of hard work, the release of a new generation of rolling stock began. Thanks to the modernization program, productivity has doubled in recent years (from 600 wagons in the early 2000s to 1,200 at present).
Since 2009, in the framework of cooperation with Siemens Corporation, the development and construction of RIC wagons of a superior compartment with a convertible passenger compartment has been ongoing. These products can be operated both on a rut of the Russian standard (1520 mm) and European (1435 mm).
Since 2009, two-story railcars, new for Russia, have been produced, which the citizens of the country have already loved. By the way, this is the own development of car builders from Tver.
Workshops and their description
Tver Carriage Building Plant is one of the few domestic enterprises where railcars are created and built for high-speed traffic. Naturally, innovative technologies and modern equipment are necessary for their manufacture. Technological capacities are designed for the assembly of more than 1000 wagons, and various modifications, including in single copies.
Production consists of a number of sites. The main workshops include:
- Car assembly. The final assembly of railway equipment from components created in other sections is carried out here.
- Frame-body, Trolley (manufacturing of frames and trolleys).
- Woodworking, Set (production of wooden structures, products, decoration elements).
- Foundry, Forge-press, Cold-press (obtaining metal structures of complex shapes).
- Small batch (fulfillment of single special orders).
Auxiliary workshops:
- Instrumental.
- Painting.
- Electric power.
- Boiler room.
- Motor transport.
- Mechanical repair.
- Experimental.
- Experienced products.
Tver Carriage Works: reviews
The company is one of the largest employers in the Tver region. A large volume of orders allows us to guarantee a decent and timely payment. Employees note high social standards in the workplace. Needy workers are given a place in the hostel. Surprisingly, the dinners at the factory are free, and they feed well, according to reviews. Work at the enterprise is hard, but well paid. Administration requires strict discipline.
Address of Tver Carriage Works: 170003, Russian Federation, Tver, Petersburg Highway, Bldg. 45-B.