The Russian 18-9DGM diesel engine, installed on 3TE28 mainline freight locomotives, shows fuel savings of up to 20% compared to the American GEVO12, Rollingstock was informed by Transmashholding. The data is based on the operational experience of 3TE28 and 3TE25K2M locomotives with these power units.
The 18-9DGM diesel engine and the 3TE28 locomotive were put into production in 2022 due to restrictions on the supply of American GEVO12 engines from Wabtec. Both locomotives were designed to haul trains weighing 7100 tons on the difficult terrain of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) and have similar traction characteristics.
According to TMH data, the idle fuel consumption of the 18-9DGM is 9–11 kg/h versus 11–14 kg/h for the GEVO12. In maximum traction mode, it is 560–570 kg/h versus 640–670 kg/h. The minimum crankshaft speed of the domestic engine has been reduced to 270 rpm, which, combined with the transition to asynchronous traction drives, has reduced hourly fuel consumption per section at idle by up to 20%, and at maximum controller position by 12%.
As noted by TMH, the 3TE28 is equipped with a microprocessor system for asynchronous section loading. On gentle sections of the track or with incomplete trains, the trailing sections automatically switch to lower positions or idle. The life cycle cost of a locomotive with a domestic diesel engine is 20–25% lower than that of a machine with an imported engine.
The 18-9DGM engine is produced at the Kolomna Plant and is a modernization of the classic D49 diesel engine. It is equipped with an inverter start system and complies with Stage IIIA environmental standards. The new modification – 18-9DGM-02 – received a new generation turbocharger and an optimized layout. The 3TE28 series of locomotives, produced at the Bryansk Machine-Building Plant, has already exceeded 130 units. They are supplied to the Eastern Polygon of the Russian Railways network and are used on the Pacific Railway.