Purpose. The study is aimed at: gaining new knowledge about the use of electric motors in robotics; evaluation and selection of motors that are appropriate for use in robots that will move along the railway line and accurately determine the location of damage; development of a method for diagnosing railway automation and communication devices based on robotization of their maintenance and fault finding; evaluation of the use of robotics on the railways of Ukraine and the world. Methodology. The authors analyzed information on the use of electric motors in robotics, as well as the use of robots in production, which they obtained from a review of world literature, monographs, abstract, full-text and lecture databases, and scientific cooperation with leading departments of the University of Twente, the Netherlands. Findings. In the course of the study: 1) the importance of robotics, which makes it possible to replace a person in heavy and long work, was clarified; 2) a functional diagram of the robot, the manipulator drive, its components and the principle of operation was drawn up; 3) various types of drives in robots were substantiated: electric, pneumatic and hydraulic; the use of different types of motors in electric drives, their principle of operation, value and availability; 4) the prospects for the introduction of electroactive polymers and elastic nanotubes that will improve robots in the future are determined; 5) the use of robots in methods of diagnosing and detecting damage to automation and communication systems is proposed, which will facilitate and reduce maintenance time; 6) further development of scientific research and subject area in railway transport is predicted. Originality. For the first time, it is proposed to use robots to find faults in railway automation and communication lines, to introduce the latest drives that allow to improve the work of robots, reduce the number of errors in identifying line defects, and increase the accuracy and efficiency of determining the location of line damage. Practical value. Based on the research results, we can predict the further development of scientific research on robotization of diagnostics of railway automation and communication systems, the subject area of railway transport, and training in the new specialty 174 "Automation, Robotics and Computer-Integrated Technologies".This research can also be useful in organizing scientific and practical seminars, conferences, lectures, advanced training courses, etc.
