New locomotive from Brookville: the BL36PH

Brookville is in the process of designing and building a new commuter rail locomotive. This time, they're taking direct aim at MPI's MP36 series. The new locomotive, designated BL36PH, will feature an aerodynamic carbody and a 3,600 HP MTU-Detroit Diesel engine that meets EPA Tier 3 emissions requirements.

The first 10 locomotives have been ordered by Florida's Tri-Rail commuter rail service, with an option for an additional 17. The first 10 are expected to be delivered during the first half of 2012.

More info: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news ... sfrta.html

What engine plant will these new BL36PH have figuring 3600hp sounds good for the 645F3B or something newer??

MBTA1052 wrote:What engine plant will these new BL36PH have figuring 3600hp sounds good for the 645F3B or something newer??

In case you missed the original post - " 3,600 HP MTU-Detroit Diesel engine that meets EPA Tier 3 emissions requirements"

Yes, it's good to read the original post before replying to it.

The article doesn't specify the exact model of the engine, but I'm guessing that it's a 4000 Series engine. Brookville is currently using the 12-cylinder 12v4000 in the BL20GH. The 4000 Series also comes in 16-cylinder (16v4000) and 20-cylinder (20v4000) versions.

A much larger version of the artist's rendering of the new locomotive can be found at:

http://www.brookvilleequipment.com/imag ... RailLG.jpg


Personal opinion: if you put your hand over the cab/nose area and squint your eyes a little, it looks a bit like an F-unit!

So where are the marker lights going to be located on this locomotive??

Perhaps in that recessed area directly above the windshield. That would mean only one marker light instead of two, but I think they can get away with that... Amtrak's F59PHIs have only one marker light (the other red light on those units is an SP-style "emergency stop" light).

The Locomotive seems like a F59PHI and a F7 combined!!

I wonder who the other "responsive qualified bidders" were?

Best design yet from Vegara Studios, made special mention that its all steel not fiberglass. Fabricated from flat plates shaped into cylinders or cones just like building a plywood boat.

I assume MPI was the other bidder, since they're raising such a fuss about the whole thing.

MEC407 wrote:I assume MPI was the other bidder, since they're raising such a fuss about the whole thing.

Undoubtedly your right but I wonder about Progress Rail which seems interested in this sort of stuff and GE also has spent a lot of engineering time on passenger locomotives.

Isn't Progressive Rail working solely in yard switcher work just like NRE??

Progress Rail has been hinting about the passenger rail business since they bought that facility in Muncie, IN. They also engineered the PR43C locomotive using a 3600 HP CAT C175 engine and other conversions so I think they may have expertise in the area. EMD has shone little enthusiasm for this but they are a major part of the Vossloh engines, some of which are used for passenger service in Europe and Vossloh did bid on a commuter rail contract recently. If a Vossloh design was built in this country most of all the major components would be derived from EMD anyway. It would be interesting to see a dual cab unit in commuter service. LIRR sort of does that anyway by not turning the MP15's around but just switching ends of the train.

More BL36PH info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookville_BL36PH

Here's a spec sheet

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