BB203 DE locomotive series

[Ronal U18C Indonesia]

BB203 are DE locomotive series was owned Indonesia National Railways Ll Co with allocation in Medan depots, He have a axle configuration A1A-A1A it's mean, 6 couples axle but, the centre axle isn't non idled to overcome a R33 track type problem(the axle loaaaaddd), inthe beginning, He numbered until 51 unit, however the His sixth BROTHER to 45th was modified to CC201 series. They're His transformation
1. 32-41 : 111-120
New number : 93 01, 93 02, 83 35-83 42
2. 17-28, 14-11, 04 : 121-137
New Number :
83 43-83 56
3. 20, 22-26, 29 : 138-143
New number : 04 01-07
4. 43-59 : 73-90
New number : 89 01-10, 89 12, 89 14-17
Chek this out specification
AA. Engine : Diesel electric
AB. Model : GE U18A1A
AC. Years of build : 1977-1983
AD. Axle configuration : A1A-A1A(AAR), (A1A-A1A) : UIC
AE. Gauge : 1067 mm
AF. Wheelbase : 914, idled and primemovered
AG. Length : 14134 mm
AH. Width : 2642 mm
AI. Heigth : 3636 mm
AJ. Distance between of claw equimpent : 15124 mm
AK. Distance of pivot : 3505 mm
AM. Heigth of claw : 707 mm
AN. Weigth total : 76 tons
AO. Weigth ready : 81 tons
AP. Weigth adhession : 56 tons
BA. Fuel type : HSD
BB. Fuel capacity : 3028 l
BC. Lubricants capacity : 984 l
BD. Radiator capacity : 682 l
BE. Sandbox capacity : 510 l
Primemover : GE 7FDL-8
Engine type : 4 step, turbocharger
Generator : GM D-25 DC-DC
Traction motors : 4 units, D-29 DC-DC
Gear ratio : 93:18
Maximum speed : 90 km/h
Engine effort : 1500 hp
Converter effort : 1380 hp
Smallest curves radius : 56,7 mm
Braking system : Presure, Pneumatic, Dynamic
Trainhorn type, it's my interest object : Nathan Airchime K1L, usually, He service a
1. Putri Deli train : Medan-Kisaran
2. Sribilah train : Medan-Rantauprapat
3. Fuel or CPO tanker train : Medan-Kisaran-Belawan
4. Siantar express train : Medan-Pematangsiantar


Any openvoice or question

[Ronal U18C Indonesia]

CC20183 53, are CC201 one of BB203 series(with a Nathan Airchime K1 trainhorn type)

[Pneudyne]

Thanks for posting that.

The General Electric U18A1A (Indonesia BB203 class) was an interesting variation on its 8-cylinder export Universal model, which model line had started with the U12B and U12C in 1956, and had then progressed through U13, U15, U17 and U18 variants, and the and eventually to U20C. (The U18 and U20 designations were recycled from the original 12-cylinder export series.)

Back in 1956, GE had not offered an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement option for any of its export Universal models, just B-B and/or C-C, according to specific model. Perhaps it would have done so had any customer insisted, but it did seem to have set its face against the idea, as evidenced by this article from ‘Diesel Railway Traction’ for 1958 December:

DRT 195812 p.465.gif

DRT 195812 p.466.gif

Be that as it may, the customer need for the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement on an export Universal did not arise until the mid-1970s.

In 1974 it delivered the U10A1A model to the Hedjaz Jordan Railway, 1.05 metre gauge, and the U15A1A to Sudan Railways, Cape gauge.

The U10A1A was the U10B on a long frame (which frame was first seen on the Spanish UM10B version) to accommodate A1A trucks, which were presumably required to keep the axle loading down to a level well below the minimum that could be achieved with a standard U10B. I don’t have any weight numbers for the Hedjaz Jordan U10A1A, but I’d guess that its axle loading was around 23 000 lb. That was proximate to the A1A+A1A (articulated trucks) version of the GE 70-tonner that had previously been built for Queensland Railways (Cape gauge).

Sudan Railways had previously used the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement, with 29 000 lb axle loading, for its lighter locomotives, so evidently wanted to continue that theme for its GE U15 order. Its heavier locomotives were C-C with a 37 000 lb axle loading, and it acquired a GE UM22C fleet at this weight concurrently with the U15A1A fleet. (It was the first customer for the UM22C double-end cab model.)

