Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by mvlandsw [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by futuremodal [quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by MichaelSol AC would probably be used, but regarding DC, Milwaukee Road used a 3600 vDC system. It's 5,500 hp Little Joes used approximately 1200 amps, or 1400 if the Joe went to its overload capacity of 7000 hp. The catenary used two 500,000 cm copper wires, with auxilliary feeder cable augmenting the catenary through either a 500,000 cm copper feeder, or a 750,000 cm aluminum feeder cable, with 4,000 or 6,000 kW substations located at approximately 28 mile intervals. The system could typically handle two 5,500 hp Little Joes and a four unit Boxcab helper, 7000 hp, without overheating the catenary. It routinely paid for itself, even with relatively light usage, every 8-10 years. Best regards, Michael Sol [/quote] Michael, In the Milwaukee thread, you had mentioned the MU'ing of electrics and diesels by the Milwaukee. Was this strictly one man control from the cab of the electric, or was there ever a situation where the diesels could draw current from the "mother" electric?[/quote] The diesels produced their own power. They did not drawany power from the electric locomotive or the overhead wire. [/quote] Diesels produce their own power??!!?? Well, DUH![}:)] What I am getting at is if it is possible for an electric loco to feed power to MU'ed diesels (and vis versa) while going through long tunnels, e.g. a hypothetical re-electrification of BNSF's Cascade Tunnel. This would make it possible to eliminate the need for time consuming ventilation of the tunnel. The thought I had was that there would be no need to electrify entire subdivisions, rather concentrate the catenary in those places with the long tunnels or steepest grades, then run a combined consist of electric and diesels as a segregated FL9. The diesels would feed the electric sans catenary (e.g. the electric loco would act as a road slug when there was no catenary), while the electric(s) would conversely feed the diesels' traction motors short term in the tunnel (where the diesels would act as road slugs). For the Cascade Tunnel, it would allow a "back to the future" scenario for the Stevens Pass line wherein the wires are only strung through the tunnel itself, as was done in the original electrification of the old Cascade Tunnel. However, instead of needing separate crews (and subsequent crew districts in an isolated area) as was done with the old GN operation, you would have only your road crew throwing the switch enroute when the catenary is reached (and subsequently ended). Certainly, the technology exists without expensive complications.
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag