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I think it's just the typical 'stretching' of the numbers that goes on that results in bizzare, and generally non possible figures: 125mph Arrows 130mph+ GG-1s AEM-7s breaking the sound barrier 10 sec 1/4 miles out of a Honda Civic 8 sec 1/4 out of Japanese sportbikes The 190mph, 600cc Kawasaki Ninj...

The funky fan throttling up/down was because the blowers were speed regulated, they responded to the estimated temperature of everything (This was calculated via a bizzare digital/analog system). Thus, the train would run them at low speed in a station (if it had been standing), and then spin them u...

When the SL II/III units were rebuilt in the 80's, did they retain the ignitrons in the rectifier group, or were they upgraded to SCR technology (as the MN M-2s were)?

Given the M-1's have asbestos, etc in them, they probbably classify as 'toxic waste' (well, the bathrooms sure are!) ;) Thus, they probbably are bound up by some stupid EPA regulation that prevents robbing parts off them... This is typical three letter agency stupidity - I remember hearing about an ...

Hey neat, instead of having a thermal probe, they just calculate the temperature on the motors on the fly

The E60s did this via a bizzare circuit over a few cards. Today, it's just a few lines of code

125,000 lbs per car for the M-7s. The C-3 cars are about 150,000. The M-1s are about 95,000lbs

What I love is how at some places, there's 1/2 dozen 4/0 lines welded onto the third rail for current. The most we ever get to play with at work is 2 #2 lines (elevators just don't use much power, since they're counterweighted)

The ATC on the M-7s limits them to 80mph, max, like any other LIRR MU. They might get a big higher due to calibration issues, but not 100mph, and not 115 (Top speed on an ac motored unit is very esy to limit because the inverter frequency is regulated by the computers, and can be kept from exceeding...

I'm guessing they go for 100 for two reasons - a) in case they ever DO bump the MAS, and b) 'safety factor', i.e. the motors aren't spinning at their maximum design speed, but somewhat lower. It might also make the gearbox design a little easier.

Ahhh, the return current is the same as the third rail current. And yes, can be a few thousand amps on a long train. Creepy thing - watch trains at Mineola. Notice that the tracks click and clunk a minute or so before an electric comes. But not a diesel. Spooky, huh? I think it's caused by magnetic ...

Did the M-2s have 25kv taps on them origionally (but no changeover equipment)? This was common practice with GE's Silverliner and Metroliners - they *could* work on 25kv, but there was no way to change outside the shop (This was offered to NJ and presumably SEPTA, as standard equipment). What about ...

High voltage (11+kv) catenary can easily supply far more power than third rail, plus the high voltage means less voltage drop and farther spaced substations. The LIRR's MUs can draw nearly (or over, but the main fuse is 1,000 amps) 1,000 amps while accelerating, but at 750V DC, this means only 1,000...

thats all i can thnk of right now......im sure others wll come up with other reasons they have heard. I've also heard: * Gearbox cracking * Lack of disc brakes ( == too much heat buildup in wheels from braking) * Overloads inverters (would be unusual for this to be the case, though, most times (at ...

The Arrows never had a top speed of 105 mph, it was always listed as 100. I don't know why people got so upset about the dropping of the top speed to 80 - there's practically NO track on or off the NEC where 100mph running is needed, or useful, and even with 80mph running, they're STILL faster than ...

Poor planning, IMHO. It brushes past Roosevelt Field, it goes pretty close to Hempstead. Cut it off from the LIRR, and you'd have a good amount of ROW for a somewhat useable LRT starter line. Freight use? Why bother. It's an uphill battle, the LIRR's connections to everthing else suck, there's few (...