Then in 1976, Indonesia (Cape gauge) received its first tranche of the U18A1A model, as its BB203 class, having had a U18C delivery in 1975, as its CC201 class. It had been one of the first customers for the U18C version of the 8-cylinder model, along with Nigerian Railways. Given that Indonesia operated both U18C and U18A1A variants, one supposes that the track stresses imposed by the U18A1A was sufficiently lower than that of the U18C to enable its operation over track sections where the latter was precluded.

GE’s apparently antithetical attitude to the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement in the late 1950s was not shared by its major competitors, though. Alco offered the A1A-A1A option on some of its standard export models, such as the DL531, but nonesuch were actually built. On the other hand, EMD built many of its G8 and G12 export models with A1A trucks, although it was initially reluctant to do so. Apparently its starting position was that a B-B locomotive with a 37 500 lb axle loading would be no harder on the track than a steam locomotive with 25 000 lb axle loading! But some in the organization realized that that idea would not fly, hence the A1A option. The irony was that the particular A1A truck used under the G was not a very good design, and was very hard on the track, particularly in a lateral sense, as New Zealand Railways discovered. (It’s strange that this was from a company that had produced the very excellent Blomberg A1A truck...) The B-B only approach may have informed the design of GL8 export model of 1958, but if so, “customer pull” dictated otherwise, and two A1A-A1A variants soon appeared. One “shoehorned” two A1A trucks under the existing frame, with reduced truck centres, and the other used an extended frame.

Which brings us back to Indonesian Railways, which as far as I know operated A1A-A1A versions of the EMD G8, G12 and G18. So by the time that it ordered the GE U18A1A, it had a history of the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. The U18A1A was probably proximate to the G12 in axle loading.

Looking at some of the data from the initial post:


Primemover: GE 7FDL-8
Generator : GM D-25 DC-DC
Traction motors : 4 units, D-29 DC-DC
Gear ratio : 93:18
Maximum speed : 90 km/h
Engine effort : 1500 hp
Converter effort : 1380 hp

Unless there is a misprint, it would appear that these locomotives were fitted with EMD (GM) main gnerators and traction motors. I guess it’s possible that such were recycled from scrapped older EMD units, but it does seem very unusual for a GE locomotive to be so-fitted. Also, the gear ratio, 93:18, looks more like a GE number than one that I’d associate with the EMD D29 motor.

The power settings, which I interpret as gross 1500 hp and net (tractive) 1380 hp are well down on the catalogue 1950/1800 hp of the U18C. I doubt that these are site deratings, as the Indonesian U18C (CC201 class) was quoted as 1950/1825 hp in a separate thread. Possibly the derating was done in deference to the reduced total adhesion provided by the A1A-A1A wheel arrangement. Though the GE World Users List has them as 1950 hp gross.


Cheers,

[Allen Hazen]

Thanks, Pneudyne, for typically well-informed commentary.
(And thanks, Ronal, for posting!)
--
I had also noticed the apparent use of EMD traction motors, etc: very odd for General Electric! But Ithink GE in the 1970s was perhaps willing to use electrical from EMD trade-ins: at least domestically, they had been lagging way behind EMD in sales, and were perhaps willing to to jump through hoops to generate sales. Domestically they offered the U15B: a de-rated U18B. (They offered a "crew quarters" cab, a la the BQ23-7, on it as an option, but that's another story.) The thing is, the lower engine rating was touted as making possible the use of electrical equipment from trade-ins. This makes no sense if (as with many SCL U18B) the trade-ins were old Alcos: the GE GT581 generator on an RS-3 was capable of handling a full 1800hp. So the sales spiel (in the even unsuccessful) for the U18B only make sense to me on the assumption that GE was willing to use electrical equipment from … off-brand … trade-ins.

[Ronal U18C Indonesia]

Thanks, Pneudyne, for typically well-informed commentary.
(And thanks, Ronal, for posting!)
--
I had also noticed the apparent use of EMD traction motors, etc: very odd for General Electric! But Ithink GE in the 1970s was perhaps willing to use electrical from EMD trade-ins: at least domestically, they had been lagging way behind EMD in sales, and were perhaps willing to to jump through hoops to generate sales. Domestically they offered the U15B: a de-rated U18B. (They offered a "crew quarters" cab, a la the BQ23-7, on it as an option, but that's another story.) The thing is, the lower engine rating was touted as making possible the use of electrical equipment from trade-ins. This makes no sense if (as with many SCL U18B) the trade-ins were old Alcos: the GE GT581 generator on an RS-3 was capable of handling a full 1800hp. So the sales spiel (in the even unsuccessful) for the U18B only make sense to me on the assumption that GE was willing to use electrical equipment from … off-brand … trade-ins.

Thanks Sir Allen Hazen