Electric locomotives are efficient, and surpass well over 6, horsepower per unit. These units are easy to maintain, as they do not include a prime mover, just generators and traction motors. Many electric locomotives are geared for high speed operation, making them ideal for busy urban centers. Much like diesel locomotives, electric locomotives run on either AC or DC traction.
Most new electric locomotives are delivered with AC traction, as it provides more horsepower and cost savings.
This AC motors work similarly to diesels,except that the power is received through overhead wires instead of an on board prime mover. Many DC electric locomotives are converted to AC traction as it is more efficient and cost effective to maintain. This helped Amtrak haul longer trains with one locomotive.
Interestingly, electric locomotives tend to be priced higher than diesels, as the electric locomotives sometime require an entire redesign, while diesel locomotives tend to be built upon an existing framework.
Locomotives are complicated machines and are packed with technology, like a massive computer. These technologies make daily operations safer, and improve the reliability and efficiency of operations.
Most modern locomotives are equipped with computer screens that give the engineer real-time information on the status of the train including speed, oil temperature, train length, and other configurable settings. The main factor in the cost of a locomotive is the prime mover, which is the diesel engine that powers the locomotive. Additionally, locomotives are equipped with many advanced electronics such as computerized displays, a microprocessor, and an event recorder. Installing these devices requires complex wiring and installation of software.
With the rising freight volumes and the constant need for new motive power, many railroads have begun rebuilding their current fleets of locomotives, instead of buying new. This gives the railroad the advantage of significant cost savings and gives the locomotive a second life. Rebuilding locomotives is less expensive than purchasing new. Many rail companies consider rebuilding older locomotives, instead of purchasing new, as this saves rail companies a substantial amount of capital.
I was mainly interested if locomotives as built are maybe already heavy enough by design or if weight is taken into account when designing it to make sure it is not built too light. Thanks again folks! Posted by mvlandsw on Wednesday, May 10, AM. No matter how good the wheel slip technology a locomotive cannot produce tractive effort without sufficient weight. The new systems are pushing this to the limit and frequently fail to produce anywhere near their rated output when rail conditions are less than ideal.
All that these systems do is decrease the output down to a level that will prevent the wheels from spinning wildly. The lower the weight of the locomotive the lower this output will be. If you are depending on the full output to climb a grade you are stuck. Join our Community! Login ». Register ».
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Sign up. Anonymous Member since April , posts. Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 8, PM I am wondering if modern diesel locomotives are artificially made heavier than they are as built to have better traction and pull more cars without wheel slippage?
Rodney Reply. Posted by youngengineer on Monday, May 8, PM intersesting topic ge's website explains some of the weight issues balancing weight, tractive effort fuel economy, track structure, wheel wear all play into there decisions, but I believe the number one reason for weight limitations is that at some point there just tooo large Reply.
Posted by cspmo on Monday, May 8, PM QUOTE: Originally posted by dimastep I am wondering if modern diesel locomotives are artificially made heavier than they are as built to have better traction and pull more cars without wheel slippage?
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 8, PM Same school of thought when you throw a few hundred pounds of sandbags in the back of your pickup during winter. GP Member since July posts. Ed 23 17 46 11 Reply. Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, May 8, PM I remember when CSX forst got its ACs, the idea was to couple them to a fuel tender, which would keep their fuel tanks filled--the weight difference between the full and empty tanks would be enough to throw off the tractive-effort rating.
SM Reply. Posted by tree68 on Monday, May 8, PM Can't cite specifics, but I've seen numerous references over the years to specially ballasted locomotives.
Paul Reply. You can expect an average train weight to be about 3, to 18, tons or more depending on the load and number of cars in the train. Local trains designed for the transport of people or to carry less of a load may weigh anywhere from 1, to 6, tons or more. Each typical freight car weighs 30 tons empty, and can carry an additional tons loaded to total tons per car. A locomotive alone can weigh anywhere from to tons each, and is included in the typical weight of a freight train.
The following chart features example train weights of specific models ranging from the lightest to heaviest used. Additional details can be found on the manufacturer's websites. Here's the train weight chart:. Freight trains carry and move a lot of weight from one destination to the next. Each make, model, and size comes along with its own weight based on use and how long the entire train is. All rights reserved. Since I started answering the question regarding the locomotive weight, I was thinking that I should answer these related questions.
I am sure many of you guys are wondering how much does a train wheel weigh? A train wheel also known as a rail wheel is a rolling component mounted directly on a railway carriage, most of them are cast or forged under heat for a specific toughness, made out of steel.
So how much does it weigh? The answer is between - lbs, which would be about 1. I hope this covered all your questions regarding the weight of a train, if you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask me in the comments section. I also suggest you to read How much do locomotives cost? A steam locomotive can weigh anywhere between , lb or The first example is the Great Western Railway Class and the heaviest steam locomotive in the example is the Big Boy with the astonishing 1.
Are you interested in becoming a railroad worker? Curious about a train conductor salary? We try to cover all the topics you might be interested in. Let us know in the comments section if we missed something. How Much Does a Train Weigh? How much does a train car weigh?
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