take a look at the NEW EMD

[ENR3870]

I can see it being benefical if the loco has weak batteries and stalled/shut down and is still warm

It would be, but the Lube Oil and Fuel pumps and the computer are electric, with dead batteries even if you have a fully charged starter reservoir it still won't start. I'd also like to see EMD move the Battery Knife Switch back into the cab. It took me 45 minutes to find the damn thing.

[mxdata]

Answering the earlier question, the small IR type air starters used on EMD marine and industrial engines provide almost twice the cranking torque that the electric starter commonly used on older locomotive installations can produce.

MX

[bikitdi]

How about another re-design of the latest cab? The SD70ACE's and SD70M-2's are uncomfortable and LOUD. There's been a couple I've had the back door vibrate open...nice little surprise when you're running down the main at 60mph.

I'd love to see a cab redesign. Maybe placing the head and ditch light switches within easy reach, like GE does. A back door that doesn't vibrate open would also be nice as would a proper desk for the conductor. Getting rid of the air starters would be nice too, the older SD70's with the electric starters work just fine and are not nearly as loud, the air starters don't have any advantage as the lube oil and fuel pumps are electric and if the batteries are dead won't work.

I got a quick and dirty way to fix the door vibrate open problem and posted it in another thread here...
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p714098
hope it helps

[CN Sparky]

From experience... the air starters are the worst possible idea. Nothing sucks worse than having to put shop air on a locomotive, only to find out the battery is dead too. Or the other way around. And if you're not IN the shop... getting another unit and a hose to charge it up. It really, really sucks.

There's three air tanks - one inside the carbody beside the compressor, and two where they usually are above the fuel tank. One of the two on the side (the larger one) is the #3 reservoir, which is for the air starter. As long as the check valve works properly, it won't lose all it's air. But even then, if the engine is cold... it may not start on the first try, and you need another unit to charge the air up to try again.

Add to that... there's no way to disable the autostart system on these new beasts... so when it's not starting properly on it's own, we dump the water and it's shipped "dead and drained" to the nearest shop.

I like how GE starts the engine using the alternator itself... that's smart. Too bad EMD hasn't learned that trick.

I have a new hatred for the FIRE computer.

Who, in their infinite (ha!) wisdom decided that embedding EM2000 in a window in the FIRE interface was a good idea? That combo seems to be incredibly buggy. I have some serious issues with that setup...