jump starting diesel engines

Interesting discussion going on in a New Zealand discussion group i follow . The practice or need for jump starting diesel locomotives . Presumably those that have flat batteries .
It seems there is a method , whereby the alternator can be made to turn the engine , allowing it to fire . i think this is what they are talking about , either directly or to charge the batteries so they can start the engine .
Any alternator can become a motor if turned , so the idea is feasible (ala regenerative braking ) , but are the controls in place to allow such a practice to be done ?
Is it allowed on American Railroads ?

If a loco needs battery power to start, it does not matter where those batteries are. It's no different from jump starting an auto: you take another loco, a couple long heavy cables, and connect negative to negative and positive to positive. Press the button and away you go.

Rather than connect directly to the battery terminals like on a car, usually locos are jumped at the battery knife switch in the electrical compartment.

do all Locos carry jumper leads ?

No but any engine terminal has them or any railroad trouble truck.
Another methode is using a engine driven DC welder like on a welding truck, they put out about 65 volt and will get a locomotive kicking again.

Many years ago, the Budd Red Lion plant was one of my customers. I remember driving into the plant one chilly morning and saw a large cart full of batteries cabled up to the SPV2000 demonstrator. Apparently someone left the lights on overnight and drained the batteries so they were doing just what's been described....jump starting the engines. I still chuckle when I think of that one but boy, do I miss those days!

BR&P wrote:If a loco needs battery power to start, it does not matter where those batteries are. It's no different from jump starting an auto: you take another loco, a couple long heavy cables, and connect negative to negative and positive to positive. Press the button and away you go.

Rather than connect directly to the battery terminals like on a car, usually locos are jumped at the battery knife switch in the electrical compartment.

CN engines, I don't know about other railroads have an outlet under the running board where you plug the cables into for the jumpstart. It doesn't really seem realstic to drag the cable up into the cab and open the electrical cabinet.

In my Alco S-2 maintenance manual, it details a procedure on swapping the leads from a traction motor around a bit, and dragging the unit backwards to start the engine. If I can find it, I'll post it up.

TxBritt

txbritt wrote:In my Alco S-2 maintenance manual, it details a procedure on swapping the leads from a traction motor around a bit, and dragging the unit backwards to start the engine. If I can find it, I'll post it up.

TxBritt

Sounds like "popping the clutch" on my old GTO.

Geez, I wish I still had that car.

The "older" stuff, which had contactors, instead of solenoids, and relays, had a way to start, as mentioned above, that came in most operating manuals. You had to get a wedge of non-conductive material (usually a bit of wood, from a flag stick) and wedge into a closed position, the contactors for either direction (opposite the way you intended to drag the loco)on the power side of the circuit. You then closed the gen field switch, primed loco, and then dragged it, in opposite direction from the contactor you wedged. Much like a DB circuit, the motors would generate power, feeding the main gen, and thus turning over the prime mover.(I'm sure I've oversimplified this, or left out a step, but this is how it's done basically) Never did it, and never saw it done, but it was in lot's of manuals, and the old heads said it worked, if you could keep the wheels from sliding. Starter motors, and relays/solenoids made this feature unuseable Welder to battery switch, or battery switch to battery switch still the way it's done.

Donot place the clip(s) at the this joint where they are tied by nut-bolt because the spring washer (4-point look type) must not heater because the lose tension.
Use the any place elsewhere.

Stan

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:The "older" stuff, which had contactors, instead of solenoids, and relays, had a way to start, as mentioned above, that came in most operating manuals. You had to get a wedge of non-conductive material (usually a bit of wood, from a flag stick) and wedge into a closed position, the contactors for either direction (opposite the way you intended to drag the loco)on the power side of the circuit. You then closed the gen field switch, primed loco, and then dragged it, in opposite direction from the contactor you wedged. Much like a DB circuit, the motors would generate power, feeding the main gen, and thus turning over the prime mover.(I'm sure I've oversimplified this, or left out a step, but this is how it's done basically) Never did it, and never saw it done, but it was in lot's of manuals, and the old heads said it worked, if you could keep the wheels from sliding. Starter motors, and relays/solenoids made this feature unuseable Welder to battery switch, or battery switch to battery switch still the way it's done.

I never knew it was in the manual but one night for S&G's we push started a switcher. We cheated by using test jumpers to hold in the appropriate relays & contactors...

ExEMDLOCOTester wrote: never knew it was in the manual but one night for S&G's we push started a switcher. We cheated by using test jumpers to hold in the appropriate relays & contactors...

I hope it went better than the following:

Owen S. Paulsen wrote: donot place the clip(s) at the this joint where they are tied by nut-bolt because the spring washer (4-point look type) must not heater because the lose tension.
Use the any place elsewhere.

Hopefully, you didnt place the clips where they are tied, and must not heater because the lose tension..........

Owen S. Paulsen wrote:
" donot place the clip(s) at the this joint where they are tied by nut-bolt because the spring washer (4-point look type) must not heater because the lose tension.
Use the any place elsewhere. "



Owen is absolutely correct. This has been done before without heatering the spring washer. Just to be on the safe side a 6 point look type works better, even more so if you don't use the any place elsewhere.

But only if they are tied with nut-bolt.

If the locomotive was with a flux capacitor equipped (called a flux condensor back then), would academic be all this?