A bearing assembly includes a thrust bearing casing surrounding a rotating shaft at a location intermediate ends of the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft including an active side shaft thrust plate and an inactive side shaft thrust plate, each of the active side and the inactive side shaft thrust plate affixed to and extending radially from the rotating shaft, wherein the active side shaft thrust plate receives a substantially larger axial force compared to the inactive side shaft thrust plate during operation of the rotating shaft; a first thrust bearing between the thrust bearing casing and the active side shaft thrust plate; and a second thrust bearing between the thrust bearing casing and the inactive side shaft thrust plate. The first thrust bearing and the second thrust bearing are of a different type, e.g., a tilting pad bearing and a land bearing including a tapered land and/or flat land.