Amtrak Siemens Charger locomotive (SC44, ALC42, ALC42E) (2015 - 1Q 2024)

[CCC1007]

This means the Chargers won't be able to accelerate as many cars as the F125's.

Forgive the physics lesson, but that's what I majored in as an undergraduate.
Of course the Chargers will be able to accelerate as many cars as the F125's - but it'll just take a different time period to do it in.

jb

Right, that's what I mean. And the question is, why were they built that way?

They were SPECKED that way because Siemens wanted to actually deliver what they promised, and it would seem that EMD was using Indian specks to base their locomotive off of, as that is where they pull that long of a train of double deckers. Neither locomotive has had trials yet, so they have no idea if they are actually going to work the way they are supposed to.

 

[jis]

I don't think even India really has any train that has even 15 bilevels on it, let alone 20. And even those are way lighter than the typical American Superliner sized bilevels. The 20 to 26 car trains that you see are of Indian single level cars which are only 65' (ICF) or 75' (LHB) long, not the standard US style 85 footers either. The Indian bi-levels are also 75 footers since they are built using standard LHB jigs.

 

[CCC1007]

I don't think even India really has any train that has even 15 bilevels on it, let alone 20. And even those are way lighter than the typical American Superliner sized bilevels. The 20 to 26 car trains that you see are of Indian single level cars which are only 65' (ICF) or 75' (LHB) long, not the standard US style 85 footers either. The Indian bi-levels are also 75 footers since they are built using standard LHB jigs.

Doesn't India use generators in the brake vans to provide electricity to the train as well, therefore not needing HEP?

 

[jis]

Doesn't India use generators in the brake vans to provide electricity to the train as well, therefore not needing HEP?

it is complicated, as most things in India are.

There is a relatively small set of prestige higher speed trains (Rajdhanis, Durontos, Shatabdis and a few others) that use EOG (End On Generation). There are an even smaller set of new WAP-5 and WAP-7 class electric engines that are HEP capable. But at present even those trains that get a HEP capable engine for their run still carry the EOG equipment since in India, as soon as a train arrives at a location, quite often the engine decouples and goes its own way. So at that point the EOG is cranked up to keep the train powered. Typically at the passenger platform there is no provision for providing shore power to the train.

Most trains in India do not have EOG. They consist of self generating coaches which generate their own power through axle driven alternators. This even includes fully A/C coaches, which carry a huge bank of batteries under the floor to keep them powered through extended halts. Which means, when they are in motion they actually draw more power than is needed to just power the basic load, from the locomotive. They draw extra power to charge up the batteries. So net net, it is hard to tell whether they actually place more load on the engine than if they were just using HEP.

As I said, it is complicated.

And this is even before we go into the issue of two types of couplers and two types of brakes and all that.

 

[Fan Railer]

We already had this inane discussion about tractive effort on the other thread... why bring it up here again?

 

[west point]

Axel generators will rob the HP from locos just as HEP will.

 

[jis]

Axel generators will rob the HP from locos just as HEP will.

True. But what adds to the complication is that in a typical 24 car self-generating consist there may be at most 6 or 7 A/C cars. The rest have relatively low power load for just the lights and fans. So net net, the load on the locomotive on these trains for providing hotel power may be lower than on a typical 20 car fully A/C EOG train powered through loco HEP facility.

 

[west point]

Axel generators are DC because of the variable train speeds. Basically much less efficient especially with the need of heavy batteries. Air Conditioning argument is flawed for on an average the same number of AC compressors will be running on a train with the same number of train cars. DC motors heavier and less efficient. DC lighting will require Converters for LED just as AC power, What about inverters to convert DC to AC for constant frequency requirements ?.

 

[jis]

The axle generators used in standard Indian Railways equipment is alternator + rectifier packs. So no, they are not DC, bu the output is to a DC bus that feeds the batteries and the alternator to supply standard AC at 50Hz to the hotel load. No DC lighting or fans anywhere anymore.

I guess you failed to comprehend what I wrote regarding A/C cars. Typically the self generating trains do not have more than 5 or 6 A/C cars. The rest are non-A/C with just light and fan load. So the overall load for those trains is much less than for trains that have all A/C cars. I know sitting here the concept of non-A/C cars may be hard to comprehend. but most of the rolling stock used by Indian Railways, and indeed used by most of the customers of Indian Railways are not air-conditioned.

The fully A/C trains, that is those that have all cars air-conditioned use EOG/HEP (usually mostly EOG not related to the locomotive), and do not use axle generated power.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

With the Chargers being fitted with strobe beacons, why not put them on the Sprinters?

Oh, and BTW, what's the red strobe for?

 

[CCC1007]

With the Chargers being fitted with strobe beacons, why not put them on the Sprinters?

Oh, and BTW, what's the red strobe for?

If I remember correctly the red one is used only in the event that the emergency brakes are active, at least that was what the red one meant on older locomotives.

 

[frequentflyer]

The red light is when the locomotive is pushing and is the last car in the consist.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

The red light is when the locomotive is pushing and is the last car in the consist.

I thought that was what the red marker lights just immediately below the ditch lights were for. I was referring to the one on top of the roof.

 

[Hal]

The red light is when the locomotive is pushing and is the last car in the consist.

I thought that was what the red marker lights just immediately below the ditch lights were for. I was referring to the one on top of the roof.

A red strobe light on a locomotive that is strobing means the locomotive has had an emergency application of the brakes.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

The red light is when the locomotive is pushing and is the last car in the consist.

I thought that was what the red marker lights just immediately below the ditch lights were for. I was referring to the one on top of the roof.

A red strobe light on a locomotive that is strobing means the locomotive has had an emergency application of the brakes.

Oh

 

[Alex M.]

In seeing renditions of the locomotives being built for the Brightline service, it seems that there is space under the front of the units before the lead truck. Will there be something there to deflect objects so that there will not be a derailment?

 

[jis]

Yes.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Also, with the Brightline units being fitted with nose cones, will they be short enough to make room for the enclosed knuckle couplers?

 

[cirdan]

Also, with the Brightline units being fitted with nose cones, will they be short enough to make room for the enclosed knuckle couplers?

I'm just conjecturing here, but I expect the couplers will be retractable and thus hidden when not in use.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Also, with the Brightline units being fitted with nose cones, will they be short enough to make room for the enclosed knuckle couplers?

I'm just conjecturing here, but I expect the couplers will be retractable and thus hidden when not in use.

Right. That's what I meant, when I said enclosed knuckle couplers.

 

[Thirdrail7]

The testing group has begun turning their attention to these units now that work on the ACSs is almost complete. You may see this engine on the raceway by the fall!

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

I thought Oregon was the other state in the multi-state procurement. They do now own 2 Talgo sets, so it would make sense for them to get Chargers to go with the sets.

peter

Speaking of... I wonder why the baggage car on the new Talgo 8's don't have the fins like the original Talgo sets?

 

[CCC1007]

I thought Oregon was the other state in the multi-state procurement. They do now own 2 Talgo sets, so it would make sense for them to get Chargers to go with the sets.

peter

Speaking of... I wonder why the baggage car on the new Talgo 8's don't have the fins like the original Talgo sets?

Simple, they didn't ask for them.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Also, I haven't seen any most recent videos of them, not even on the Siemens YouTube channel.

And I wonder if anyone will snap pictures of the cab?

 

[CCC1007]

Also, I haven't seen any most recent videos of them, not even on the Siemens YouTube channel.

And I wonder if anyone will snap pictures of the cab?

I've already seen a photo of the cab, nothing special stood out to me.