I keep seeing a headline (one of those annoying ones that run at the bottom of the TV -- and they never cover that story) something like "Derailed engine left running for 6 days in New York". It's been there for about a week; lately it says "Derailed engine will be moved soon".
There have been a couple of incidents around here (South Carolina) where residents have complained about locos being left, idling, for several days. Even have seen video of one, just sitting there (not derailed, though).
I would assume that if one went on the ground, but was upright and otherwise undamaged, it would probably be left running, so as to not freeze, until it could be re-railed and moved?
Remember: In South Carolina, North is southeast of Due West... HIOAg /Bill
The Trains newswire has a breif article about the situation. But that appears to be what's happening
Some have added to the information the article lacks namely that there's some significant ice buildup that is making it difficult to rerail the engine.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
Back when Diesel fuel was pennies a gallon, leaving locomotives running was the norm.
I've heard that sometimes they didn't even bother putting batteries in them. That may or may not be borne out by something I saw on ICG years ago - a worker coiling up the cables in the bed of a pickup that was filled with batteries. I didn't see him doing it, but surmise he had just jump started a locomotive that was used for locals around Rantoul, IL.
It is possible it had quit for some reason with the "key on," but I like the other story better...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
The locomotives being built in the current era are all equipped with a 'Hot Start' or equivalent system which is a small diesel engine and computer sensors that know when the prime mover is shut down - the Hot Start monitors various temperatures and fires up its own small diesel to generate heat to be appropriately transfered to the prime mover and thereby keep the coolant from freezing and the lube oil with enough heat to remain fluid and permit starting of the prime mover when required..
Heritage locomotives for the most part have not been equipped with such equipment and are left running when the forecast temperature is below a certain value (that may be different from carrier to carrier).
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Most of our newer engines for years just have auto start/stop. They start themselves and shut themselves off as they seem fit, unless they are shut down incorrectly, or the battery knife switch is pulled. The latter rule seems to be a bone of contention b/t the manufacturers and the purchasers at times.
I just do what I'm told...
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Thanks for the replies!
zugmann Most of our newer engines for years just have auto start/stop. They start themselves and shut themselves off as they seem fit, unless they are shut down incorrectly, or the battery knife switch is pulled. The latter rule seems to be a bone of contention b/t the manufacturers and the purchasers at times. I just do what I'm told...
Ours just have the auto stop/start system. I don't like to let the lead engine shut itself down while we are stopped. Sometimes they don't like to restart, automatically or manually. I remember once a Z train was stopped to change crews. All three engines shut themselves down. All three wouldn't start themselves and the outbound crew couldn't get them to manually start. Luckily, there was a mechanical dept guy on duty at the time.
Even with AESS, our company seems to like them manually shut down (weather permitting) when they are left sitting or isolated while trailling in consists.
Jeff
<Sigh> would be great if some of that cold auto start technology would spread to the military so folks would not have to run to armored vehicles and diesel trucks stored outdoors in cold weather climates and manually start them every 4 hours.
I remember being surprised as a child reading about the issues with keeping diesel trucks running at places like Thule (in connection with the then-fairly-new BMEWS). All that was needed was a small diesel-fired heater with heat-exchange coils filled with 'neutral' fluids and electric transfer pumps through thermostats to the oil, fuel, and coolant, and this is different only in detail from the Kim Hotstart.
In my opinion you do not want continued unattended cycling of modern Diesel engines in cold climates, even with expensive prelubing and block-heating arrangements. That is particularly so for military vehicles 'built to a price' where cumulative damage to wearing parts may induce rapid degradation of performance or reliability under what may be emergent combat conditions. On the other hand, keeping the engine oil and coolant at reasonable temperature with the option to increase them to full operating temperature starting only a few minutes before use can be done relatively cheaply (although probably better as a plug-in than combustion or catalytic standalone, which might imply a fuel cell or pony motor plus batteries instead of a Hotstart) as can prelubing using one of those starter-driven systems seen on construction equipment: you would be surprised how fast, quietly and non-smokingly a modern Diesel engine start can be under those conditions, and when done right there will be no issues with oil or coolant heat degradation or potential gassing of light fractions in the fuel (final heating still being done in a fuel-conditioning module or equivalent, but tank contents and lines still protected against gelling).
We have several locomotives with what amounts to a block heater. It runs off the HEP. Since we have to keep the cars from freezing, the HEP genset is running on the consist, so there's the power.
If we end up using a non-HotStart locomotive during freezing weather, it becomes a matter of how cold, how long, and how's the wind? If we're talking mid- to high twenties and no wind, we may just shut the locomotive down overnight, then fire it up in the morning for a while. If it'll be bitter and windy, it will be left running.
About the only time this is an issue is during our Christmas trains, or maybe a late-fall cold snap.
When we're done for the season, everything is simply drained.
I recall a short article in TRAINS (I think it was the issue all about the FM Trainmaster) about the N&W putting an electric heater in an FM unit that was normally left idiling all night/weekend in a residential area in a small town in the mountains. An unusual enough thing to rate a magazine mention at one time, and now commonplace.
Kevin C. Smith I recall a short article in TRAINS (I think it was the issue all about the FM Trainmaster) about the N&W putting an electric heater in an FM unit that was normally left idiling all night/weekend in a residential area in a small town in the mountains. An unusual enough thing to rate a magazine mention at one time, and now commonplace.
CSSHEGEWISCH...VGN installed a block heater...
Our HotStarts run on 480 three phase, (or some portion thereof), so there needs to be consideration of where the power is coming from. Can't just plug it into the wall...
If the locomotive is always parked in the same place...
CSSHEGEWISCHThe townspeople complained about the noise ...
'Twasn't noise as I recall the story ... it was smoke. Blue oily haze, to be more specific, that settled in the chill air into all the nearby 'hollers'. One problem with the OP engine was that it in essence had a whole bottom end upside-down and needing lubrication and piston cooling. Wear caused more lube-oil pooling, and the wear could only be fixed by rebuilding substantial mechanical components, including a long and heavy crankshaft. Easier to handle the smoke by keeping the engine off instead of idling. I believe Balt had experiences with the switcher versions in Baltimore
Overmod CSSHEGEWISCH The townspeople complained about the noise ... 'Twasn't noise as I recall the story ... it was smoke. Blue oily haze, to be more specific, that settled in the chill air into all the nearby 'hollers'. One problem with the OP engine was that it in essence had a whole bottom end upside-down and needing lubrication and piston cooling. Wear caused more lube-oil pooling, and the wear could only be fixed by rebuilding substantial mechanical components, including a long and heavy crankshaft. Easier to handle the smoke by keeping the engine off instead of idling. I believe Balt had experiences with the switcher versions in Baltimore
CSSHEGEWISCH The townspeople complained about the noise ...
FM's were the best oil pumps I ever saw masquerading as railroad locomotives.
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