P2 Locomotive Company and related matters

My understanding they are being used for their improved reliability and wear characteristics, as demonstrated on Tornado.

Is axial movement not controlled by the horn guides...?

 

Yes, using taper roller bearings gives both the radial bearing and the thrust bearing, which on a conventional axlebox is provided by the wheel seat bearing against the outer face of the axlebox.

Spherical roller bearings have also been used for axleboxes at times; I believe at least one 240P was fitted with them on the crank axle (main bearings, not big ends).

 

What's a spherical roller bearing?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_roller_bearing


Keith

 

The rollers have a barrel form to them, with correspondingly shaped races. They basically allow all three axes of rotation (limited range in the two axes that aren't the shaft) but no translation movements. They make aligning two bearings at opposite ends of a shaft a lot easier, like a roller version of a plain spherical bearing. One of the products that established SKF in the bearing market.

 

Also used in some British motorcycle engines, to allow the crank to flex to absorb load. Thanks for the replies all.

 

Are Skefco still in the 'railway' marketplace ?

 

...meanwhile, back in Darlington, No. 2007 is going up in the world...

https://www.p2steam.com/2018/01/23/up-up-and-away/



Foxy

 

Yep, the famous Norton "Superblend" Commando crankshaft bearings...

Richard.

 

Well as an owner of said Commando, it has been fairly well established that the whole "spherical" thing isnt exactly true.
The bearings are not spherical in actuality. The closest Ive seen are the rear differential bearings in the old torque tube Buick
which were Hyatt brand and barrel shaped. Hyatt bearings were used under E series EMD passenger diesels. No
idea if they were barrel shaped.

 

Its a slight oxymoron really, technically speaking, they are "funcy roller bearings"

How long until we have a wheeled P2! This is starting to get very very real!

 

Great stuff! I reckon at this rate, there's a decent chance of seeing a wheeled chassis with the cylinder block fitted by next Christmas!

Richard.

 

Wouldn't that be nice!

 

It most certainly would! I'll also hedge a bet that it'll be an eight-coupled chassis by next Christmas too, ie. with at least the coupling rods fitted or trial fitted.
I really must get myself up to Darlo and have a look at this beast this year!

Richard.

 

The original P2`s were equipped with ACFI feedwater heater, will the new build also have such one?

 

As far as I know it won't

 

I'd be most surprised if A1SLT didn't include some form of water treatment.

 

They did, but it`s being used for cooking tea water.

 

Well it's all a question of priorities, old chap!

 

For a number of reasons No. 2007 will have the standard pair of injectors used on Tornado's boiler. The requirement to run an ACFI fitted locomotive with the regulator open most of the time would be counter-productive on today's railway (although this worked well in France where operating conditions were somewhat different). The aim is to have two (or three) diagram 118A boilers that can be swapped between No. 2007 and No. 60163 and the ACFI feedwater heater would compromise this scheme. In its place will be a pair of Stones turbogens. Water treatment has nothing to do with the ACFI equipment and will be applied to the tender as it is now with Tornado.

Foxy