Trains.com

What new locomotives (world wide) use OP prime movers?

1815 views
3 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 50 posts
What new locomotives (world wide) use OP prime movers?
Posted by Mntrain on Monday, September 30, 2013 8:09 PM

In another post somebody mentioned the a new China locomotive uses an OP engine I believe some locomotives in Russia also have OP engines.  What other manufacturers use OP prime movers in their new locomotives? 

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 8:26 AM

OP engines were not that popular in rail service because the existence of the upper crankshaft drives up maintenance costs.  They are still fairly common in marine service.

My 1999 issue of Jane's World Railways does not show any new OP engines in service anywhere beyond the countries mentioned.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    January 2002
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by M636C on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 8:33 AM

Mntrain

In another post somebody mentioned the a new China locomotive uses an OP engine I believe some locomotives in Russia also have OP engines.  What other manufacturers use OP prime movers in their new locomotives? 

I don't think any new locomotives have been built with OP engines for some time.

In China they probably stopped building OP locomotives in the 1980s.

In Russia, I believe the last batch of 2TE10U locomotives was completed in 1997.

There were 1100 units of type  2TE10U and 200 units of type 2TE10UT in that batch, so probably three times as many  locomotives in just the last order as Fairbanks Morse ever built.

These locomotives have a 3000 HP turbocharged 10 cylinder 10D100M engine.

Thousands of these units are still in service in Russia and former Soviet countries.

M636C

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,486 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 9:51 AM
The FM op engine was originally used on ships and subs. It had a rock solid level engine mount and would run for days at a constant speed neither of which was possible in rr applications. It is a very outdated mode for rr engines that gained usage in an era where rrs were buying any and everything diesel until things sorted out.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy