Locomotive performance China - Tibet

[blue streak 1]

Has anyone heard how the high altitude locomotives perform on this route from Qinghai area over Kunlun mountain pass (15640 ft) to over the border at Tanggula pass (16640 ft) to Lahsa tibet approximately 800 miles? Are the locos GE and what model derivation, how they are turbo charged, their HP output at those altitudes and how they cool the loco and traction motors. 

[crpulse]

I believe the GE model type is C38AChe. The he is for high elevation. Don't know what the mods are for the high altitude running.

[wisandsouthernkid]

i would imagine the way that they would do that would be to take thge blowerrs or the turbos and make them produce more boost because that wouyld keep the horse power the same by pressurising the air more

[oltmannd]

I believe the GE model type is C38AChe. The he is for high elevation. Don't know what the mods are for the high altitude running.

It's probably the design of the turbo compressor. If you try to maintain too large a pressure differential over the compressor, it'll stall - i.e. stop taking a "bite" out of the air on the inlet side.  This unloads the turbine and turbo speed will increase.  The air in the manifold will rush backwards through the compressor, the engine will starve for air, the turbo speed drops, the engine over fuels and belches black smoke.  The compressor gets a bite and starts working again and things stabilize - until the pressure differential gets too high again..

 You can tell if a locomotive is in this condition because you'll hear the turbo "run away" and then see some black smoke - this cycle repeating every minute or so.

[spikejones52002]

There has been several accidents on the line already. Several people were killed.