Narrow Gauge Diesels

Hadn't seen that before, so cheers for posting the link. Total, four locos, eh? Would all be to the more restricted FR loading gauge? Probably more useful than having two which can't operate above Blodge. T'would facilitate maintenance related matters too.

 

An interesting idea, but then, you could gain far more operational flexibility by just building two independent locos and equipping them for multiple working, as has already been suggested.

Mind you, if you will forgive me for a WIBN moment...how about something in the style of a pair of American F units, coupled back-to-back? Perhaps with a small slab-ended driving compartment at the rear (like a class 91) to allow them to be separated and run in reverse for shunting or in an emergency. You could easily design versions for both FfR and WHR loading gauges. Fairly impractical but it would look very stylish, which (IMHO) cannot be said of many narrow gauge diesels!

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Just what I was thinking off, but I'm not familiar with US railroads

 

There would seem to be a case for a spot of cooperation between several lines facing the same issues. Of the trickier lines to work, the F&WHR, VoR, BMR and (sooner or later) the L&B could all surely benefit from a suitable 'Thunderbird' design.

 

The D&S diesels are regauged GP40's. One ex conrail, the other from a commuter line in Florida. EMD units have proved pretty reliable over the past 80 years.....

 

These are the old diesels, useful on lines where sparks from steam trains may have a risk of possibly starting lineside fires in some seasons.
Looks like the 2 new 2000hp NP1000 diesels are ready to be delivered, but under wraps
https://railequipmentsolutions.com/projects/two-new-mp1000-locomotives/

Motive Power & Equipment Solutions also supplied a smaller 1000hp mp550 diesel 3ft gauge loco (with a generator and electric motors) to the Isle of Man railway for backup thunderbird use.

https://railequipmentsolutions.com/projects/project-550/
According to wikipedia has had overheating problems but now in service.
I expect if the motors/gearboxes are in the bogies then making a 2ft version may be tricky?

Also if used for backup thunderbird use rather than regular trains, then no point being hybrid using batteries to be fuel effecient, like the proposed new Snowdon locos, recharging downhill to give a boost going uphill.

 

Pedant's head on, Isle of Man 21 is 550hp not 1000hp. The electric motors may add up to 1000hp but the diesel engine is 550hp.

I think it had rather more problems than just overheating, but it is good to read that it is finally in service six years after delivery.

 

Thanks, guess if it did have a hybrid battery setup it might peak at 1000hp to start a heavy train?

 

After only about a month in service it failed, again, in November. Possibly a traction motor seizure but the problem was still being investigated last month. 135 year old Caledonia is currently 'holding the fort' on the dining trains.
Ray.

 

Stone the crows ..... more problems? At this rate, Mannin will could well be in back regular service ahead of a reliable Cabbage!

 

If a loco needs to double its power output to start a train then it is seriously overloaded. The extra power would be needed to accelerate and maintain line speed. Most locos can't deploy full power on starting without reaching the limits of adhesion anyway.

Typically a hybrid system isn't used to provide extra power. It is used to recover waste energy from braking. This is then used to reduce fuel consumption. The main issue with this especially in cars is that you generate large amounts of energy in short bursts. This is probably the worst way to charge a battery you can think of. It simply cannot store all this energy you've recovered fast enough. I imagine though the Snowdon Mountain Railway is an ideal application of hybrid technology. That slow steady downhill run is probably ideal for charging a battery to use on the way back up.

Tim

 

I love these things! A couple of them are definitely on my fantasy WHR roster. They'd look awesome pulling the ash train through the curves below Beddgelert. There are some great photos of them here: http://sa-transport.co.za/trains/narrow-gauge/ng_info_pictures/diesel.html

 

I'm afraid you'll have to fantasize on...... the Class 91s are huge, much larger than the NGG16s they replaced in SA. As I understand it the engine and ancillary equipment are too close to the roof to allow the bodywork to be cut down. Apart from that, the axle loadings are very heavy at 12 tonnes per axle, and the diesel engines are old technology, unlikely to meet present day emission regulations. Apart from that, they're great........
Photo culled from t'internet
C

 

I'd have thought Blodge could knock up a couple of big internal combustion locos from a design off of [sic] the back of an envelope...?

 

As has been said up-thread the majority of the design should be something that would not cause the guys in the Blodge too many problems. The difficulty is in the final drive arrangements and finding something that will stand up to the power levels required. The space available between the back-to-back on 2ft gauge is severely limited. The gearing on the Funkys has already shown itself to be ‘fragile ‘ when having 350 horsepower to deal with never mind the higher output desired. Normally ‘tougher’ means bigger and the space is just not there.

No doubt a solution will be found eventually but at present it remains a challenge.

 

Usually the back of a fag packet, until political correctness crept in....

 

Boston Lodge is extremely capable of building and looking after steam locos, but there is little or no experience of building 1000hp diesel electrics. If you wanted to build four of these imaginary locos at Boston Lodge I suspect you'd not only need to make a new workshop but you'd need to take on several staff with experience of designing and operating a loco like that.

An engine like that won't come cheap whoever makes it though. The two new Stadler locos for Appenzeller Bahn were £2 million a piece. The Welsh highland locos might not be so complex but you'll struggle to build one for less than £1 million all in.

 

The Brecon Mountain Railway has a Russian Ty7 built by Kambarka Engineering which has been rebuilt in the BMR workshop including re-gauging from 750 to 600mm. These locos are 400HP Bo-Bo's weighing 24T fitted with Bernaul V12 engines & Kaluga 2 stage hydraulic transmission. The are some 11' 6" high & 8' wide so loading gauge would be the problem for most 600mm gauge railways in the UK.

 

I've just been watching the re-re-run of Railroad Australia. Who builds the 2ft gauge engines running on the sugar cane railways in Queensland, or more to the point, who builds the transmissions?
Pat

 

AFAIK they are re-guaged 3ft6 machines