GE PowerHaul Locomotives

[GEVO]

The Powerhaul Tülomsaş assembly factory, Eskisehir Turkey. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aelWcz4sNIs

[Allen Hazen]

I got curious and went to Wikipedia. Eskisehir is a bit south and maybe a bit east of Istanbul. Going by the map in the "Times Atlas," the main railway line from Istanbul to Ankara goes through it; according to W~pedia, railway workshops were established there in 1894 (as part of the "Berlin to Baghdad Railway" scheme).

So: think of it as the Altoona of Turkey.

[renrut44]

One point which has not been covered is the P616's propensity for self-immolation

Of the 19 PH37ACmi delivered to Freightliner UK (the 20th was dropped during unloading), at least four have now suffered engine fires (70007, 70008, 70014, and 70018). The balance of 10 units from the original order for 30 is now on hold pending a fix (bit like the 20 Chinaman that Kiwirail has on hold)

70007 http://www.flickr.com/photos/welsheyrai ... otostream/

70008 Caught fire at Southampton April 2012 (multiple reports)

70014 http://www.flickr.com/photos/21095258@N ... 74548@N22/

70018 http://www.flickr.com/photos/60580721@N ... 74548@N22/
From this photo, the rebuilds look to be fairly extensive
http://www.railwaystoday.com/2012/06/21 ... -class-70/

Some reports on UK groups that 70017 also suffered an engine fire, but cannot locate photo to verify

It is a bit ironic that GE Transportation warranty work in the UK, is sub-contracted to Brush Traction, a subsidiary of Wabtec

This was the availability in May 2012 from http://www.wnxx.com/

WNXX
As at yesterday evening FL Heavy Haul had eight of 11 is use but FL Intermodal were still deploying one of eight. 70009 has been joined at Eastleigh by 70001 and 70008 for repairs.

DFGH Freightliner Heavy Haul PM 06/05/12
Available 70002 70003 70004 70005 70006 70011 70013 70014
Non Available 70010 70015 70016
DFGI Freightliner Intermodal PM 06/05/12
Available 70020
Non Available 70001 70007 70008 70009 70017 70018 70019

Which would indicate that the failure rate in higher speed intermodal service is greater. It would seem that all of the engine fires were in intermodal locomotives, where higher speeds probably induce greater vibration. Overall the failure rate of the PowerHaul is appalling.

[MEC407]

Appalling indeed, but as is often the case with all-knew locomotive designs (and especially all-knew locomotives with unproven-in-rail-service engines), problems are to be expected. This appears to be an extreme case; nevertheless I'm sure GE is working on a solution.

[MEC407]

From International Railway Journal:

GE has announced it is to expand its strategic partnership with Tülomsaş, which will see the Turkish manufacturer become the main supplier of PowerHaul diesel locomotives for Europe, Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Over the next two years Tülomsaş will assemble 50 PowerHauls at its plant in Eskisehir, 20 of which will be built for Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and the remaining 30 for regional export markets. GE says it is investing more than $US 150m in the design and development of the PowerHaul range and the technology transfer to Turkey.

Read more at: http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/lo ... hannel=542

[MEC407]

From RailwayAge:

GE Transportation and Colas Rail Ltd., one of Europe’s largest providers of rail infrastructure services, have signed an agreement for GE to provide 10 Class 70 UK PowerHaul Series locomotives.
. . .
GE worked with Ricardo UK Ltd. to conduct a fuel test for the Class 70 PowerHaul. “Analysis of the test results showed that the Class 70 PowerHaul reduces annual fuel consumption by up to 18% compared to the [EMD] Class 66, under the typical freight-use duty cycle,” GE said.

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/mec ... hauls.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Allen Hazen]

I take it they haven't been built yet, so the Colas Rail paint scheme in the photo in the article is probably a (very neat) photoshop job on a picture of a Freightliner unit...

The article doesn't say where the new locomotives are to be built, but Powerhaul for a European customer ought to come from Turkey.

Thanks for posting link!

