Purpose: The use of switched reluctance motor (SRM) in the traction system of a high-speed electric train by increasing the performance of its bearings. Using SRM as a traction electric motor, the machine-building complex can solve problems related to the import substitution of components for rolling stock. Methods: The main reasons for the wear of the bearing assembly are the forces of one-way magnetic attraction (OMA). These forces occur when the air gap is asymmetric due to errors in the manufacture of parts and deviations in the assembly of the electrical machine. The OMA forces at a certain displacement are determined using the Maxwell stress tensor. To achieve this, the finite element method embodied in the FEMM program has been used. The dependences of the currents in the corresponding phases on the moment of time required to find the forces have been obtained using the MATLAB program (SIMULINK). Results: Calculation and analysis of OMA forces is carried out at various variants of rotor displacement relative to the axis of symmetry of the stator, including at vertical shift in the direction of gravity action. Calculations have shown that OMA forces can reach significant values. A proposal has been put forward to limit the magnitude of the OMA force to the magnitude of the force at the maximum permissible residual unbalance. Methods are proposed to eliminate irregularity of the air gap at the stage of production. Practical significance: The results of the studies can be used by the developers in the design of the traction SRM, the selection of the structural value of the gap and the assignment of tolerances in its dimensional chain. The use of SRM with a long life of bearings in the traction drive system will create the prerequisites for obtaining a new competitive rolling stock.