A Bolivian railway operator manages a fleet of 35 locomotives, comprising 29 GE C23 units and 6 EMD models, along with several hundred freight wagons that operate at generally low speeds, typically ranging from 20 km/h to 30 km/h. Locomotives undergo major overhauls every two years, and wagons are usually serviced every 80,000 km. Within this maintenance environment, the operator explored options to improve the durability of wear components.
One focus of the assessment was the pedestal liners installed on the GE locomotives’ six-axle bogies. The manganese-steel liners previously in use typically reached their maintenance wear limits within two years, or approximately 240,000 km of operation, which often necessitated re-welding of axle box wear plates. The operator therefore evaluated alternative materials that could maintain acceptable wear limits over a longer service life.
Vesconite Rail supplied Hilube 20 pedestal liners for evaluation during the April 2023 locomotive overhaul. The operator specifies 6 mm as the maximum allowable wear clearance before maintenance is required. After nearly two years in service, inspections revealed typical clearances of approximately 3 mm, confirming that the liners remained well within the acceptable wear range for the locomotives.
Inspection results indicated that the Hilube 20 liners exhibited reduced wear compared to the previously used steel liners, leading to fewer axle box wear plate interventions and lower maintenance requirements during scheduled servicing. The liners’ low friction and ability to allow smoother lateral movement contributed to reliable locomotive performance at the network’s low operating speeds.
The operator is now considering the use of Hilube 20 liners in additional applications as part of its ongoing maintenance planning.
