Five years ago, Traxtion was outsourcing its wheel repairs to outside contractors. Today a small, but formidable team of wheel experts, supported by the rest of the company, not only services its own wheels, but also the wheels of other operators on the African rail network.
Francois Welgemoed, Traxtion’s Group Technical Manager, says it made sense for Traxtion to operate its own wheel shop, given that the company’s Rail Services Hub in Rosslyn was a one-stop shop for all things train and rail. “We spent time and effort on our facilities so that we could get it right. Initially, we were servicing one set of wheels a month, but our success has meant we can offer this service to outside customers as well.”
Without wheels in optimal condition, Welgemoed says, trains cannot run which in turn means that business cannot be conducted smoothly, passengers cannot get from home to work, and the entire downstream economy suffers as a result.
These massive wheels, weighing between 200 and 900 kilograms depending on the type of wheel, require reconditioning and upkeep just like car tyres, but a lot more specialised. Welgemoed says the Traxtion wheel shop services about 30 wheelsets per month, and this involves removing bearings from axles, cleaning and inspecting wheels and axles, ultrasonic testing of wheels to formulate a condition report, the profiling of the wheels, fitting new bearings and re-installing them.
“We conduct non-destructive testing (NDT) and magnetic particle testing so that cracks that cannot be seen by the naked eye can be detected,” he explains. Because Traxtion has proven time and again that the revival of old parts and equipment makes sense and costs less, the wheel shop is geared towards that goal too.
Welgemoed explains: “It can take more than 20 weeks for new axles to arrive and a two to three-month waiting period for new wheels. This is too long a waiting time for our customers, so we mitigate it by making sure we always have stock (like bearings) available to ensure a short turnaround time for clients and our own operations. Inventory planning is crucial because of these long lead times.”
The Traxtion wheel shop can run a number of projects at the same time, all in various stages of progress. Welgemoed says light wheel repairs can take as little as two days, while heavy repairs take two weeks. “Obviously, if it’s an emergency, we can do it in 24 hours.”
The consequences of defective train wheels pose a significant safety risk, says Welgemoed. “Derailments, property damage and potential loss of life are all severe outcomes if wheels are dysfunctional. When a wheel breaks, it can cause a sudden loss of control, resulting in trains going off the tracks at high speeds. This situation presents a serious threat to the safety of the general public and rail workers, especially when transporting hazardous materials like crude oil or other dangerous goods,” he says.
Wheel failures can also cause extensive damage to rail infrastructure, he says, and this can lead to costly repairs and disruptions to rail operations. “Obviously such incidents also result in substantial financial losses, the possible loss of life, and delays in transporting goods and passengers,” he says.
A Satisfied Client: Rovos Rail
A major client for the wheel shop is Rovos Rail, which has just been voted the third-best train in the world in the Conde Nast readers’ survey. Traxtion has serviced at least 200 wheels for the luxury private trains, and this has involved servicing the normal wear and tear (bearing removals, NDT inspections, profiling) and doing major overhauls of the wheels.
“We service both coach and locomotive wheels. Some of the wheels need major overhauling so we remanufacture the wheels, saving the client money and providing them with a five-year warranty of our work,” Welgemoed says. “Our wheel shop is close to Rovos, which means it’s convenient for them, and we return the repaired wheels as soon as possible, which is obviously beneficial to their operations.”
Welgemoed says serviced wheels should run smoothly for between six and 18 months, but notes that track conditions are crucial to the longevity of the wheels. “We strive to give these wheels a longer lifespan and a new life. We have made significant strides in beefing up our operational excellence so that we can provide the best possible outcomes for our clients,” Welgemoed says.
The work done for a major client like Rovos Rail means that the trains keep running, which in turn means profitability for Rovos and the downstream rail economy involved in their operations, Welgemoed says.
