Electric, Diesel and Steam Locomotives

[Anonymous]

Sterling1, try putting your questions in a new thread. You may find you'll get more anwsers and responses that way.

[Sterling1]

I was on railpics.net and noticed that the CN SD75I locos seemed to be mated to locomotives that had cowl hoods,is that common? Also what CN locos have cowl hoods?
Another ??? what is Victoria Bridge in Canada? I have seen phots but I want all the fine details of its construction and history,etc.?

[Sterling1]

I was on railpics and saw the C40-8M and such, and noticed that they refered to as Draper Taper. Where they popular by the crews and mechanics and did they cost more than a standard normal narrow hood loco? It would seem that the crew would have hard time in looking back and/or trying to back up the loco.

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

What are the dimensions of the MP36-3S or -3C? I would like ot know all the specs, price and costs. This mental question also came up Is it possible to upgrade the prime mover with a GE motor and/or EMD motor (perhaps 710G)?

I don't know, but it would be worth checking the builder's web site.....

What's the builder's website URL?

[Sterling1]

How did the HR616 fare in Canada? found that only 20 were built and none currently operate.

[Sterling1]

How did the M420, M424W, and HR412 fare in North America and how many were built and survive?

[jchnhtfd]

Matt -- such a lot of questions! My goodness... the Draper Taper was, and is, a very good way to get some rear vision (it isn't great, but it isn't horrible, either) from the cab of a locomotive with a full-width, as opposed to a narrow, engine cover. You can see your man on the ground back there -- which you can't without the taper. Don't know about cose. And up here in the north, a full width engine cover is regarded as kinda nice when you are working on the engine and it's 40 below. CN used a number of engines set up that way.
I am assuming that you mean the Victoria Bridge in Montreal (there are others!). If so, try: http://collections.ic.gc.ca/stlauren/hist/hi_victoria1898.htm for a look at it. It is one of the main rail crossings into Montreal which is an island -- although that isn't always obvious. Crossing the St. Lawrence in those days was a real feat. I haven't examined it all that closely for obvious reasons, but as far as the bridge itself goes it is a pretty conventional steel Warren truss, multiple span. There is a crossing of the international waterway as part of it, but most of it is pretty low level. Building it (1859) was a heroic task, as the St. Lawrence is not a particular friendly piece of water to work on, and, as you can see from the link, there are quite a number of piers in the river.

[Sterling1]

I didn't know that Montreal ws on an island but i did know that the St Lawrence skirted it . . . .

[Sterling1]

I was on railpics sometime ago and looking through my spotter's book (the Foster one), and noted the locos built by either MK or BLW in the 1980's-90s. The MK500C was obviously not successful, but what about the MK1200G and the MK1500D, how did those fare in the loco market and do they still exist?

[Sterling1]

OK a little deviation from the norm wouldn't hurt, what is in your opinion your favorite electric locomotive(s)? Mine currently are the GG1 and the AEM7 for the sake of jumbled modernity . . . Now I know some people have their favorite diesel and steam locos, but we'll do that another time . . .

[Sterling1]

Another deviation . . . what do railroads use now for fighting snow these days?

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I may be a little late on this thread but I have some good websites for Sterling1 to check out for more info:
Australia: http://locopage.railpage.org.au/
Brazil: http://www.pell.portland.or.us/~efbrazil/
India: http:www.irfca.org/

[daveklepper]

The GG1 was lots of people's favorite

[Sterling1]

I was looking at rooftop photos of the MP36PH-3S locos and noticed that they had five fans, 3 for radiator and two for dynamic braking, plus there 2 openings further back for the inverter. Now these locos are massive, the question is do they need to be that large, and if the Genesis locos go away, would it be cheaper for Amtrak to purchase MP36PH-3C, -3S?

[Sterling1]

How does Australia design its freight and passenger cars? What about Russia, Poland, Germany, Britain, China, etc?

[ckape]

I was under the impression that the MK1500D was the basis for the new GP15D units.

[Sterling1]

What kinds of weird designs have people come up with in designing rolling stock and locomotives?

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M636C

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

Okay something in the Rail Pics website rakes in the questions
I saw an SCL U18B#333 is that long gone and why did they build such short locos?

The U18B is shorter to reduce weight. It was intended as a replacement for older GP9 and GP7 locomotives, and the SCL units actually used EMD trucks.

GE already built versions of its U series with both twelve and sixteen cylinders, but using the same body design, with just different hood door arrangements to tell them apart.

With the U18, they decided to shorten the unit since the V-8 engine was almost exactly half as long as the V-16, so they didn't need the length, and this would reduce the weight to that of the smaller units it was replacing, which were used on lighter track.