[GEVO]

They are to be built in Erie. From the Railway Gazette:

GE Transportation officially announced an order to supply 10 Class 70 PowerHaul locomotives to freight operator Colas Rail on November 21. The locomotives are to be assembled at GE Transportation's Erie plant for entry into service in 2014.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/sing ... tives.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the Erie TImes:

The locomotives -- described by GE Transportation as its most technologically advanced model -- will be built at the company's plant in Lawrence Park for delivery in 2014. A sale price was not disclosed.

http://www.goerie.com/in-brief-european ... ocomotives" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[renrut44]

First photos of the Australian prototypes have surfaced

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shacksd700 ... otostream/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shacksd700/10546949803/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shacksd700 ... otostream/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shacksd700 ... otostream/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Total of 3 prototypes in the shop

[Allen Hazen]

Renrut44--
Thank you for posting those photos!
Remarks:
--Cab looks broadly similar to those on lots of other recent Australian locomotives, both from Goninan/GE (*) and from other builders.
--There's only one cab. (Some Australian diesels are double-enders, including a class of FDL-12 powered units built for Queensland Railways by Goninan/GE
--Telephoto lenses do strange things to perspective, but it LOOKS as if the radiator bulge is very large compared to other recent GE power for Australian railways: Powerhaul engine must have very precise tastes whenit comes to temperature!

(*) O.k., the name of the builder is UGL (United Group Limited, I think). But it USED TO BE Goninan: under either name, they have been the Australian locomotive-building licensee of GE since the 1950s.

[renrut44]

More photos

Plywood cab mockups
http://static.railpage.com.au/image_res ... o2NDA7fQ==" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Cab and Cooling module mockup
http://static.railpage.com.au/image_res ... o2NDA7fQ==" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Rear shot of prototype
http://static.railpage.com.au/image_res ... o2NDA7fQ==" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The problems that UGL/GE face in flogging this type to Australian punters is a lack of HP (3750), and overcoming the faults in the design which have manifested in England. An engine fuel injection system unable to withstand the vibrations and resonances of high speed operation, resulting in fires, and reports that are circulating on UK sites with regard to frame fractures. If the UGL frames are fabricated in India as per some reports, there will be resistance to foreign content from an unknown Asian source. The latest asbestos fiasco and other inherent reliability problems with Chinese loco imports, has probably killed any hopes that the Chinese had of dominating the Australian market for at least a decade, it will take that long for all of the lawsuits to clear the court system. CSR will not be able to bribe their way out of this debacle, Customs takes the falsification of compliance certificates, and the importation of prohibited substances seriously

The meter gauge GT46ACs recently delivered to Ferronor in Chile are 118 tonnes (from shipping documentation - included dunnage blocks on bogies). To achieve this weight the fuel capacity was reduced. So it is feasible that with a full-sized fuel tank, this locomotive can be built for 3'6" gauge at under 132 tonnes, and offer at least 4300 HP which will be spot on for Queensland coal. UGL may have their work cut out flogging the Powerhaul concept

EMD GT46ACs in Chile on iron ore
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ferronor_h ... 769286494/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ferronor_h ... 703924401/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ferronor_h ... 590820975/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GEVO]

Here is a photo of one of the new Colas Rail Freight Powerhaul locomotives in transit.

Colas Rail Freight Powerhaul Locomotive

[MEC407]

From Railway Gazette:

SOUTH KOREA: National operator Korail has begun testing the first of 25 GE Transportation PowerHaul locomotives which are being built in South Korea.

Designated Class 7600, Korail ordered the locomotives in 2011 from a partnership of Hyundai Rotem and GE Transportation. They are intended for use on passenger and freight trains running at up to the 150 km/h

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/sing ... -test.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

From International Railway Journal:

AUSTRALIAN locomotive manufacturer and maintenance provider UGL has announced it will supply three 1067mm-gauge PH37 PowerHaul locomotives to Pacific National (PN), the first order for the type from an Australian customer.
. . .
UGL has been developing a narrow-gauge Australian variant of GE's PowerHaul model since 2013, but with a depressed market for new orders this will be the first use of the PowerHaul family in Australia. PN's locomotives are earmarked for freight operations in Queensland.
. . .
In addition to the three PH37 locomotives, UGL will also supply PN with three new standard-gauge C44ACi locomotives to expand the existing 93 class fleet.

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/au ... order.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NorthWest]

The three PH37s were built in 2014 as demonstrators, but nobody has bitten until now.