http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_SPV-2000
trackrat888http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_SPV-2000
Notably lacking in any substantive detail about what actually made them so bad.
They were designed with a very different level of sophistication from the RDCs (probably having been (over)designed for a nominal 120 mph speed). Many, many of the problems stemmed from the use of a little APU for all the 'hotel' functions (nominally with the intent of keeping the power of the two 8-71 engines available for propulsion). It was my understanding that, on the more powerful SPV, all four axles were supposed to be gear-driven; this put the vehicle in a different and far more expensive class as far as operating-union agreements ... so the outside axles were not driven in service. This left FAR too much power having to go through the two inner axles, and they would slip easily, causing the engines to cycle rapidly in power as first one, then the other would overspeed. The 6-110 arrangement was like 'works in a drawer' to service; the 8V-71 scarcely that!
I suspect there are people on here with a long and detailed laundry list of the problems, and I will happily listen to them.
Wizlish My understanding of the 'fatal' issues with the Amerika-Loks (which is entirely based on third-party sources) was that the transmission problems were associated primarily with switching and 'warranty issues'. To make a reverse move with a pair of KMs involved waiting for all four mechanical transmissions to shift and lock, which was apparently a typically Teutonic slow and certain sort of mechanical operation. This of course with the locomotive strictly stopped and the independent applied, to prevent reverse torque or shock on the drivetrain components (same reason why you don't shift a car's automatic transmission to reverse while still rolling forward!)
My understanding of the 'fatal' issues with the Amerika-Loks (which is entirely based on third-party sources) was that the transmission problems were associated primarily with switching and 'warranty issues'. To make a reverse move with a pair of KMs involved waiting for all four mechanical transmissions to shift and lock, which was apparently a typically Teutonic slow and certain sort of mechanical operation. This of course with the locomotive strictly stopped and the independent applied, to prevent reverse torque or shock on the drivetrain components (same reason why you don't shift a car's automatic transmission to reverse while still rolling forward!)
By the early 1970s, Voith had addressed this problem.
The L3R3 and L4R4 transmissions were actually designed for reversal under full power. This worked really well for the transmission but as you can imagine it was pretty hard on the locomotives fitted with the transmission.
There were fifty small standard gauge switchers built with the L4R4 and a 700 HP Cat engine. These became surplus owing to changing operational conditions, and these were bought up by Queensland sugar cane railways, which operate quite large trains but without any form of continuous brakes. The locomotives were cut down and converted to 2 foot gauge (one advantage of hydraulic drive over electric) and have continued to work with the original transmission but newer diesel engines driving them.
In 2002 I was driving south from Cairns, and we ended up following a small container train headed up by a 3000 HP GE. We encountered a cane train hauled by a tiny 0-6-0 of about 400HP and we realised that it had a heavier load than the GE on the main line.
M636C
The SPVs have been sitting in the Croton-Harmon Shops on Metro-North for 30 years at last count. Could have been a victim of union monkeywrenching.
Most of them were converted into coaches for Shore Line East. The rest are FRA track inspection cars.
There was an SPV in San Francisco, at the Caltrain (old SP) station, painted blue on stainless, in June 2013. I believe it has gone from there since.
Blue suggests Metro North as its origin.
Somewhere I read that it was an ill advised purchase by Caltrain, but I can't recall from whom...
I have photo to prove it...
It is former FRA geometry car T-10 specificaly build for FRA.
12 of CDOT cars are still stored in NH, and will probably never run again, one is scrapped, the 10 MN cars left Harmon and are scattered to be scrapped, one car is in Museum at Williamantic Ct.
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