Resumen
The paper concerns an evaluation of the justifiability of modernisation of rail vehicles as a method for improving the efficiency regarding a reduction of operation and maintenance costs. A decision-making model was developed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the locomotive modernisation based on the Life Cycle Costs (LCC), taking account of RAMS characteristics and based on guidelines in the standard EN 60300-3-3 Dependability management. Application guide. Life cycle costing. An example of the methodology that has been applied is the modernisation of a 6D 588 kW diesel locomotive (6Dg type after modernisation) done following the criteria of the European transport development strategy concerning ecology, energy efficiency and resource efficiency. The LCC management for the modernised locomotive included an analysis of the costs at the stage of concept and design, through verification, to the optimisation of the costs dominating during its operation. Through joint work of the authors with leading suppliers of subassemblies, a modernisation contractor and Poland?s largest rail carrier, 160 locomotives will have been modernised by the end of 2016, with savings of EUR 110 million thus confirming the correctness of the measures which have been taken.