On the engineers side of an Athearn Genesis SD70ACE, I noticed what looked like to be two doors, one was below a vent in the roof and the other one was just behind the entryway to the cab, they are marked in red.
Here is what I mean:
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does anyone know what they're used for? Is one of them a cabinet?
Both go to a small "room" The lower door is a walk in electrical cabinet. Inside is a small door that has the battery knife switch. The upper "room" contains circuit breakers for different locomotive systems. There are also circuit breakers in a panel on the back wall of the cab. It's one of the minuses of these engines. You have to go to three places to start/shut down the locomotives.
Every other model that I can think of has all the necessary circuit breakers and battery knife switch in panels in the cab.
Jeff
Thank you for explaning that, Jeffhergert.
Good going, EMD. It always amazed me that the typically conservative railroads went so strongly to GE, when GE was using a completely new and redesigned prime mover to meet the new emissions standards, while EMD was (after the failed 4 stroke 265) using basically just another variant of the same 710. Making a mess of the electrical system like that probably didn't help. Seriously, 3 places to flip all the breakers and start up the loco? Some bean counter must have figured that by splitting the breaker compartments liek that, it saved some amount of wire.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
It seems that the designers never talk to the people that use their stuff. The actual people, that is. I'm sure what they did made sense to someone.
To whomever this made sense: please raise your hand! Forty years as an aircraft mechanic. When they build those fantastic flying machines, they start off with the component with the highest failure rate and build everything else around it. End result: Hours of dis-assembly. Minutes to remove and replace offending item. Hours of re-assembly. Hour of operational checks(must be done on engine power at high and low power settings, in an isolated area at a time where it doesn't disturb the neighbors). Maybe that's why 60 plus year old 567 powered geeps are still out there but the SD90s are not. Anybody want to take wagers on the first 567 powered unit to make 100 years of service?
I was going to write about replaced poower assemblies in those old 567s, but then I realized that in the Reading GP7 we got after it ended service on the MA&PA (former Reading unit, now home again), while they are removing all of them to recondition it for return to operation, all they are doing is replacing valve springs and various seals, and cleaning off accumulated carbon buildup. And we do have a perfectly running NW2 with a 567A that turns 71 years old next month. It's had several rebuildings and was fully restored but as far as I know, the 567 is original.
jeffhergertIt seems that the designers never talk to the people that use their stuff.
.
They do, believe me, they do.
Who they REALLY listen to is the Marketing Group. These guys know what it takes to sell the equipment, and the input they provide is paramount to design.
My guess, purely a guess, is that the strange arrangement of the equipment is safety related in some way.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 jeffhergert It seems that the designers never talk to the people that use their stuff. . They do, believe me, they do. . Who they REALLY listen to is the Marketing Group. These guys know what it takes to sell the equipment, and the input they provide is paramount to design. . My guess, purely a guess, is that the strange arrangement of the equipment is safety related in some way. . -Kevin .
jeffhergert It seems that the designers never talk to the people that use their stuff.
Yes, there's nothing safer than having to go to two different locations along the long hood in winter when the walkway is covered with snow and/or ice to flip breakers and the battery knife switch. Especially when they located the engine start button in the cab.
I've noticed both GE and EMD have started placing the start button in the cab. That is an improvement. Especially when you're back on a trailing unit trying to restart one on the move. Older (and some not so older) ones the prime and start switch was accessed out on the walkway.
It could be some case where the arc flash potential of one of the switches could require additional safety gear depending on mount location.
I do not want to go too far into speculation.
Something I have learned from talking to engineers is that if you ask why something is designed in a way that does not make sense, the answer is never one of the following:
"Beacuse we hate mechanics"
"We just were not thinking that day"
"We really do not care about the operator"
"We needed to save $2.39 per unit"
"You guys are looking fat and need some excersize"
"We had a bet on who could get the dumbest idea past peer review"
Or any other such nonsense. There is always a very good explanation for every design decision. Just because I can not figure out what it could be does not mean I am smarter than the engineering team, actually it is quite the opposite.
jeffhergertYes, there's nothing safer than having to go to two different locations along the long hood in winter when the walkway is covered with snow and/or ice to flip breakers and the battery knife switch. Especially when they located the engine start button in the cab.
Almost like they don't want us touching those breakers and to just let the auto start/stop do its thing.
Those fuel conservation rules have to drive GE and EMD nuts. I know they have declined warranty claims because of those rules already.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
SeeYou190It could be some case where the arc flash potential of one of the switches could require additional safety gear depending on mount location.
GE can put them all in the cab. New EMD/progress can't. Old EMD did.
Dont get me started on EMD/progress and their screen menus. 2 submenus to get to the window heaters. 4 button pushes to extend auto stop time. It's like - really? That and how they changed the whole control stand layout. It sounds like whining (and may even be), but it is our office. We take notice to these things.
SeeYou190There is always a very good explanation for every design decision.
I don't buy that, as many elements get moved/changed around willy nilly (even on the same series of engines).
If anyone here is a fan of Doug DeMuro - these are the engines' quirks and features!
The other day I had to start the latest variant of the SD70 we have. Our designation for them is SD70AHT4. All the circuit breakers and the battery knife switch are in the cab. The two doors for the circuit breakers are behind the center seat and the lower door is somewhat blocked by the seat, but it's better than having to go out along the long hood.
Both side doors along the hood are still there. The compartments no longer have anything the engineer would need to access.