Vibrating rails, roaring trains …… The birth and development of the railway, a symbol of the Industrial Revolution, broke through the geographical limitations and made ‘the sky is far away as far as the heartland’ and ‘travelling thousands of miles in a day’ a reality.
From steam locomotives to electric locomotives, and up to today’s high-speed railways, the continuous innovation of the railway has not only expanded the radius of people’s lives, accelerated the development of logistics and society, but also witnessed the rapid progress of technology. In order to help the ‘steel dragon’ run smoothly, Timken has been making breakthroughs in the fields of bearings, seals and lubrication technology for more than a century, ensuring that people can feel the speed with peace of mind with solid technical strength, and making the world more closely connected.
Innovative beginnings, industry benchmarks
Timken has been a pioneer in the railway industry since the introduction of the world’s firststeam locomotiveequipped withTimken®tapered roller bearings, the ‘Four Aces’, in 1929, and has contributed to a number of landmark innovations.
When theTimken® APTMbearing was introducedin 1954, it revolutionised the maintenance and operational efficiency of railway bearings. It replaced the traditional sliding axlebox bearings, and through the integral sealed design (self-sealing and pre-lubrication), it allowed the bearings in passenger and freight railway vehicles to no longer be out of service due to constant high temperature alarms and no longer be eroded by the environment, dramatically reducing the maintenance costs and improving the operational efficiency, and quickly became the industry standard.
Timken’s ability to innovate was again demonstratedin 1994 withthe introduction of theTimken®AP-2TMbearing. With a more compact design and lighter weight to carry heavier loads while reducing axle flexing and relative microvibration wear between components, this bearing set a new rail industry benchmark by increasing power density while better protecting the axle.
Travelling around the world, no matter how far
The rail industry’s rapid growth has shortened geographical distances and technology transfer paths, allowing Timken’s wide range of products, services and technical support to spread rapidly around the globe along with excellent word-of-mouth:
Europe
Timken® products are used in railway systems in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, the Czech Republic, Finland and Russia.
Asia
Timken’s railway applications are found in Greater China, India, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and more.
Oceania
Timken® products serve railway systems in Australia and New Zealand.
Americas
Timken® products play a role in the railway networks of the United States, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and many other countries.
Africa
Timken® products are also found in railway facilities in Zambia, Kenya, South Africa and Angola.
In addition, Timken also has a global service network, bringing together excellent service experts in the railway industry to provide comprehensive bearing repair services, helping customers to accurately determine the type of bearing damage and the root cause of the damage, and repairing the damaged parts, so that the bearings can be brought back to life.
Continuous innovation, leading the future
Timken’s long history and success in the rail industry has earned us the trust of the world, but that’s not the end of the story for Timken. Our goal is to take the rail industry to a brighter future through continuous innovation.
1998
Timken develops HDLTM Seal technology, which significantly improves sealing performance and reduces maintenance costs.
2004
Timken’s Sure-Fit® universal support ring is introduced, greatly reducing the risk of rear gear loosening during operation and adding to the smooth running of trains.
2008
Timken’s Eco-TurnTM labyrinth seals are introduced, pioneering the use of non-contact axlebox bearing seals. The true zero-torque design significantly reduces friction within the bearings, ensuring that the bearings run smoothly at low temperatures and leading the railway industry towards green and sustainable development.
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Every technological leap is a courageous crossing of traditional boundaries and a determined exploration of future visions. Timken understands that innovation is an inexhaustible driving force to lead the way. That’s why we regularly invest heavily in research and development, creating a global R&D team with a wealth of accumulated cross-industry experience that is unique in the depth and breadth of its expertise, and injecting a constant flow of innovation into the railway industry.
From our pioneering designs in the late 1800s to our global applications today, Timken has been in business for 125 years. In the future, we will continue our commitment to technological innovation and service upgrades to drive the railway industry towards a more efficient and sustainable ideal.