http://www.railcolor.net/sunwin wrote:No more 12.5 kV at 60Hz since the coast line was switched to 25 kV.
The ALP-46 was based on the German BR-101 and there is a diesel version running in Greece. Is a dual-mode ALP-46 possible?
Those Greek
locomotives are somewhat interesting. They're designed to have the 12 cylinder prime mover removed and replaced with the same electric traction supplies which a standard Bombardier Traxx electric locomotive would have when electrification from Athens to the Macedonian border is completed. This doesn't make them dual modes as they'll never be equipped for service both in diesel and electric areas at the same time, but the modularity of those locos is an intriguing concept. It certainly seems possible that NJT could have ordered the Prima-based PL42ACs with the same provisions the Greeks ordered on their Traxx-based DE2000s. That way if the Main Bergen or any other diesel line were electrified and run into NYP or the proposed ARC terminal no new rolling stock would be required, unless a service increase at the same time was desired.
Catch wrote: so 12.5kV are obsolete and shall be no longer taken for design any propulsion equipment for NJT, as I understand.
If I understand transformers correctly it is unlikely that a locomotive or EMU designed to operate under both 11.5kv at 25hz and 25kv at 60hz would not have the capability to run under 12.5kv at 60hz. I believe the lower frequency 11.5kv requires a large transformer core but relatively few windings, while the 25kv at commercial frequency power requires a smaller core, but uses many windings. As such a transformer or system of transformers designed to work with both really just needs one more tap off the transformer, and in fact it may be possible to use the same tap as the 11.5kv power.
Also, if Amtrak ever upgrades the catenary on the NEC to 25kv they'll likely be using 12.5kv power through the North River tubes, as well as Baltimore and such (not that that's NJT's problem). It may or may not happen, and most likely won't, but as the Arrows illustrate it's a good idea to be prepared for all line voltages encountered along that route. With the simplicity of providing for a 12.5kv line voltage in just taking one more tap off the transformer I don't see why you wouldn't prepare for it.
The have a dieselversion of the 101, I'm shure it would be smaller and not so heavy as the ALSTOM now, and based on the knowledge of the ALP46 company, hybrid, or AC/DC modes can be made, too.
I don't know if you're talking about the Siemens Eurorunner. That's a diesel version of the Eurosprinter, which although resembling the Class 101 is wholly unrelated to it. Bombardier is quite odd when it comes to locomotives, they have a wonderful lineup of modular electric locos in their Traxx line, but very little in the way of a standardized diesel locomotive outside the Traxx-based DE2000s. Both Siemens and Alstom have diesel variants of their modular electric locomotives available in the form of the Eurorunner and Prima lines, yet Bombardier keeps their diesel loco business a cottage industry-like operation.
At this point the ALP46 is unfortunately locomotiva-non-grata with the FRA. With the latest implementation of FRA crashworthiness standards the ALP46 and PL42AC are grandfathered. So while the FRA isn't expecting NJT to cart them off to the dump they're not going to be buying any more. Thus something like the DE2000 is completely out of the question, the FRA would simply forbid it's operation without a ton of paperwork and even then it'd be an iffy proposition.
However, as you say, an AC/DC locomotive is not only possible, they're being built. A locomotive based on the Siemens ES64F4 or Bombardier F140MS would be easily capable of running both on 25kv, 12.5kv, 11.5kv@25hz, and even 750vdc 3rd rail. At this point the big changes that would need to be made would be a beefed up carbody for the FRA, 3rd rail shoes for the 3rd rail, thicker cables for the higher amp loads the 750vdc transmits (as opposed to the 1500vdc the ES64F4 and F140MS are designed for), and a slightly changed transformer to handle commercial frequencies of 60hz instead of 50hz and 11.5kv@25hz as opposed to
[email protected]. With something like this NJT and LIRR could run true through-service, with NJT terminating trains west of Jamaica and LIRR running through to EWR or something. It also might be possible to run such a locomotive from New London through to Grand Central terminal, but that's a matter for another board.
F40 wrote:Third rail will not suit NJT given the costly construction of building electric power, so dual-mode DC locomotives will never be NJT's.
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GE has given thought to but never implemented the manufacture of a dual mode OCS (catenary)/diesel locomotive, thus all dual mode locomotives currently available are for contact rail systems.
It is possible that NJT would simply use 3rd rail from Penn Station through to Secaucus or so, thereby reducing the number of substations required to like 3 or less. This would allow NJT to run relatively easily built DC dual modes without the technical challengest involved in an AC/diesel dual mode. Of course a dual mode does nothing to increase the efficiency of running a low headway commuter railroad, so by no means would creating a dual mode give an alternative to electrification.
Irish Chieftain wrote:Do you possibly mean PL42AC? The ALP46 is all-electric.
Incidentally, the top speed of the ALP46 equivalent(s) in Germany, when pulling passenger equipment, is approximately 138 mph.
By no means is a dual mode ALP46-based locomotive totally out of the question. It's just highly unlikely both due to the physical contraints of the body and the FRA's rules against that locomotive type now at this time. Siemen's Eurorunner locomotives are diesel locomotives of the same size as the ALP46s and it's likely could make one of them into a dual mode with only a minor amount of difficulty. Looking at the dual mode 1500vdc/diesel DEMUs the french just put out is somewhat impressive, if they can do something like that then there almost seems to be no locomotive too small for turning into a dual mode. Bombardier has proven they can put a diesel prime mover into an ALP46-like frame, and Alstom's DEMUs prove that dual modes can come in small packages.
As 'Catch' said above, the ALP46s are rather thinly related to the Class 101. The ALP46 really is a Bombardier Traxx locomotive, which although decended from the Class 101 really is a distinct design. Saying an ALP46 or any other Traxx locomotive is the same as the Class 101 is kind of like saying an SD70 is the same as an SD50. They may look similar, and they may be from the same manufacturers once you allow for mergers, but really they're quite distinct products. The ALP46 under Bombardier's nomenclature would be a P160AC Bicourant, that is a Passenger locomotive capable of 160km/h (100mph), capable of operating on two AC voltage systems. With the rise of high speed EMUs it's rather unlikely that we'll see any more high speed (200km/h) locomotives like the Class 101, which would have been a P200AC Monocourant under BBD's scheme if it'd been built by them.
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