Datafever wrote:About how long would it take to load one car (considering placement as part of the process)?
The train moves at 5 km per hour during the loading process and that structure at the side of the train also moves together with the train, so to load a car takes less than a minute. The train uses to have 138 cars, so it takes one and a half hour to load an entire train. Since the loading processe is done in a line side to mainline as you can see in the picture, it´s very fast to load a train. there.
pedrop wrote: A rear view of 4830...
A rear view of 4830...
Note the size difference between 4830 (built to North American clearances) and the export model MU'ed to its nose.
Here is a train being loaded with iron ore at Casa de Pedra mine, at MRS line.
The photo below shows the dynamic fans in its new position inside the long roof and below the main fans of the engine motor.
samfp1943 wrote:Pedro: The photos are something else! Thanks for sharing them with us. I am curious about the bolster arangement between the locomotive trucks. How much height does it add to the overall height of the loco; there was on photo and it looked like it might have been between two and three feet to the overall height of the B-B+B-B locomotive? Are all the axles powered or do they have some dead axles? As in the A-1-A + A-1-A arrangements, as was used on some passenger locomotives here? How far out will they swing when tracking on the smaller radii curves?
Pedro: The photos are something else!
Thanks for sharing them with us. I am curious about the bolster arangement between the locomotive trucks.
How much height does it add to the overall height of the loco; there was on photo and it looked like it might have been between two and three feet to the overall height of the B-B+B-B locomotive?
Are all the axles powered or do they have some dead axles? As in the A-1-A + A-1-A arrangements, as was used on some passenger locomotives here?
How far out will they swing when tracking on the smaller radii curves?
HI samfp,
I really do not have all answer to yuo now, but I asked my friends and they are looking up for me.
After the modification, the locos became a bit higher. The ex SD45-2 became the tallest locos in Brazil and it became a problem to EFVM, because they do not can pass under the iron ore silos at Itabira mines. The reason are the fans on the top. FCA solved this problem doing a step on the top to allow the fans be a bit lower. Actually, they cut the botton of that part, not the top. The BB40T-2 lost the fans on top and do not need the step on the roof, but the BB40-2 needed it. Look at the photo below. Note the black arrows showing the cut on the top and the increase on it too. The company lenghted the rear platform in the same lenght as you can see by that gray area on the top. Note they cut the botton of the rear part of the long rood, not the top. Note the new screens on the botton, they were added to allow better ventilation at that part.
yes, all the 8 motors are powered and the locos swing about one meter on the smaller curves. In some places you can see the first truck out of the front platform. These lcos have a problem to pull freight cars on narrow curves and FCA decided to put them between two samaller locos while running on that lines. When the loco is attached direct to the cars on narrow curves it can throw them out of the line. Thta´s why it is necessaruy to run between two locos, because the locos are havier and the BB40-2 do not throw them out of the line.
wgnrr wrote:Hello Pedro!You were just the person who I was looking for...This might be OT for the Trains.com forum, but do model the railroads in Brazil?I am trying to find out if this company still produces HO models.http://www.csclw.com.br/The model I am looking at is the Alco RSD-8 export loco, that I want to kitbash into a US Army MRS-1. It's the closest model that I have ever found to a MRS-1. The company also makes a GE "Little Joe" like the ones that the MILW and CSS&SB used. There is another, more advertised company that produces one, also.I have tried e-mailing the company numerous times, with no reply. They can translate my message if they wanted to. I even translated it one time myself, and sent it. Maybe you or one of your buddies down in Brazil knows about the company.Thanks!Phil Martin
Hello Pedro!
You were just the person who I was looking for...
This might be OT for the Trains.com forum, but do model the railroads in Brazil?
I am trying to find out if this company still produces HO models.
http://www.csclw.com.br/
The model I am looking at is the Alco RSD-8 export loco, that I want to kitbash into a US Army MRS-1. It's the closest model that I have ever found to a MRS-1.
The company also makes a GE "Little Joe" like the ones that the MILW and CSS&SB used. There is another, more advertised company that produces one, also.
I have tried e-mailing the company numerous times, with no reply. They can translate my message if they wanted to. I even translated it one time myself, and sent it. Maybe you or one of your buddies down in Brazil knows about the company.
Thanks!
Phil Martin
Hi Phil,
I am a N scale model railroader here, but I know Frateschi that have nice HO models, like the electric unit you saw in the site of CSCLW. The company csclw is the first time I heard about, but I sent an email to then asking about the models you want. As soon as they replay I will send you a priveted message or a email. I recomend Frateschi Little Joes (here they are known as V8). See tehn here: http://www.frateschi.com.br/
Murphy Siding wrote: Interesting. Why doesn't MRS approve of locomotives over 4,000 hp.? That seems odd.
MRS tested C44-9W for almost 6 months and not approved them because these locos have most HP than necessary and because they are light too. Being strong and light cause excessive wear on the rails, so the company and[ GE developed the C38MEi model that is havier than a C44-9W and a bit weak
PBenham wrote:Mighty impressive, indeed. The scenery should attract passengers, but is there passenger service there?
