Locomotives as Emergency Generators

Once upon a time railroads would use steam engines to supply heat for line side facilities during emergencies. What was old is new again.

Again, many thanks for all of your input! Your responses have pretty well answered all my questions.

Greg
tech1906

RickRackstop wrote:Apparently the LIRR MP15AC's are permanently wired for 480VAC for train head end power. There must be an EMD Maintenance Instruction bulletin on how to do it.

600VDC, for the old fleet. I doubt they ever rewired them to do 480V AC.

FWIW, EMD prime movers have seen use in nuke plants, where a failure to start can make life interesting...

I'm pretty sure a few firms have truck mounted turbines now. Tractor trailer with a few MW of generation on board...

I remember hearing something about this back in the 1990's CN Canadien National or was it CP Rail,that did this for awhile in Quebec when they had a Ice Storm .

Mentioned on Page 1 of this thread, Mr. Starr.

Back during California's self-inflicted electrical system crises (the era of rolling blackouts) one of the State's shortline operators (the Sierra RR, IINM) had a plan to operate several mobile powerplants comprised of one or more modified EX-BN B30-7ABs(Cabless booster unit Dash 7s) acting as generators with rebuilt passenger coaches housing electrical equipment. IIRC, they set up a subsidiary company and purchased a number of Dash 7s but I do not think they ever put the system into operation..

I remember reading about that in Trains. They talked about fueling those Dash 7s with a biodiesel blend, in order to help meet California emissions requirements.

When I was in passenger service we had F40ph locomotives. The HEP had 2 settings. One was using the HEP generator. The other was a standby mode. I was told that the standby mode used the AR10. The prime mover was therefor running at lower than full speed needed by the HEP alternator. Of course the unit couldn't produce traction power in standby mode. This was a good example of the AR10 making domestic power, but I don't know how the high voltage was stepped down to 480v.

the voltage is only as high as excitation is regulated, but it still only delivered 600 kw max but with a 2238 Kw diesel driving it.

Using a Locomotive as generator would sure as hell get EPA on your doorsteps, since rules are different for noise and pollution or stationary power plants.