For a long write up with more data and some reasons for it:
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ql4ykel4bgsqzslwsa3lflh2/post/3lcdewkbmf22w
Keep in mind Russia is a massive country and trains are amazing at transporting freight over long distances. So they have a lot of regions and industries depending on the railroad. Much more so then in most other countries. Some places can hardly be reached by road, but can be reached on train.
Bit of additional information, train wheels use double tapered roller bearings, not ball bearings. They’re notably much harder to produce in good quality
Yeah, I kind of confused the two. The problem is mostly in the ball bearings but the races they go in also require tight tolerances and metal hardness that 2nd rate manufacturers can’t really match.