Standard EMD dynamic brakes are only designed to slow the train to about 15MPH. Extended range dynamic brakes (identified by an access door in front of the grid grille) allow slowing to just under 10MPH.
I've ran several tonnage trains with all GP-38 power all d.b. equipped and all they really do is bunch the slack up before putting air on it.
On the local I'm on,sometimes we might run one GP-38 with d.b. ,20-50 cars.The dynamic brake works alright as far as bringing the speed down above 10 mph.,but not to a complete stop without using the air.
Collin ,operator of the " Eastern Kentucky & Ohio R.R."
If all you're doing is low speed switching with them (and almost never over the road with them either), then D/B's would be an almost frivolous expense.
Colorado & Wyoming's pair had D/B's for coal train use on the Southern Division. When that quit and they went to Pueblo, the grids and the fan(s) were disconnected. I have no idea where those two (2001 &2002)wound up in present day use. Their emaculate condition on C&W probably is no more. It'd be interesting to see if the D/B's are functional once more. MoPac and CRIP were not exactly fans of D/B's out here, unless the engines found themselves in interchange service.
Rob:
I know that the SOO's locomotives did not have DB's, but what was their aversion to them, outside of a basically flat railroad.
Ed Burns
WSOR 3801 I think the biggest non-dynamic GP38-2 fleet around is the Soo... (or CN). The ex-MILW GP38-2s with Dynos were kept, some of the non-dyno ones went away.
I think the biggest non-dynamic GP38-2 fleet around is the Soo... (or CN). The ex-MILW GP38-2s with Dynos were kept, some of the non-dyno ones went away.
Soo's aversion to dynamic brakes was legendary. The ex-demonstrator FP7s (including 2500A, now en-route to Spenser) had them removed before (re-)delivery. The ex-BLH AS616 demonstrator that came from the DSS&A was the only unit with dynamic brakes on the roster in the 1960s.
Fuel savings.
Soo ran some tests, and installed dynamics on some of their SD40-2s. Also makes train handling easier.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
My carrier has been teaching engineers to use Dynamic Brakes with such fervor that the engineers are almost afraid to use the air brakes. All our road locomotives are Dynamic Brake equipped and in our mountain territories trains must have a sufficient number of working DB's to be permitted to descend the grades.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I suspect that most GP38-2 locomotives were built with D/B equipment. The choice is left to the buyer. BN & UP bought theirs with D/B factory installed. Being able to 'run with the big boys'(SD40-2's/C30-7's) in the lead in MU may have been a factor. MILW bought them both ways.
If you are looking at 'rebuild' or 'after market' - Adding D/B to a unit that does not have them or the grids are burned out is an option. BNSF has a habit of buying GP38/GP38-2 'rent-a-wrecks', and then have them rebuilt with current technology control equipment. DB's are one of the features BNSF seems to go for.
D/B equipment today is far better than what was available in the 60's, and a train crew can ride it down to far lower speeds before it fades out.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
CNW 6000Would there be any reason(s) to install dynamic brakes on a GP38-2?
Are you speaking in terms of now, or when the units were built?
Many GP38-2s have dynamic brakes. Very useful if you are bringing a train down a grade. But if your railroad has no significant grades ANYWHERE, then you could have saved a little bit on the initial purchase price by not adding that option.
Would there be any reason(s) to install dynamic brakes on a GP38-2? Why not if no?Dan
Dan
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