Improving Traction Motor Reliability Through Deep Root Cause Analysis
Client Context
A leading freight railroad operator was experiencing a high volume of Line of Road delays due to traction motor failures that frequently required out-of-service shopping. These reliability issues were impacting service performance and driving up maintenance costs. Leadership sought a comprehensive root cause analysis to address the recurring failures.
Key Challenges
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Frequent traction motor failures were causing significant Line of Road delays.
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Out-of-service events were increasing maintenance workload and downtime.
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Root causes of failures were unclear due to limited historical failure tracking.
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Preventive maintenance practices lacked consistency and clarity.
Approach & Key Success Factors
EFESO led a deep technical investigation to uncover underlying drivers of failure:
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6-Month Teardown Program: Partnered with the client’s Heavy Maintenance facility to disassemble and analyze failed traction motors.
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Comprehensive Failure Review: Evaluated motor construction, historical usage, and maintenance records to build a complete failure profile.
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Root Cause Identification: Diagnosed the primary failure trend as insufficient lubrication, previously undetected by standard inspections.
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Maintenance Standards Upgrade: Introduced a new lubrication-focused preventive maintenance standard based on findings.
Results
21%
Reduction in Line of Road traction motor failure