We went from Generators to Cab signals?
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ThirdRail7 wrote:For the record, this has been pursued. Product Development is looking into seeing if it is feasible to add a generator to the existing Viewliner baggage car order (I used your idea Jtg! If this works, PM your name and I'll give you the credit! If not, you probably don't want to be known). If this fails, the back up plan is to approach industrial engineering to examine if a generator can be added to future engine orders. I was informed it is definitely too late to add them to the current order of electrics and it might be too late to add them Viewliners. Cost and space limitations will obviously be a major factor (probably the deciding factor.)hahaaha thanks quite okay Thirdrail, but I appreciate the thought
I didn't even know we had an department named Industrial Engineering.
25Hz wrote:Could RDC style layout work?On a baggage car, possibly. But you would still need the other equipment I mentioned added on to provide connections. This could be placed on the other end of the car where the other motor would be on an RDC to balance out the weight while a fuel tank can remain in the center.
ApproachMedium wrote:A simple on off switch? I think not. A good example here would be the way a modern power module GTO or IGBT loco works for HEP. There is no simple on off switch. You would need large very heavy (300+lbs) 480v contactors to operate the connection and disconnection of the HEP motor in the baggage car from the train line. You would also need presence detection so that the contactor does not close when there is already 480v present, which makes a BIG boom should this mistake happen. You also would need all the components to smooth out the electricity generated by the motor and keep the frequency stable. Again, nothing light and simple there either.OK. I would like to repeat: the intention is to use this for EMERGENCIES.
Now, the point of them in the yard. Almost every place that a train is going to be in the yard there is wayside 480v present. Which is silent, requires no fueling and minimal maintenance. When a train is in the yard at the service point the wayside gets connected, and the cars stay warm. The problem with the cars freezing up cant be helped by your generator solution any more than it already is. That requires that ALL cars be trainline HEP connected. It requires they are not DRILLING the cars. Once drilling must begin, any 480V must be opened, and disconnected. The cars being separated must be disconnected and nothing can be reconnected until the track is cleared and blue flag protection is applied. So you gain zero advantage in the yard by adding a generator to a baggage car.
Also if the train does not have a baggage car, or the bag is shopped because we are short of them. Now what do you do? I have been there, i worked the yard last winter and I cabled up trains. I know whats involved, i know what the process is and I know how long it takes for a car to dump water after its been sitting off power in freezing weather. It does not take long.
When we layover cars we store them on 1 track or 26 track, both of which have wayside power. Before a car is sent there from the car shop as ready it is winterized by being drained of all water. When a car gets shopped out of a train it is also drained to prevent freezing. The wayside power is used to keep the blowers, heat and strip heaters going so that when a ready car does need to get pressed in to service it is already near toasty, and can be filled up with water right away without dumping it.
25Hz wrote:I think the only viable way backup HEP would work is via high capacity high discharge batteries. The lights all ready run on batteries when HEP is not there. Just the other day I saw an entire 10 car GO bilevel train locomotive off with all the lights on. In Albany during the engine switch, the amfleet 2 I was in had the backup lights go on. So you take that baggage/cabbage or what have you and pop in some industrial sized lithium polymer battery packs, inverters and you're in business. No, wouldn't move the train, but allow doors lights, HVAC & bathrooms to work. To conserve power simply keep everyone in as few cars as possible till help arrives. Additional auxiliary power could be drawn from packs hung under the floors of the coaches.Already mentioned way back in here batteries are a no go. LED lighting in the new viewdiner has proven up to 8 hours time on battery alone which is fine and good but you are not going to be operating any kind of HVAC system off of batter power. Not happening, no way, no how. Running motors, compressors and or heating elements requires a lot of juice.
I know this isn't perfect, but it may be a solution.