Hello all ;
Found out this video of Amtrak's newest in tests at Pueblo :
watch?v=HbHIUFajhbM
Some remarks : cab controls & software are 'pure Siemens' as it should be expected (one can see the typical Siemens trottle, a lever that when positioned ahead works in traction mode, and when pulled back engages the 'blended' brake). Also the Sibas 32 command and control system screen. The only thing that's different are the brake controls, purely american. Apart from the cab front design, it's a pure Vectron
Cool! Thanks for posting.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
A minor thought. Is the test track CAT set up to provide 12Kv 25 Hz, 12.5 Kv 60 Hz, and 25 Kv 60 Hz to the ACS-64 ? The CAT insulators appear to be 25 Kv capable ?. As well for those voltages is the test track power supply to the CAT able to provide the 10% +- voltages that are in the ACS-64s specification ? Also the regenerative braking feed back ? If so the test track must have a very robust power supplying system ?
Another thought will the test track run both units at the same time to verify that there is no mutual interferrence ?
Notice that the PANs are extended high to the CAT for verification that they will work on high clearance CAT. Wonder if it will also be tested on NYP station clearances ?
noticed cross ties at switch shown were wood ? Wonder if another is concrete ?
blue streak 1 A minor thought. Is the test track CAT set up to provide 12Kv 25 Hz, 12.5 Kv 60 Hz, and 25 Kv 60 Hz to the ACS-64 ? The CAT insulators appear to be 25 Kv capable ?. As well for those voltages is the test track power supply to the CAT able to provide the 10% +- voltages that are in the ACS-64s specification ? Also the regenerative braking feed back ? If so the test track must have a very robust power supplying system ?
The TTCI website (http://www.aar.com/tracks.php) states for the 13.5 mile Railroad Test Track that "The RTT's catenary system can deliver a single-phase, 60 Hz alternating current at 12.5, 25, or 50 kV, in a single or dual voltage condition. The contact wire height is currently set at a 22 feet, 6 inches. It is also possible to energize the system with DC power."
So it can test the different voltages, but not for 25 Hz power. The southern half of the NEC is going to have to be used for complete testing on the 25 Hz aspect. The reports are that initial testing of the ACS-64 #602 unit began on the NEC late last week. Have not seen any photos or videos yet of the ACS-64 on the NEC however.
Youtube video of the display screen with #601 with 8 Amfleets accelerating from 0 to 125 mph: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vJMhKgEnnNc. The vertical blue bar on the left is the traction effort.
Rough calculation is the loco is putting out 9-10,000 HP between 90 and 100 mph.
Mario_v the typical Siemens trottle, a lever that when positioned ahead works in traction mode, and when pulled back engages the 'blended' brake.
the typical Siemens trottle, a lever that when positioned ahead works in traction mode, and when pulled back engages the 'blended' brake.
Is that good? I pointed out that on everything from a Piper Cub to an Airbus A380, you push all the levers (stick, throttle, mixture and prop (OK, no mixture and prop controls on a jet), flap handle) forward (firewall them) forward to "Giddyup" and pull all handles back (pulling back on the stick has the effect of slowing down -- sometimes when you need to gain speed, you have to go stick forward to climb) to "Whoa!"
Don Oltmann told me that all handles forward shuts down the throttle and sets the brakes. I could consider the "trolley car" style rotating handle from the United Aircraft TurboTrain as an alternative for a high performance rail vehicle, but to change from the train sense to the airplane sense of forward to go, back to stop, is that a good idea from a human factors sense?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Paul Milenkovic Mario_v the typical Siemens trottle, a lever that when positioned ahead works in traction mode, and when pulled back engages the 'blended' brake. Is that good? I pointed out that on everything from a Piper Cub to an Airbus A380, you push all the levers (stick, throttle, mixture and prop (OK, no mixture and prop controls on a jet), flap handle) forward (firewall them) forward to "Giddyup" and pull all handles back (pulling back on the stick has the effect of slowing down -- sometimes when you need to gain speed, you have to go stick forward to climb) to "Whoa!" Don Oltmann told me that all handles forward shuts down the throttle and sets the brakes. I could consider the "trolley car" style rotating handle from the United Aircraft TurboTrain as an alternative for a high performance rail vehicle, but to change from the train sense to the airplane sense of forward to go, back to stop, is that a good idea from a human factors sense?
Back here in my country, its now some 25 years since the first rolling stock by Siemens has entered service and the logic is the same, and that applies to every kind of rolling stock (trams, sumway EMUs, suburban EMUs, High Speed trains, locomotives). Maybe the logic of it has to do with the fact that putting such levers foeward will refer to 'advance' or acceleration, and putting it back referes to 'braking'. And that also apllies to some Bombardier EMUs that have arrived recetly. I gues it's origins are german, because all german rolling stock, at least the most recent, has the same kind of levers asembled in 'desktop' style.
Ah, one thing I didn't saw in the ACS64 cab: a a second lever, wich is used only in some stock (HSTs, locomotives), wich normally placed next to the throttle lever, the so called 'imposed speed', wich is basically a form of cruise control. The only thing the engineer needs to do with it is selecting the maximum speed desired or required to keep the train on schedule. Maybe Amtrak didn't choose to use such a system due to the fact that in some places of the NEC (New Haven - Boston) frequent speed changes abound
Just found out a video showing how a 'Siemens/German' desktop control stand and the respective levers work. Notice that the screens in the centre are almost like the ones on the ACS64 (the one at the extreme right seems to show exactly the same info, it's the 'traction' computer). About the levers, the one at the left is the 'imposed speed' (cruise control), the one at the right is the trottle. The train in case is the series 103 HST 'Velaro' from RENFE, and its in spanish (sorry didn't find any in english)
watch?v=xAlxKnzeUik&feature=youtu.be
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