Hi PBenham,
yes we have passenger service in some places here. EFVM have a daily train linking Belo Horizonte to Vitoria, a trip of 700 km long. EFC has a passenger train 3 times a week, linking Sao Luis to Paraopebas, a trip of 980 km long. We have tourist lines at ALL, FCA and soon at MRS lines too. EFA is the only standard gauge railroad in Brazil and has a daily passenger train too, linking Porto Santana to Serra do Navio, a trip of 200 km long through amazon forest. It´s great.
The photo below shows EFVM passenger train.
pedrop wrote: These locos were special built by GE to MRS. They are havier than an C44-9W, but has just 3,800 hp because MRS do not approved locos with more than 4,000 hp.
These locos were special built by GE to MRS. They are havier than an C44-9W, but has just 3,800 hp because MRS do not approved locos with more than 4,000 hp.
Interesting. Why doesn't MRS approve of locomotives over 4,000 hp.? That seems odd.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Here is the same picture I enclose above, but in better size.
Murphy Siding wrote: Hi Pedro! Besides iron ore, what else moves in big quantities by train in Brazil? I've read more and more about units going to South American countries. Is this a sign of growth in the railroad industry, or just replacement of old equipment?
have
HI Murphy Siding
Brazil has a lot of minerals, like bauxite, manganese, copper, limestone, coal. The railroads here also carry coque, petroleum products, chemical produts, wood, soybean, steel, containers, cement and a lot more. My area is served by MRS, EFVM and FCA. MRS carry iron ore as a main product, but it also carry cement, containers, steel products. FCA carry soybean, limestone, cement, stone blocks, containers, steel. EFVM carry iron ore, manganese, steel, containers, soybean, cement, wood. The railroads are growing up very fast since the government privatized them in 1996. Most of the companies are buying new locos in US too, but since the companies like GE and GM do not have time to build the locos as the companies need, they bought second hand locos to support the services untill the new locos arrive here.
The photo below shows brand new MRS C38MEi loading an iron ore train at Casa de Pedra mine. These locos were special built by GE to MRS. They are havier than an C44-9W, but has just 3,800 hp because MRS do not approved locos with more than 4,000 hp.
Murphy Siding wrote: Is there a steel plant in Brazil that the iron ore is shipped to, or is it exported?
HI Murphy Siding,
yes, Brazil have a lot of steel plants, most of them in Soultheast. Big steel plants like CSN and Usiminas are good place to see trains because they have huge yards close the roads. CSN is served by MRS and FCA. Usiminas is served by EFVM only. Many other small plants are served by one or other railroad. China intends to build a huge steel plant here in Brazil and it could be one of the biggest in the world. The chineses want a lot of steel and here they have it.
Here is the english version of CSN site:
http://csna0004.csn.com.br/portal/page?_pageid=843,77319&_dad=ebiz&_schema=PORTAL
Here is the english version of USIMINAS site:
http://eng.usiminas.com.br/FrontDoor/
Pedro
I'm sure there are steel mills in Brazil, but the majority of the Ore is exported. China and Japan get large amounts, as does Europe, mainly through the port of Rotterdam. In fact the largest Iron Ore carrying ship in the World, the Berge Stahl, shuttles between Ponta da Madeira, Brazil and Rotterdam.
More Information on Berge Stahl
Datafever wrote:pedrop, do you know what the curvature radius would be on some of those tight curves?
I´m not sure, but somebody said less than 150 meters. I will check with a friend of mine at FCA headquarters and soon I will tell you.
Here is ex-SP SD40T-2 #8314 rebuilt to BB40T-2! I´m wondering if somebody can model it in HO scale one day
Here is one of EFVM BB40-8. These locos were built here in Brazil by Gevisa. Picture of my friend Marinho.
Murphy Siding wrote: Would that wheel arrangemnet be an advantage or disadvantage, on the curvey, hilly track in the photos?
Well, the BB+BB wheel arrangment is a great advantage on the narrow and sinuous lines like you see in the photos of FCA at Serra do Tigre. The span-bolster can do the loco much more flexible, and thats why EFVM and FCA use them. Nowadays ALL is also rebuilding C30-7 locos to BB+BB too.
CSSHEGEWISCH wrote:One of the reasons that the locomotives were rebuilt from C-C to B+B-B+B was the change from standard gauge to meter gauge. Traction motors on meter gauge are necessarily smaller and two more motors are needed to absorb the horsepower. It's the same reason that the original DDM45's (EFVM 800 series) were built at LaGrange on D-D trucks.
Would that wheel arrangemnet be an advantage or disadvantage, on the curvey, hilly track in the photos?
Interesting locomotives. It sparked my interest to find other photos.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=152585
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=52750
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=85892
Mark
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
Here is a picture of a C44-9W in the middle of a 210 iron ore cars locotrol through Amazon forest.
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