As to the P30CH, the shape of its roof is similar to the earlier U30CG built for Santa Fe, and is really just an extension of the shape of the cab roof of the U series units. It would allow operation in tight clearances in the East, and possibly they were hoping for orders from New York City commuter operations. In fact only Amtrak bought any, and they tended to be used in the South, on the Auto Train and from Chicago to New Orleans (at least, that's where I saw them!)

Peter

The Maine Central U-18 Bs had Cooper Bessemer 8 cyl prime movers, I wonder if all of them were built with this engine?
Randy

[M636C]

GE haven't made any announcement about passenger locomotives meeting the 2005 emission regulations. It would be fairly straightforward to put a GEVO 12 cylinder engine into a Genesis P42 body. But Amtrak already have most of the locomotives they need (or perhaps as many as they can afford with present financial problems). EMD aren't actively updating the F59PHI, and MPI have what little market there is to themselves. The MP36PH is certainly big, longer than an F59PHI. It is that high to match the bi-level and gallery cars used in commuter service. Why it is so long isn't clear except that that would allow more space inside to repair and maintain equipment - remember that the -3C has a separate diesel alternator set for HEP power.

Peter

[Sterling1]

ow do you upgrade a radiator for diesels say perhaps Alco or second hand tunnel motors?

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M636C

GE haven't made any announcement about passenger locomotives meeting the 2005 emission regulations. It would be fairly straightforward to put a GEVO 12 cylinder engine into a Genesis P42 body. But Amtrak already have most of the locomotives they need (or perhaps as many as they can afford with present financial problems). EMD aren't actively updating the F59PHI, and MPI have what little market there is to themselves. The MP36PH is certainly big, longer than an F59PHI. It is that high to match the bi-level and gallery cars used in commuter service. Why it is so long isn't clear except that that would allow more space inside to repair and maintain equipment - remember that the -3C has a separate diesel alternator set for HEP power.

Peter

I was told that the P-40s were going into storage pending an upgrade to P-42
Randy

[Sterling1]

How would you uprate a diesel or an electric?

[Sterling1]

Did MPI at Boise build the GP20D and GP15D from the MK designs or what? they look similar to MK1200G and MK1500D(if any were built).

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

Did MPI at Boise build the GP20D and GP15D from the MK designs or what? they look similar to MK1200G and MK1500D(if any were built).

The front end of the MK1200G, MK1500D, GP20D, GP15D looks like some kind small egined truck with that short low hood and large windows.

[Randy Stahl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

How would you uprate a diesel or an electric?

You cannot uprate a locomotive with out changing the major components. On electric RRs much depends on the capacity of the substations. In most cases you can improve tractive effort with bolt on wheelslip systems but for the most part horsepower cannot be raise to exceed the mechanical limits of the machinery. There are 1 or 2 exceptions: like the DD40-x with 2 645E prime movers, each engine produces 3300 HP at 1000 rpm as opposed to the regular SD-40 @3000 HP at 900 rpm .
Randy

[Sterling1]

What locomotives do the Germans used these days?

[dinwitty]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

Does anyone know of extremely powerful locomotives outside and/or inside North America? I know of the DD40AX and Big Boy but are there any elsewhere?

the largest powerful engines that come to my mind are

Little Joes, Big Boy/Challenger/Beyer-Garrats/DD-40's/Virginian EL-2's/
Erie-Virginian Triplex's/ experimental turbines

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dinwitty

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

Does anyone know of extremely powerful locomotives outside and/or inside North America? I know of the DD40AX and Big Boy but are there any elsewhere?

the largest powerful engines that come to my mind are

Little Joes, Big Boy/Challenger/Beyer-Garrats/DD-40's/Virginian EL-2's/
Erie-Virginian Triplex's/ experimental turbines

This seems to be run with a mostly North American crowd, someone prove me wrong and get some info from out yonder. This mans you Peter M636C too, eh? or are you simply looking for something that's finely Aussie steam Garratts to put on the show here??? Garratts would be nice if I could only see them . . . .

[ckape]

Well, I've been trying to find more information on the relationship between the MK1200D and GP15D, and the MK2000D and GP20D for a while, but I haven't been able to find much except this old press release, which doesn't really give any specifics:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=105&STORY=/www/story/06-09-1999/0000959608

And of course it gives the wrong URL for MPI's website.

[Sterling1]

I found a listing on this website on MP and MK units:
http://membrane.com/~elmer/rail/units/mpi_new.html
In the process I found what seems to be an unofficial site for Amtrak roster and photos:
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtk-roster-engines.shtml It does have some errors.
Found another helpful site (builders)
http://www.ole.net/~rcraig/INDEXBLDR.html