The reliability of the continuous welded rail technical state, the reduction of the costs for its operation are ensured by the introduction of modern technologies in laying the way and are largely determined by the quality of the repair work. The polygon of the continuous welded rail track of the West Siberian Railway reached 82 % of the total length by 2016 (the dynamics of growth for the last year was 2 %). On the Trans-Siberian Railway this indicator is 97 %, on the Mid- Siberian main line - 92 %. On the road in operation there are 530 pairs of bars long before the haul and 609 pairs long up to the block section with a total of 3,022 pairs of bars. Since 2003, in all parts of the overhaul, the continuous welded rail is laid only by lengths in the haul. Beginning in 2004, a series of works were carried out at medium repair sites, which included the elimination of equalization spans of the welded track laid in previous years, which allowed increasing the average length of the whip from 602 m to 2394 m (the increase over the last year was 83 m). In recent years, among folded fasteners with elastic terminals, there has been a tendency to increase boltless fasteners, including screw-dowel fastening. In addition, for the operational analysis, an automated system for accounting and management of the continuous welded rail, a current content object has been developed. The West Siberian Railroad has developed and implemented a strategy for the development of a track complex based on efficient track structures (reinforced concrete sub-rail base and elastic rail fastenings), as a continuous welded rail with rail bars of a length in the haul, with laying of the separation layer, using for way repairs and maintenance modern track machines and the system of content accounting and management.

One of the ways to improve the efficiency of transport and technological machines is to determine the productive time technology reserves, in particular, by using technical operation simulation. The problem of constructing a simulation model requires solving the identification problem. The concept of identification covers a range of issues related to the definition of data values, parameters and model variables necessary for its complete description based on the survey of the object. That is, the task of identification consists in finding such model parameters that would reduce (as far as possible) the magnitude of the discrepancy between the parameters of the model and the real object. This task is solved in this article in the process of creating the model based on the comparison of the accumulated experimental data results and real indicators of the maintenance system. Expert analysis of modeling results can be carried out both to improve the simulation model and to select and compare modeling scenarios. The interpretation consists in the practical use of simulation results in the form of management decisions on the operation or recommendations for improving the design features of transport and technological machines. The paper presents the results of the theoretical and experimental study of the changes in the technical condition of transport and technological machines in order to increase the efficiency of their operation on the basis of simulation modeling. At the same time, various states of technology were considered, including sudden failures requiring repair under stationary conditions. Instead of the failed machine, a backup can be introduced, but this condition was excluded during the modeling process. The operation of transport and technological machines can be accompanied by sudden failures and frequent replacement of units and parts. In the case when the machine is working properly, it will bring profit to the enterprise. In the case of failure, instead of profit, there are costs for repairing equipment in stationary conditions. Taking these states into account using simulation allows us to find the most rational ways to increase the efficiency of transport and technological machines operation with a reliable assessment of the model's correspondence to real processes.

The article discusses the application of innovative equipment for the current railway track maintenance and repair. As a modern track equipment, a multifunctional machine KGT-4RS has been chosen. The multifunctionality of this vehicle is that it is capable of working on combined trains (in particular, in railway and automobile), as well as performing various types of repair work by changing a large range of attachments. The paper presents the results of a comparative evaluation of the KGT-4RS, track machine VPR 02 application and manual labour for performing the operation of tie-down sleepers during road alignment. It is noted that manual labour allows replacing sleepers without closing the distances, but is inefficient, while specialized machines perform a large amount of work, but at the same time closing of the distances is required. To confirm the economic feasibility of the new generation KGT-4RS application developed a methodology for assessing the economic efficiency of innovative equipment use in performing various types of work on the current track maintenance and repair. As the main criterion in the calculations, a unit of track works cost value is assumed. According to the calculation results, it is found that it is economically advantageous to tie sleepers up to 10 pieces manually, with the number of up to 40 sleepers by a multifunctional machine KGT-4RS, and over 40 sleepers by a track machine VPR 02. The proposed methodology takes into account current operational, annual and one-time costs when operating machinery and allows you to select the economically advantageous machine for performing certain work on the railway track maintenance.

One of the current problems of railway transport is the inadequate reliability of technical means, in particular railway track elements and, as a consequence, their failures. Violations of the operational condition of railway track elements increase the risk of traffic accidents, crashes, accidents, which causes harm to the life and health of citizens, and the elimination of the consequences adversely affects the economic performance of OAO Russian Railways. To ensure the guaranteed safety and reliability of the transportation process, it is necessary to manage failures. For this purpose, the article analyzes the failures of railway track elements on the West Siberian Railway. The dynamics of changes in the number of fixed failures in three categories in the period from 2008-2016 is presented. The structure of faults distribution in railway track elements is shown. The main part of them falls on rails (3 8 %), on rail joints 22 %, on rail track geometry 17 % and on switch translations 12 %. The overwhelming majority of rail faults are defects of the second and third group. In spite of the fact that the vast majority of faults occur in rails, the longest train delays occur due to rail link failures. The main causes of insulating and current-conducting joint failures are revealed: damage and short circuit of insulating joints, breakage, damage, absence, failure of butt joint contact, shorting of the rail track circuit. As a result of the analysis of railway track elements failures, a set of measures is proposed, the implementation of which will reduce the number of failures, the delay of trains from their occurrence and improve the safety of train traffic.

The work contains a list of repair and travel works, the criteria for their assignment in accordance with regulatory documents, and the methodology for collecting data on the actual performance of road reconstruction and repairs within the West Siberian Infrastructure Directorate. The analysis results of the work on the experimental sections volume distribution and the intervals of the tonnage operating time are presented. It was determined that the operating time of the tonnage before the reconstruction and overhaul in many areas with favorable operating conditions turned out to be lower than the established standard for a seamless track -700 million tons. This is explained by the abundance of repair resources and production capacities in the West Siberian Directorate for repair of the track. Overhaul was often performed in place of the average, which is clearly irrational. It was also revealed that the planned preventive maintenance was carried out on average 1.5-2 times per kilometer of the track for the inter-repair period. Only on the even path of the Central Siberian direction (Vkhodnaya - Srednesibirskaya - Artyshta), where overhaul was not always justifiably carried out, and the share of preventive maintenance amounted to 0.74 of the lengths of sites in the inter-repair cycle.

Used in marine environments various constructions and installations for their safe and durable use require regular monitoring of the state of seawater. Usually researches of seawater in situ connected with the measurement of temperature and pressure (or depth), which are necessary for various physico-chemical calculations. In practice the temperature is determined using a thermocouple or thermistor, and the pressure - with indicator-coils. The purpose of this work to explore the possibility of using electrochemical concentration cell without liquid contact as a potentiometric sensor of temperature and pressure. The idea was: try to solve the inverse problem - to determine the values of the temperature and pressure from the direct electrochemical measurements, using the known functional dependence of the pH values on T and P for a number of buffers. The best electrochemical cell is such, which observe the maximum response of the EMF-changing on one factor - the temperature (pressure) and the absence or weak dependence on the second - the pressure (temperature) as improved accuracy in determining the final result. The information about values of pH at different T and P for buffer solutions: borate, phosphate, biftalatny, tris, tris-sea water, acetate were involved on data of works. None of these buffers as internal solution filling the electrochemical cell for the measurement of temperature was suited to very small temperature effect or a noticeable effect of pressure on the pH. The dependence EMF values of the pressure and temperature are appreciable, when standard borate buffer solution is used in electrochemical cell. By procedure of method of least squares the calculated equation was obtained to estimate the values of the hydrostatic pressure in the deep-sea researches.

Vane fluid machines are widely applicable in track machinery. Solid particle and water contamination, viscosity and unsuitable fluids failure causes and effects of vane fluid machines have been analyzed. Contamination of hydraulic oil of solid particles leads to rapid deterioration or sudden failure of the hydraulic machine. The nature, origin, and the parameters (size, surface area, shape, hardness, density, composition, polarity, magnetic susceptibility, quantity) of solid particles in the oil are examined. In the article are given the consequences of oil contamination by solid particles (increasing the area of the rubbing surfaces of the hydraulic machine, the restriction of oil flow, increasing oil flow and filters, reducing the efficiency of the hydraulic machine). The work discusses the impact of solid weeds in oil on the plate, the stator, and rotor and end disks plate hydraulic. Depending on the particle size effects on parts of the plate of the hydraulic machine can be an abrasive wear of side surfaces of the plate, stator ring, and in the worst case, complete destruction of the cartridge. Water in hydraulic oil leads to the formation of varnish deposits on the parts and wear of the hydraulic machine. The causes of water ingress in the hydraulic system. Discusses the impact of water and impact of water-flooding of oil on the plate, the stator, the rotor and the swinging (rotating) a node in a whole plate hydraulic. Changing oil viscosity changes the oil film thickness, lubricity details pumping unit of the pump during operation. Given the consequences of inadequate oil viscosity on the rotor disks and end plate hydraulic. The causes and consequences of faults plate of hydraulic machines caused by the use of unsuitable oils, due to improper oil viscosity index, filterability, resistance to oxidation, de-aerating properties, resistance to weeds, density are examined. Recommendations for fault avoidance are given.

Modern tendencies of engine building are first of all an aspiration to increase operational and technical characteristics of internal combustion engines, such as: reduction of specific fuel consumption, reduction of exhaust gases toxicity, increase of the internal combustion engines power. The main direction to achieve the above listed indicators is the introduction of electronic control systems, which now acquire the functions of self-study and diagnosis. However, despite all the positive qualities of electronic control systems, the developers propose using for the diagnosis of engines devices intended only for their product, often the cost of such systems is quite high. For this reason, the development of universal diagnostic complexes is topical. It is necessary to take into account the features of transport and technological machine fleet of our country, where simultaneously engines of different generations can be used, among which are mass-produced diesel engines with mechanical fuel management systems and gradually put into operation engines with electronic fuel management systems and work processes. The most informative indicators testifying the technical state of ICE are the torque and power values, since these indicators are complex. However, torque measurement is a complex task, which requires expensive equipment for the solution, and for some types of equipment it is impossible to measure the developed torque at all. Along with the torque, the complex parameter is the angular acceleration of the crankshaft, which can be measured on the free shank of the engine crankshaft under various operating conditions, including idling at the minimum speed.

The article continues the cycle of publications devoted to the forthcoming jubilee of the university -the 85th anniversary of Novosibirsk Institute of Military Railway Engineers - Novosibirsk Institute of Railway Engineers - Siberian State Transport University. The author refers to the post-war history of the Novosibirsk Institute of Military Railway Engineers, examines the dynamics of the listeners contingent movement, and the qualitative changes of the teaching staff. Particular attention is paid to the main areas of professors’ research work of that time, the professional achievements of Institute graduates. The article shows the restoration of the educational institution material base, the construction of educational buildings and objects of the social and cultural sphere. A new stage in the development of the university began in 1953 - the reorganization of Novosibirsk Institute of Military Railway Engineers into a civil institution of higher education. The article reflects the organizational and staff activities of the Novosibirsk Institute of Railway Engineers, the expansion of forms and types of training: new faculties and specialties (Industrial and Civil Construction, Building Track Machines and Equipment), correspondence department, higher engineering courses. It is shown on the example of the created bridge structures laboratory how the scientific developments of institute professors and staff have become popular in the USSR Ministry of Railways and Transport Construction on various railways of the country. The author focuses on the advanced forms of institute student’s work: tradition of "branded" agitation trains, the first in Novosibirsk student design bureau, student construction teams. At the same time, as shown in the work, students became worthy heirs of the Novosibirsk Institute of Military Railway Engineers glorious traditions - the defense-sports relay race, scientific student conferences, and separate cultural events. In conclusion, the appeal to the history of its university has practical significance - it evokes the pride of modern students for the successes and achievements of their predecessors, forms the desire to become a legitimate successor of one of the oldest universities in Novosibirsk glorious traditions.